SB Nation - Willie Colon

The Offensive Line Part 2: The Transition

John Morgan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:58:30 -0000

This is the season Seattle lost Steve Hutchinson and the foundation of its offensive line began to crumble. Walter Jones was still among the very best at his position, but he was 32 and would turn 33 less than a week after Seattle was bumped out of the playoffs.

That run was paved in part by Tim Ruskell's first ever pick, Chris Spencer, replacing an effectively retired Robbie Tobeck, and rookie Rob Sims replacing the irreplaceable Hutchinson. When Spencer and Sims helped spring an already washed-up Shaun Alexander for 108 yards and two touchdowns against the sixth-ranked Bears rush defense, all was right, Ruskell was in good graces and the future of the Seattle Seahawks seemed bright.

The line was crumbling though. Jones was approaching old, and the intolerance to pain medication that once stood as a testament to his greatness began to loom as a horrible "what if?" Sims could not replace Hutchinson. Chris Gray was 36. Without that insane left side to protect him, Sean Locklear could no longer be trumped up by contrived stats. Seattle was halfway between the collapse of an all-time great offensive line and a rebuilding effort that couldn't possibly be as successful.

Seattle did not invest much into rebuilding the line in 2006. The draft was a bit top heavy and talent poor. Seattle could have selected Guy Whimper with its Sims pick, Willie Colon, Chris Kuper or Jeromey Clary, but if Sims has maybe not been the most valuable lineman selected in the second day, he has been a good player for the pick and more successful than much of his class.

Seattle could have spent an earlier pick but didn't. It's almost impossible to argue that had Seattle kept spent its first or second round picks on offensive linemen, it would be a better team today. Its first round pick, Kelly Jennings, has busted, but so has Winston Justice, selected 39^th, and neither Deuce Latui, 41^st, nor Daryn Colledge, 47^th, strike me as significantly better players than Sims. It could have made a play at a tackle like Marcus McNeill, Andrew Whitworth, Jeremy Trueblood or Eric Winston, but it believed itself set at tackle, and it seemed to be.

Instead, Ruskell added Tom Ashworth. Ashworth was awful: Another body on the pile of winners and veterans that Ruskell has burdened the team with. But Ashworth was fourth string and therefore as likely to play as Kyle Williams. Sean Locklear had been healthy to that point. Ashworth was behind Jones, Locklear, Ray Willis and even Floyd Womack.

Injuries became a factor. Locklear missed five games. Willis missed 15 and was put on IR. Womack was starting at left guard. Locklear's injury forced Ashworth into action and he played like the fourth string tackle he was. The line did not play well and compared to 2005, it was awful.

The talent Ruskell had added was good. It was young and cheap and seemed promising. The line had declined from a peak it could not possibly reach again, but where it had been expensive, aged, but elite, it was now turning into cheap, young and serviceable.

Titans vs. Steelers: Five Questions with Behind the Steel Curtain

Jimmy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:47:38 -0000

1. In the match-up between these two teams last season the Titans were able to sack Big Ben 5 times and force him to throw 2 picks. Is the Steelers offensive line better this season than it was last season?

It's not clear if the Steelers offensive line will be any better than they were in 2008 when they allowed Big Ben to take a beating all year round. The personnel is largely the same, with only rookie guard Kraig Urbik replacing incumbent right guard starter Darnell Stapleton amongst the top 5. On the one hand, that has to concern Steelers fans. On the other, we all know how important continuity and experience playing together is, particularly at that position. So we'll just have to see if this group of mostly the same guys is better with a year of rough-and-tumble experience under their belts. Titans fans might want to keep an eye on right tackle Willie Colon, the whipping boy of the offensive line for Steelers fans last year. He reportedly had a great camp and has undeniably looked better in limited action this preseason. If he can take a step - and preferably two or three...big ones - forward this year, the line could be substantially better than it was a year ago.

2. Obviously a lot has been made of the incident with the terrible towels at the end of last season's game. I know that is a big deal to the fans, but do you think it adds any motivation for the team?

Well, Coach Mike Tomlin apparently spent all of five seconds talking about it. My guess is he said something along the lines of 'the team that wins gets to do the talking.'

3. Do you think the Steelers can repeat in 2009?

Absolutely I think they can repeat. It begins and ends with their defense, which should again be at worst one of the league's five or ten best defenses. If you can keep Ben Roethlisberger in close ball games, we all know he can take over from there.

4. Talk to us about Nate Washington. He was the Titans biggest offseason acquisition. Do you think he can be a #1 receiver in this league? Why did the Steelers not make more of an effort to keep him?

No, he can not be a #1 receiver in this league. He's too frail and lacks confidence and guts catching the ball over the middle with a looming safety. He improved in that department during his time in Pittsburgh, but he's more or less a one-trick pony, and that's stretching the field. I will say though that he'd be a bigger asset if Vince Young were quarterback than if Kerry Collins is behind center. Why? Because Washington's also good when plays break down and the quarterback moves outside of the pocket trying to make something out of nothing. Obviously that's something Roethlisberger did/does a lot. And he often looked to Nate in those situations. I obviously don't see Collins breaking contain too often and trying to make a play outside of the pocket.

5. Write the headline in Friday morning's Tennessean.

Steelers avenge desecration of Towel, mop up Titans 24-14

Hope Nate reads this before the game tonight.

Click here to see BTSC's questions for me and my answers.

BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack- Comeback Victories Edition

drinkyourmilkshake — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:33:25 -0000

IX-Many times on Behind the Steel Curtain we have tried to discuss the fourth quarter and game winning drive statistic that is occasionally thrown around by broadcasters during NFL games. Frequently the debate goes along and then we realize that their is basically nobody that keeps a complete record of that stat throughout the NFL. Pro Football Reference has really done a great job of breaking down these stats for the top game winning drive quarterbacks. Part I discusses why some of the stats that are generally printed for John Elway and Dan Marino are misleading and Part II really delves deep into how they have chosen to tabulate the stats and also shows what a great pace Ben Roethlisberger is on in terms of game winning drives and fourth quarter comebacks.

