SB Nation - Dennis Dixon

Pregame Zone Blitz: Raiders at Steelers

ncoolong — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:54:25 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

There's a special feature in the PZB this week. Not football-related, but it's still packed with enough information to suggest Pittsburgh is poised to break out of their three-game losing streak in a big way.

Losing to the Ravens is never fun, but...it was actually a pretty fun game to watch. No bitterness, no animosity, we're just Seeing Dennis Dixon, and we're getting a whole lot of funk.

I had a beer with a fellow travelling Minnesotan at the Buckeye Bar in Port Columbus International Airport. We joked with the college-aged Buckeyes-obsessed bartender, shared a few laughs at Cleveland's expense, while the calming beer-buzz got me ready to board the cattle car headed home.

We approached the gate, and through the dark, we saw the plane, but with it, two police squad cars, followed by a long line of vehicles; trucks, Chevys, Hondas.

My new friend clearly is more versed in airports than I (although I travel a bit), and he mentioned something about having "seen this before."

I asked if it was a funeral, and another traveler gathered around our expanding group of onlookers.

"Honor guard," he grunted.

It wasn't as if he said it loudly, or that everyone could have heard it, but there was a pall that overtook everyone. Within the next 10 seconds, seemingly out of obligation, every person in the gate was gathered by the window. Staring, observing, perhaps reminiscing. A hearse slowly made its way to the plane we were about to board. I couldn't take my eyes off it, not having a clue whether the coffin was coming out of the plane, or if they going to place it on board.

A single mother held her two daughters close to her, all three in tears. It wouldn't make sense for them to know whomever it was this procession was for, but it was as if they did.

We all did. Somehow or other, whomever it was, we knew him or her.

The honor guard lined up with a sense of purpose, in full uniform, and marched proudly yet solemnly toward the plane.

It was noticeable in their gait; it was the least they could do.

A soldier returned home without his or her life. I tear ran down my cheek as I could hear the young girls sobbing, asking their mother what was going on. The mother didn't answer. The emotion was so thick in the air no one dared move.

We stood at full attention, watching the casket draped with an American flag be wheeled out of the cargo bay of the plane.

The only thoughts I had were that I wasn't moving