X-The Pittsburgh Tribune Review's John Harris wrote an article on "The Best Right Tackle in the NFL", Willie Colon. It seems like from this report that Willie Colon is going to make enough money next season either from the Pittsburgh Steelers or the another team to change his last name.

XIII-Another debate that happened frequently this offseason in the BTSC community is whether or not it would be possible for Charlie Batch to be hired as a coach and then if a rash of injuries sprung up for them to activate him to the roster. Well the answer has been given by the Philadelphia Eagles who activated their 31 year old "coaching intern" and quarterback Matt Nagy after back-up quarterback Kevin Kolb went down with an injury. The problem is some league sources are complaining about the addition of Nagy, since it exposes the fact that the Eagles essentially had an extra man on their 81 man roster, especially since their are rumors that Nagy has been throwing passes in practice along with attending all team meetings.

[UPDATE]: The contract of Matt Nagy has been rejected by the league. It's still not 100% clear on the reasoning.

XIV-For all of you out of market fans like me who are interested in how you will get to see the Steelers pre-season opener vs the Arizona Cardinals you can check it out on ESPN live Thursday August 11th at 8pm, as well as few days later on Saturday, August 11th at 1pm on the NFL Network. If you are out of market like me the NFL Network will be showing every preseason game for every team in the league at some point before the start of the regular season.

XL-ESPN's Chris Mortenson interviewed Hines Ward at training camp and I am posting the video below. James Walker of ESPN also broke down training camp in his "training camp confidential" series. Thanks to Steelguy99 for the heads' up on this story.

XLIII- In a fanpost yesterday morning tmccoy posted about undrafted rookie free agent Tyler Grisham and the Tribune Review also has a more in-depth report on his progress so far during the training camp. I watched Grisham make a beautiful diving catch after he beat his cover man deep at training camp on Saturday. Like the article says, although his measurables may not be top notch he did appear to have a certain set of football intangibles that are reminiscent of Hines Ward. I have a hard time believing he will make the 53 man roster just due to the reality of the number of players the Steelers have competing for the spot, but it would certainly be a great story. I am very excited to see him get a chance in the pre-season where I think he will really shine.

The Sacred Rules of Jersey Purchase

ncoolong — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:14:18 -0000

I've gotta buy a new Steelers jersey. This has kept me up nights, and any die-hard fan in the same situation should treat this monumentous decision the same way.

See, there's far more that goes into a fan's jersey selection than most think. It's a commentary of that fan's ownership of the team. It's a proud statement that shows the devotion and loyalty to America's greatest team.

Is it your favorite player? Is it a tribute to the olden days of the team? Is it commemorating one of our two recent Super Bowls? These are all factors, but the "coolness" of that player or the uniqueness and rareity of that jersey is also very important. Longevity and likelihood of that player's continued employment by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

One of the big reasons the Steelers achieve success year in and year out is due to their ability to maintain their group of core players. Every successful team in today's NFL focuses on three major tenets of management: Get a franchise quarterback, give long-term extensions to 12 or 13 franchise players and replace outside of those 12 or 13 via the draft or inexpensive free agents.

This plays into jersey selection because the fan is ultimately looking for the highest rate of return possible. That means the selection should be made based on either that player's inclusion in that group of core players, or the likelihood of that player being a core player in the near future.

Here are the main rules behind the purchase of a new jersey.

The Oversaturation Rule (Ben Polamalu Clause): "While allowable, it is discouraged to buy the jersey(s) of the most popular player(s)."

With all due respect to Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, those two are without question the most popular on the team (add Hines Ward to this as well). While I cannot fault the logic of selecting their jerseys based on the fact both of them are under contract for a long time, and both will continue to provide plenty of value, they represent the Oversaturation Rule. One of of every two jerseys you see are of either Roethlisberger or Polamalu. Try to be a bit more unique.

The Bandwagon Rule (Silverback Clause): "A breakout Steelers player will emerge every year. Be careful not to join the masses in buying his jersey a year too late. Find the breakout player before he breaks out."

An often controversial clause, you'll see exactly what I mean by Week 2. Everyone will be wearing a James Harrison jersey. What's been great about Harrison from a fan's perspective is he's been roughly off the radar since he became a starter. He was only known to die-hard fans before 2007. I called him out in 2004, not long before his body-slamming of that moron Browns fan. At that point, I strongly considered getting a No. 92 Harrison jersey. I've had a Hines Ward jersey since 2001 (right before he broke onto the national scene), and I've vowed to keep it until he reitres.

Just like Ward in 2003, Harrison is about to enter the Oversaturation level. Get the trendy player's jersey before he becomes a trend. Uniqueness and rareity are essential.

The Committment Rule (Dermontti Dawson Clause): "A player has to be assured of being on the team for at least another few years."

If the player has at least three years remaining on his contract, for what we know, that player will be on the team for a long time. Failure to know the remaining legnth of the player's contact is unacceptable. Wearing jerseys of players who are no longer on the team but is still in the leauge (i.e. Alan Faneca) is a sin, and should be punished thusly. I understand it's expensive to change out your jersey each year, but that's exactly why a fan must pay attention to these things. The second he's not on the team, you have to get another one, and retire your old one. That's just the law, I'm sorry.

The Throwback Rule (The Steel Curtain Clause): "A former player reaches Throwback Status when he has been retired from the league for five years, or has been off the team for three years, played somewhere else and has just retired (aka the Rod Woodson Clause)." A colloary to this is Recyclization, which is continuing to wear the jersey of a player before the five-year mark, and claiming it's a Throwback.

Any authentic jersey from the Steel Curtain years is phenominal. It's a great tribute, attention-grabbing and very cool. Keep in mind, though, you are in violation of Recyclization if you are currently wearing a Plaxico Burress, Antwaan Randle-El or, now, Larry Foote. You must upgrade immediately.

The biggest violation of Recyclization is the Bus. Jerome Bettis has not yet achieved this status. All that means is you kept wearing your Bettis jersey and chose not to upgrade to a current player, or a qualifying Throwback.

The Wary Rookie Rule (Troy Edwards Clause): "Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) in purchasing a rookie's jersey - in particular, the first-round choice. While it does fit the Committment Rule, and the Steelers are known for an excellent track record selecting in the first round,it will likely border on Oversaturation. I'm loving what I'm hearing about Ziggy Hood, but it's not quite enough to make the bold statement that he's a core player.

It's named after Troy Edwards, because he's a sad reminder of what can happen when rookies flat-out don't make it. Too many people bought his jersey right away, and there hasn't been a bigger Steelers first-round flop in the last 20 years. Be wary! However, if you've got the guts, get a rookie's jersey from the second round, or even the second day of the draft. That's a sharp way to build street cred, assuming your prediction that player will be huge his rookie year is valid (Mike Wallace is tempting right now).

The Double-Entendre Rule (William Gay Clause): "If the player's last name is awkward, or suggests something else, it's probably better to just leave it alone."

It's named after William Gay. That pretty much explains it. It's unfortunate, because Big Play Willie Gay is going to be an excellent player. But...yeah. Truthfully, though, this used to be called the Miroslav Satan Clause, because I knew people who purposefully bought his jersey so they could wear something with "Satan" on the back (even though it's pronounced sha-TAN). This also includes the purchase of any No. 69 jersey.

Don't be That Guy. You're not wearing a jersey for comedic value. You're showing your membership in Steeler Nation.

The Pirates Rule (Dress the Part Clause): "The cheaper alternative is rarely the better alternative. Buy the real thing."

The Pittsburgh Pirates are mired as also-rans not only in their sport, but in their hometown because they have dedicated their franchise to not spending money. Wearing the knock-off jersey-shirts purchased at your local Giant Eagle makes you look like a bandwagon fan. If you're a die-hard, spend an extra $50 and get a replica. I'm talking about the $80 screen-printed ones, mind you, the rules do not require a hand-stitched, $275 jersey. If that's your thing, then more power to you, just wear the officially licensed apparel.

The Pirates Rule brings me to today.

My wife and I were married this past June, and we've been together since 2006. When my father, perhaps the most generous man alive, felt bad for her showing up at the Steelers bar not wearing a jersey, he decided to buy her one.

He travels internationally, and a trip to Korea brought him to some street vendor. He bought my then-girlfriend a Polamalu jersey, and the only accurate parts of the jersey are the number 43, the spelling of his last name and the fact the Steelers wear black, gold and white. Other than that, it looks as if someone created it despite never having seen a real one before.

My main priority in our first Steelers season post-wedding was to get her a real jersey. I appreciate it, Dad, but she's not wearing that anymore.

Applying the rules to my current situation, who am I getting?

She's only been a fan of the team since 2006, so a throwback is a bit out-of-place. It's definitely not Troy, Silverback, Hines or Ben. I'm not big on the rookie jersey (although getting on the Keenan Lewis, Mike Wallace or Frank The Tank bandwagon is very tempting), and it'll be someone who's going to be on this team for at least the next three years. Someone whom the entire league will be talking about this year, or, someone who Steelers fans are buzzing about, but of whom the rest of the league is more or less unaware. Someone who's proven something in the league, that level varies though.

Just missing the cut: Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ryan Clark (contract status), Willie Parker (oversaturation, contract), Willie Colon (contract, borderline Double Entendre), Limas Sweed and Rashard Mendenhall (both need another year).

The Short List: Heath Miller, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, Ike Taylor and Aaron Smith.

I really want to put Ryan Clark on here, and if he gets an extension tomorrow, I'd likely get his. Without one, though, I can't take the chance. Aaron Smith is referred to as underrated so often, he's borderline Oversaturation. That's his jersey's only flaw, though. I see Heath Miller as 2009's Bandwagon Rule (like Harrison in 2008). My wife can't stand Ike Taylor's "Swaggin'" comment in his game intro, so I have to drop him for that.

It comes down to the two best players the Steelers have drafted since 2004. But considering there is only one player in NFL history to log multiple sacks in four consecutive playoff games, and he was the guy who forced the game-ending fumble in Super Bowl XLIII, my choice...the third-year outside linebacker out of Michigan, 6-foot-2, 265 pounds, number 56, LaMarr Woodley.

The jersey is on the way, ready to be unveiled before the Aug. 14 game against Arizona.

Poll

Which player's jersey would you buy for this year?

Heath Miller

710 votes

James Farrior

237 votes

Ike Taylor

112 votes

Lawrence Timmons

593 votes

LaMarr Woodley

1063 votes

Aaron Smith

181 votes

2896 votes | Poll has closed

My Thoughts On Willie Colon's (Reported) Development

Blitzburgh — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:47:06 -0000

So early reports out of Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp have included glowing commentary on right tackle Willie Colon. The former 2006 4th round draft pick out of Hofstra has not exactly been a fan favorite amongst Steelers Nation - as I'm sure I don't need to remind you.

Before I carry on, let me just quickly say that I think any statement that Colon is the best right tackle in the league is a bit hyperbolic - to say the least. In fact, not one week will go by in the 2009 season where Colon won't be outclassed at right tackle. That will happen when the Steelers host the Tennessee Titans and LaMarr Woodley goes up against David Stewart of the Titans. That said, I do think it's unfair for Steelers fans to completely write Colon off because he has struggled at times in his first years in the league. One must remember where he comes from - the Bronx, N.Y. and Hofstra College. That's not a hotbed for football talent. And I think it's fair to say that Colon has had some catching up to do - on the fly mind you - since being exposed to legitimate NFL talent day in and day out for the first time in his life.

It's worth repeating that Colon has been learning on the fly. And he deserves a tip of the cap his durability thus far in his short three year career. Colon has started all 16 games in both 2007 and 2008, as well as all four of the team's playoff games during that time span. That's a decent chunk of experience now under his belt from which he should be able to draw upon moving forward.

So, the 26 year looks good in camp so far according to tweets from Jim Wexell and from the initial wave of columns coming off the press. Say it isn't so? We'll see. But I think it's fair to say that it's quite possible that we've seen the worst of Willie Colon and that the best of his career is very much ahead of him. For his sake and for the sake of the team and us fans, I sure hope so.

Thoughts?

Texans Down 'N Dirty: Twitter Edition

DreKeem — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:00:23 -0000

As curtisdisco mentioned in a fanpost, Xavier Adibi has bulked up to 240 pounds in an attempt to beat out Zac Diles for the starting weakside linebacker spot. One of the issues with Adibi coming out of college was his lack of size and it didn't help that he suffered a major illness before last season that caused him to lose even more weight. Before his season ending injury, Adibi's game weight was around 220 Ibs. It's nice to see the effort to improve from Adibi, but it's yet to be seen how the added bulk will affect his fluidity in coverage, which was an advantage he had over Diles last year.

Adibi also rightfully attributes much of the success of a linebacker to the play of the defensive tackles. It makes you appreciate even more the success of Demeco Ryans' rookie year, in which he compiled 156 total tackles playing alongside... bear with me, Lional Dalton, Thomas and Travis Johnson, Cedric Killings, and Anthony Maddox. Yikes. Good health and better inside play from the d-line should lead to a return to dominance for Demeco. Are you reading this, Rick Smith?

The Texans official site provides a nice interview with strong safety Dominique Barber. In it we once again see the obvious focus David Gibbs is putting on technique, which Jacque Reeves previously mentioned. Rest assured, it's a given that technique involves turning one's head around... we hope. Improved technique will certainly help the secondary, but improvements on the d-line should be an even bigger boost. It's also nice to see that veterans such as Nick Ferguson are really taking time out to teach young players such as Barber the guide to success in this league. You can't undermine the value of leadership from players such as Ferguson and Demeco. Are you reading this, Rick Smith?

The chronicle has implemented a feature that lets you access every snap taken by the Texans offense last year. I'm not sure what exactly this is useful for, but it's there for you to check out.

Chris over at HDH has put together another nice feature that allows you to follow Texans players through websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Andre Johnson's Twitter consists of a blank page. Go figure. If you know of any other players on these sites, go ahead and let Chris know in the comments section. I have one for you, Chris. Stanley McClover. Bet you forgot about him didn't you? Does he even count? Not surprisingly, the only image he could find of himself to put up is one of him getting absolutely no position on Steelers RT Willie Colon. Wait a second, McClover played a snap as a Texan!? Oh right, we lost that game 38-17.

Speaking of Twitter, it's interesting to check out the differences in personality between Chris Johnson and Steve Slaton. On Johnson's twitter, he eagerly states that "Smash and dash is having a divorce my new name is EVERY COACHES DREAM What u think bout that" and "Everybody last year football season will be my worst year. What about that". Slaton, on the other hand, calmly lets everyone know that he's "Relaxin on this beautiful night in the backyard. How your weather where you at? Are you enjoying the night?"

BTSC Steelers Daily Six Pack- The O.J. Bowl Edition

drinkyourmilkshake — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:56:33 -0000

IX- The Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers may very well be the favorites to win their respective conferences and compete for Super Bowl 2009. The Steelers are of course the defending Super Bowl champions who are returning all but three starters and the Eagles have surrounded Donavan McNabb with his best group of skill position players since the days of Terrell Owens. But this wasn't always the case; back in 1968 the Eagles and the Steelers were both 0-6 and set to meet on October 27^th. Check out this article on "The O.J. Bowl", a game that indirectly led to the Steelers selecting a somewhat unknown player from North Texas State that would anchor the Steelers defense for four Super Bowl Championships.

X- The Steelers' drafted another Defensive end in the first round this year, and are hoping his impact will be similar to "Mean" Joe Greene's. Jim Wexell reports from OTA's on the progress that Ziggy Hood is making, and according to long time NFL executive Charlie Casserly, he looks very impressive so far. Starter Casey Hampton is also impressed with Hood's abilities, especially his ability to use his hands to keep blockers off of him. The most surprising thing in the entire article was Hood's quotes on the much maligned tackle, Willie Colon.

"He was an eye opener for me, something I had to go in the film room and watch. It was rough out there. The first practice was going fine until he came along, and that really opened me up because he came right at me like a raging bull. There was nothing I could do about it."

XIII- A local Pittsburgh employee of NFL films was able to put together the highlight real from this years' 2008-2009 NFL season and it premiered at Heinz Field last Friday. The 23 minute film will also air on the NFL network in the near future. In order to tide you over until then, here is a video that 2005steelers4life posted originally in a fanpost.

XIV- Hines Ward says "We are thin at the wide receiver depth." He mentions that Limas Sweed looks much more confident as we have heard reported multiple times. He also had kind words for Mike Wallace and Shaun McDonald. Hines Ward's physical skills may be slightly on the decline, but his attitude, work-ethic, and skills as a mentor make him one of the more valuable members of the team. It will be a sad day in Pittsburgh when Hines Ward hangs up his cleats.

XL- Time to beat up on the Cleveland Browns one more time. This reason this time is new head coach, Eric Mangini's decision to "ask" his rookie players to ride 20 hours by bus on a weekend to help support his football camp. While Mangini's camp is certainly a good cause, it's not a good sign the rookie players and their agents feel they were forced into going to the "voluntary" camp.

XLIII- MMA is not something I am a regular viewer of, but I can say I will probably watch at least a few episodes of Kimbo Slice on "The Ultimate Fighter 10." Dude is a pure beast and although he has been very unimpressive so far in his previous MMA bouts it should be make for some decent T.V. Who would win in a fight James Harrison or Kimbo Slice?

OVERTIME-In the spirit of wishing the Penguins good luck tonight, I am mentioning that they play game three in Pittsburgh tonight, down 2-0 in the series. I mentioned their games in the previous two series and they pulled those out, so hopefully in the interest of brining another title to Pittsburgh, check out Pensburgh tonight for the live chat.

Proof That Any Hack Can Do It - A First Round Mock Draft

Jake — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:24:13 -0000

I always get a kick out of how many draft “experts” come out of the woodwork in the months before the draft and feel it is their duty to impart their knowledge onto the rest of the football loving world. Well, now that I write for a blog, I have decided to join the ranks of the presumptuous mock drafters. I fully recognize that trying to predict a draft that is two months away before pro days are held is more an educated guess than anything else, which is why I chose to predict only the first round. I wanted to complete this after the Combine but before free agency began, and then complete another shortly before the draft to see the changes in my own thinking that occur in two months.

This, as I said, is my first mock draft. This mock draft is more a tool for me because it allows me to organize my thoughts as a reference, and it also provides me feedback from other knowledgeable football fans on BRB. My picks are a mixture of what I think teams will do and what I think they should do. I tried to remain as realistic as possible, but it is really hard to be unbiased when I know who I really want to see in Steel Blue next year. Anyway, I would appreciate the feedback that I know all of you are capable of giving. Let the debate begin!

1. Detroit Lions: Aaron Curry/LB/Wake Forrest – Some might see this pick as putting too much stock in a strong Combine performance, but I tend to disagree. All Curry did at the Combine was validate what coaches and scouts already thought about him based on game film--that he is simply the best defensive talent in the draft. This realization, coupled with all the red flags of drafting an underclassmen QB with a terrible OL to protect him and huge expectations to live up to, will result in Detriot pulling the trigger on Curry. Also of note, Matthew Stafford is represented by Tom Condon, the same agent who brought about the Eli forced trade and the Quinn holdout. Any team that picks first wants a deal worked out in principle before the draft.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith/OT/Baylor – Smith benefited the most out of all the top OT prospects by Andre Smith’s Houdini act at the Combine. I believe that Jason was probably the second OT prospect, but after Andre verified suspected character defects and Jason performed well against his peers, he probably vaulted himself into this pick. The Rams need a new franchise OT to replace Orlando Pace who may or may not be a salary cap casualty. Even if Pace is there in 2009, Smith can play RT for a year while he learns the nuances of blocking in the NFL.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Everette Brown/DE-OLB/Florida State – Kansas City had an abysmal pass rush last year, and they need a specialist to anchor their new 3-4 hybrid defense. I think it probably would have been Brian Orakpo, and still might be, but while both Brown and Orakpo had good Combine performances, Orakpo tweaked his hamstring which might have reinforced injury concerns. I believe they will take one of the two, and Cleveland takes the leftover.

4. Seattle Seahawks: B.J. Raji/DT/Boston College – Many people are assuming Seattle will be the new home of Michael Crabtree, but I am not one of them, and it’s not all because of the foot injury. Lofa Tatupu regressed in 2008 because no one was there in the middle of the D line to stop interior O lineman from getting to the next level. Raji will fulfill this need like Ngata does for the Ravens. Also, I think that while Crabtree’s injury itself didn’t hurt his stock, his indecision on how to handle it might have.

5. Cleveland Browns: Brian Orakpo/DE/Texas – As I said earlier, this pick is probably interchangeable with the Chiefs' pick. The Browns might be happy in a year or two with getting Orakpo here, as he is the bigger prospect and maybe the better athlete. Also, it might motivate O-sack-po to know that he was second choice.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe/OT/Virginia – Monroe probably doesn’t have the upside of Andre or Jason Smith, but he is more of a sure thing than either of the two. Carson Palmer has been beaten and battered, and if Cincinnati doesn’t want a repeat of last year, they need to get him some protection. Monroe should also be attractive to the Bengals because he played every day in practice against the 3-4, which is the same defense of the Steelers, Ravens and Browns. There are some rumblings that they might be tempted to go WR here to replace the loss of Houshmendzadeh, but the need for protection is too great and the pool of WRs is deep this year, so they can get one in the second round.

7. Oakland Raiders: Michael Crabtree/WR/Texas Tech – The Raiders need an OT, but this is Al Davis we’re talking about. Everyone seems to think he turned a leaf by releasing a lot of dead weight that came from past terrible decisions, but he’s not fooling me. Zombie Al will not be able to resist the siren call of Crabtree if he’s still there. If he’s not, I would expect them to take Andre Smith. When have the Raiders ever put an emphasis on character over talent?

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Andre Smith/OT/Alabama – The Jaguars’ run oriented machine broke down last year because no one could stay healthy and block on the O line. As long as Andre shows up in shape on his pro day, he’s too talent to slide out of the top 10 picks, especially since so many teams need OT help with very little free agent talent present. Michael Oher might be a possible pick, but he simply doesn’t have Andre’s talent right now. Picking Smith is rolling the dice, but I think they’ll do it.

9. Green Bay Packers: Malcolm Jenkins/CF-FS/Ohio State – Ughh. I’ve been talking your collective ears off about taking Jenkins, but I don’t think he’ll realistically make it to us. I thought there was a chance for him to make it past the Packers but the alternative was Raji, who I think will be gone. Even if Raji was here, the Packers publicly stated that they are confident that current DT Ryan Pickett can anchor their new 3-4 scheme. All dreams eventually must end.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Jeremy Maclin/WR/Missouri – With Stafford continuing to slide, they might be tempted here, but I don’t think it will happen. The 49ers' WRs are old and untalented, which contributed to the over-reliance on Frank Gore and the injuries he suffered. San Francisco also needs help on the OL, but if the top three prospects are gone I don’t think they’ll draft Oher.

11. Buffalo Bills: Matthew Stafford/QB/Georgia – You can look all over the internet, but I doubt you would find another mock that had this pick. Trent Edwards is not terrible, but he is not, and never will be, a franchise QB, something that the Bills have lacked since Jim Kelly. This is a recipe for success as Stafford gets to step into a team that already has an established OL, running game and WR corps. Also, since Edwards is competent, Stafford can sit on the bench for a year and learn the system. I don’t think the Bills are going into the draft specifically looking for a QB, but if Stafford is there I don’t think they can pass him up.

12. Denver Broncos: Rey Maualuga/LB/USC – Denver needs to establish a defense that can help their explosive offense win games. Taking Maualuga allows them to do whatever they want with D.J. Williams in the 3-4 scheme they’re implementing. Maualuga also brings instant fan appeal to a defense that has had little star power outside of Champ Bailey for almost a decade.

13. Washington Redskins: Michael Oher/OT/Mississippi – Despite the Skins’ denial, I believe the rumors that they’ll sign Albert Haynesworth in free agency, or possibly Chris Canty, which takes away the pressing need to draft a D lineman in the first round. Oher would give help to an aging OL that was bruised and battered last year, and didn’t perform well in the end of the season which took Clinton Portis from MVP consideration to a non-factor. My predictions are far from fact, but I admit that predicting Redskins' draft picks is often an exercise in futility because they’re so bad at it.

14. New Orleans Saints: Vontae Davis/CB/Illinois – The Saints’ biggest need is help in the secondary. After Davis’ strong performance in the Combine, he is the number one true CB in the draft. Scouts and coaches had previously been leery of Davis for the same red flags that his older brother Vernon has exhibited, namely lack of intelligence and team focus, but apparently Vontae did a lot to dispel that notion during personal interviews in Indianapolis. If he’s not a head case like his brother, he could be a huge help to New Orleans’ terrible pass defense.

*15. Detroit Lions: Mark Sanchez/QB/Southern California – This would be a huge PR victory for Detroit’s new regime. By trading up to get Sanchez (or even Stafford if he falls this far) it would go a long way towards showing the fans in the Motor City that it’s not business as usual. They got the face of the defense with the first pick, which is smart, but don’t let the rhetoric fool you; they need a face for the offense and the franchise in general. If they could get the franchise QB with their second pick in the first round and show competency by making this trade to jump the Jets, it would win a lot of people over. This year’s QB class is not deep, so to get someone they’ll have to get him early. They’ll likely be looking to get OL help with the next pick, so dropping from 33rd to 46th shouldn’t be a big deal especially if I’m right about 4 OTs going in the first 13 picks. Most of the teams picking 34-45 will have either already picked an O lineman or have other concerns they need to address.

16. San Diego Chargers: Brian Cushing/OLB/Southern California – Most people assume that the Chargers will take a RB here if they let L.T. walk but I don’t think that’s how this will play out. They need help at LB, and even if they need a running back, Cushing is a much better pick than Moreno or Wells at this point. Cushing is a local favorite already; having played his college career up the road, and being highlighted by the media since draft analysis began doesn’t hurt either. The Chargers can get a high profile LB here, and still get a competent RB in the second round.

17. New York Jets: Hakeem Nicks/WR/North Carolina – They may not be looking for a QB in the first place, but if we take the trade down so Detroit can draft Sanchez it won’t matter whether they wanted him or not. Also, after Laveranues Coles turned down $6 million and walked, the Jets desperately need a WR. Nicks doesn’t have Heyward-Bey’s speed, but he’s got all the abilities that the burner from Maryland doesn’t have--receiving, route running and blocking. The Jets don’t have a QB that can throw it deep anyway, so what do they need a receiver who’s nothing but a vertical threat?

18. Chicago Bears: Percy Harvin/WR/Florida – The Bernard Berrian experiment didn’t work out too well for Chicago for the same reason that Heyward-Bey would be a bad fit; they need more than just a vertical threat. Harvin is one of the best offensive athletes in the draft, and his ability to use his quickness to get open while running short routes in the flats and create an extension of the running game through the pass will be tailor-made for the Bears, who utilized Matt Forte in a similar fashion last year when he wasn’t busy running the ball. If Harvin can step in and take a lot of those receptions, not only will it give Chicago a more explosive offense, it will reduce the workload of Forte in an effort to keep him healthy.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Darius Heyward-Bey/WR/Maryland – Joey Galloway saw a revitalization of his career in Tampa Bay because they knew how to let him do what he did best--stretch the field. The Bucs cut Galloway loose because he was getting long in the tooth, but I think they need a replacement that can get vertical and keep defenses honest against loading up in the box to stop the run. Heyward-Bey is little more than a track star at this point, but if he can polish his receiving skills he could end up being the most dangerous WR taken in this draft.

*20. Houston Texans: Clay Matthews, Jr./OLB/Southern California – When I first heard about the possibility of drafting Matthews, Jr., my initial reaction was disbelief and disapproval. Why would we reach that far in the first? The more I research though, the better it looks. No one has raised their stock more in the last 6 months, and he’s done it through sheer determination. Despite coming from an obviously proud football family, Matthews was no blue chipper, as was evident by the fact that he walked on to his father’s alma mater and didn’t start until his senior year. Before he got his chance three games into the senior season, Matthews was named special teams player of the year, twice, which is an attribute to his willingness to play wherever coaches need him. Matthews is by no means a Rudy though; his 4.67 40 was faster than all top prospects besides Aaron Curry, which shows his ability to rush the passer. The one thing that worries me about Matthews is that he played on a defense with an immense amount of talent on it, which may have hidden some of his negatives that weren’t seen in his short collegiate career. No one can deny the kid is a worker though, and apparently every past coach, fellow player and NFL scout says that he plays with a chip on his shoulder and lives in the weight room, which eventually gave him the opportunity to crack the starting lineup as a hybrid DE/LB. Even though some would consider this a reach, I decided it was safer to take him here and target a DE with the next pick because few, if any, teams will be targeting a traditional 4-3 end before the 33rd pick.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Pettigrew/TE/Oklahoma State – The Eagles have the luxury of drafting twice in the first round thanks to Carolina, and since all the top OL prospects are off the board, I think they will fill an immediate need at the TE position. None of the teams that pick before their second pick will likely take an OL, besides maybe New England just because Belichick loves to draft them. Atlanta is interested in TE as well. Pettigrew maybe isn’t the fastest TE in this year’s draft class, but his all around skills are the best, including blocking, which the Eagles can use in their screen oriented passing attack.

22. Minnesota Vikings: James Laurinaitis/LB/Ohio State – Everyone talks about the Vikings being a QB away from a serious contender, and while that may be true, they’re missing one key piece on the defensive side of the ball as well. LB has been a revolving door in Minnesota for the last few years, and this pick will change that. Laurinaitis might be a victim of his own consistency; he’s been good enough to be talked about as a draft prospect since his sophomore year, so people lost the excitement usually associated with a top potential draftee. He can start immediately for the Vikings, and will probably be a success from the get-go because in Minnesota he would play behind Kevin and Pat Williams.

23. New England Patriots: Larry English/DE-OLB/Northern Illinois – Adalius Thomas and Mike Vrabel are getting old, but still have a little bit left in the tank. The LB corps received a spark last year from first round selection Jarod Mayo, and they will get another this year. Larry English quietly looked good at the Combine; specifically, he showed coverage ability to go along with his pass rushing talent. I think Belichick knows that the Dolphins like English a lot, and he won’t be able to resist the urge to not only fill a need, but also to be a little Machiavellian at the same time. S is also a need, but Rodney Harrison’s replacement isn’t in this draft, and Bill knows it.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Jared Cook/TE/South Carolina – The Falcons need a TE, and Cook showed at the Combine that he is a physical specimen. The fear among scouts is while Cook can block, he doesn’t like to do it and needs a fire lit under him. Sounds like a job for Mike Smith, whose coaching prowess was displayed last year. DT and SS are probably the biggest needs for the Falcons, but Peria Jerry is too small to replace Grady Jackson at NT, and this is too early to take Patrick Chung who is probably the best SS in the draft.

25. Miami Dolphins: Clint Stintum/OLB/Virginia – Stintum has a leg up on all other LBs that will be drafted to play the 3-4 because he played in that scheme at Virginia. Bill Parcells, who doesn’t like flashy draft picks, will appreciate the simplicity of this. As I said before, if Larry English is here I think this will be a no-brainer for the Dolphins.

26. Baltimore Ravens: Alphonso Smith/CB/Wake Forrest – After releasing the great but aging CB Chris McAllister, the Ravens will need to address this need early in the draft. Smith lacks the physicality that the Ravens’ defense is known for, but he makes up for it with outstanding man coverage skills. If C Jason Brown is allowed to walk, the Ravens might be interested in Max Unger or Alex Mack here instead.

27. Philadelphia Eagles: Phil Loadholt/OT/Oklahoma – Loadholt lacks the speed and footwork to be what most would consider as a great tackle in the NFL, but the Eagles don’t care. They like huge OTs who are maulers, which is exactly what they’ll get here. The fact that they value this kind of tackle more than other teams is what allows them to wait until this pick instead of taking an OT at 21.

28. Indianapolis Colts: Peria Jerry/DT/Mississippi – The Colts get exactly what they were looking for here with Jerry. The Colts love medium-sized quick DTs, which is precisely what Jerry is. Many people think Jerry will be gone by this point, but I don’t think anyone will bite on him before Indianapolis because of his lack of size.

29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt/WR/Rutgers – I think the Giants would like to take a LB here, but as shown above I believe that there is going to be quite a run on that position before the 29th pick. The Giants know that Plaxico is not going to get out of his current legal problems unscathed, so they have to get Manning another deep threat. Britt has the speed to stretch the field, but he has also shown that he has the strength to break the jam, just like Burress.

30. Tennessee Titans: Fili Moala/DT/Southern California – Haynesworth isn’t coming back to Tennessee. He wants as much guaranteed money as he can get, and it’s not going to come from the Titans. They need immediate help on an aging D line that is suddenly missing its anchor. Another scary thought? I have a sneaking suspicion they might like a local guy by the name of Ayers.

31. Arizona Cardinals: Knowshon Moreno/RB/Georgia – Did you really think that the first round was going to go by without a single RB taken? I don’t know who exactly the Cardinals like here, but I’m almost positive it will be a RB, especially if so many (or all) are left by their pick. I gave Moreno the edge because despite his slow Combine 40, he has football speed and he doesn’t have the injury history of Beanie Wells.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eben Britton/OT/Arizona – The Steelers drafted enough skill positions last year to last them for a bit, and they obviously have enough LBs, so now they need to focus on the depth of both lines. Britton is projected to be an excellent RT, which is why he will still be available this late. Taking Britton, who has the kind of nasty attitude that the Steelers like, allows them to move Willie Colon to G, which will hopefully cut down on his false start penalties that are quite frequent.

*Trade between the Detroit Lions and the Houston Texans: Detroit gets the 15th and 46th overall picks; Houston gets the 20th and 33rd overall picks.

The trade, which is beneficial to both Houston and Detroit, is validated by the infamous draft value chart. As I was filling out the last of the first round, I really didn’t find a team that I realistically believe would draft either Michael Johnson or Robert Ayers, but I think both players will be gone by 46, so the trade obviously helps us. I believe the trade would be acceptable and helpful for Detroit because they don’t lose any draft picks, which they obviously need a lot of after the season that they just had, but they still get one of the top two QBs on the board.

So, there it is. Let me know what you think.

Steelers Advance To 7th Super Bowl In Franchise History: Notes From Championship Sunday Part 1

Blitzburgh — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:51:43 -0000

Some thoughts about the Pittsburgh Steelers' 23-14 victory over the rival Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on Sunday. The W completed the three-game sweep of the Ravens for Pittsburgh this year, which is a beautiful thing in and of itself. But more importantly, the win puts the Steelers just 60 minutes away from what would be an NFL record 6th Super Bowl triumph. After soaking in the thrilling victory with Steelers fans from across the globe immediately following the game, I began my recap coverage of the victory with a short shout out to Troy Polamalu, who I felt was the difference maker in the game above all others. Onward:

* Let's start with franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger. This exact moment is not the right time to look at Ben Roethlisberger's 2008 season as a whole - this week or next, and certainly this off season will be when we get there. But let's take a look at how Ben has performed since the 2 INT and 4 Fumble day against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.

(FL = Fumbles Lost)

vs CLE / 12.28.08	Passing					Rushing
	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD/INT/FL	Rush	Yds	Avg	TD
Ben Roethlisberger	9	14	64.3	110	0/1/0

vs SDC / 1.11.09	Passing					Rushing
	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD/INT/FL	Rush	Yds	Avg	TD
Ben Roethlisberger	17	26	65.4	181	1/0/0

vs BAL / 1.18.09	Passing					Rushing
	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD/INT/FL	Rush	Yds	Avg	TD
Ben Roethlisberger	16	33	48.5	255	1/0/0	2	-2	-1.0	0

Of the charts numbers? No, no. Good numbers, but nothing outstanding. Except in the most critical department - turnovers. Ben's making fantastic decisions with the ball right now and he seems to be as confident as ever sniffing out where to slide to in and out of the pocket to avoid would be pass rushers. More on Ben in a bit.

* Let's move on to the Offensive Line, a unit I thought played up to their ability for the most part. The reality of course is that the Ravens defense, particularly up front, outclasses our offensive line in terms of sheer physical ability. That means it's going to be tough sledding running the football just about every time these two bitter rivals (as currently constructed that is) lace it up. It also means that there's going to be some sacks - 4 of them in total in fact.

To me though, this unit played hard and close to up to their ability. They maybe would disagree with that, and the numbers surely aren't that impressive: less than 2 yards per carry and 3 sacks. But there were key moments when Ben had the time he needed to make the reads and throws he made. Let me put it this way - while the line has had many games in 2008 where they've had good moments at the least critical times and melted down when it mattered most, tonight they largely did the opposite. Againt Baltimore they had struggles matching up with the Ravens tenacious defense and unrelenting blitzing for much of the game, but didn't once stand in the way of the team's success by having a letdown in critical moments of the game.

There were very few momentum changing gaffes from them for example. In the wake of one of them, a 14 yard sack of Big Ben where he had next to no time to react, the line responded on the very next play by giving Ben Roethlisberger more time to throw than he had all day. Ben found Heath Miller for a 30 yard gain and the Steelers were in business again. The drive started at their own 20 yard line but ended with a huge FG from Jeff Reed that put the team back up by two scores, 16-7, early in the 3rd quarter.

* Speaking of Jeff Reed, we haven't had the opportunity to call his name recently.
Spikey was critical though Sunday in the Steelers victory. He was 3/3 on FG attempts and 1/1 on XPAs and make no mistake about it, the game could have had a totally different dynamic if he were not to have made any 1 of those 3 kicks. The most impressive one of course was the 3rd quarter FG I previously alluded to, a 46 yarder that had plenty of distance to spare. That FG capped an 11 play drive that ate up 5:29 seconds of game time. Big time game for our loveable FG kicker, who of course had to be 'that' guy and dye his hair blonde for the playoffs. No visual confirmation yet, but it's probably a safe bet to assume we're talking about just the tips of his spiked hair that get highlighted. Bro dog to the end :)

* Real quickly here but man oh man, this game was tight deep into the 4th quarter partly due to Limas Sweed's head scratchingly frustrating drop of a sure TD in the 2nd quarter, his second such gaffe on huge plays down the field in as many weeks.

I wish I had a shot of Mike Tomlin's reaction on the sideline. What was it? Nothing of note, the way it should be. I immediately think of Tom Coughlin when I think of emotional sideline outbursts. Coughlin can coach, there's no denying that. But there's also a certain way to handle fragile psyches - which Limas clearly has been dealing with - and then there's this:

Let's feel blessed we have the proper coach to make sure that guys like Limas Sweed, Lawrence Timmons, Rashard Mendenhall, Darnell Stapleton, and even guys like Santonio Holmes and Willie Colon, are keeping their head up and continually focused on process and competing rather than single play results. Tomlin's unique instincts in how to interact with his players and coach them up has already yielded tremendous results for a number of the team's younger players. It's ust a matter of time before Limas comes around as well. No doubt in my mind.

I'm glad we see little of this:

And instead lots of this:

* Another series of thoughts coming soon enough.

Steelers Offensive Line Had Solid Outing Last Time Out Against Baltimore

Blitzburgh — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:48:38 -0000

The last time these two hated rivals met - in Week 14 at Baltimore - the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line had a much better day than people gave them credit for. The Ravens had three sacks on the day, sure, but Ben Roethlisberger also threw it 40 times for 246 yards. Because the Steelers mustered only 13 points and gave up 3 sacks for the day, the offensive line was again criticized as being the weak link behind the offense. There's some truth to that, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

The first two Ravens sacks came on stunts drawn up by Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. The first sent Ray Lewis free up the middle; the second sent both Lewis and Ed Reed up the middle. Let's take a look at both of them and see who the guilty party was on each play.

Sack #1

In the frame above, I have highlighted three Ravens defenders. The LB is Ray Lewis who is blitzing on the play, and ultimately the one who got to Big Ben. The bottom Raven will be picked up by Willie Colon, who I show picking him up with the gold arrow. Next to him is Darnell Stapleton, who unnecessarily chases the third boxed Raven. He didn't need to though - his buddies to the left - Justin Hartwig and Chris K had that under control. The result as you'll see was..

Stapleton just makes a bad read here. He thinks that he needs to help out Hartwig but as we can see...

Not the case. Stapleton's attention was needed on Ray Lewis, who was coming right towards him. Stapleton's left blocking nobody as Lewis runs by him.

Good work by Rex Ryan designing a blitz that exploited the relative inexperience of G Darnell Stapleton. It's a good thing that the Steelers offensive lineman have been spending extra time in the film room together because you can bet on Ryan trying to confuse the Steelers offensive line with new blitz looks.

SACK #2

On this play, the Ravens sent 7 guys at Big Ben.

As you can see though, there are 7 Steelers in there to block (#5 for Pitt is Starks, not Holmes; #7 for Baltimore is Ed Reed not yet pictured). This means there should be enough Steelers to pick up the 7 guys Baltimore is sending.

As you can see, I've highlighted both Ed Reed and Mewelde Moore, who needs to be the last line of defense for Ben Roethlisberger. Is he?

He is not. Moore is doing nothing on the play. As you can see as well, the Steelers offensive line had done its job otherwise. This was a simple blown assignment by Moore.

Here's hoping everybody asked to block this coming Sunday is on the ball both mentally and physically. As I've shown, two of the three Ravens sacks the last time we met came on mental miscues by Darnell Stapleton and Mewelde Moore. Neither were the result of being overmatched physically.

We can do this! Go Steelers!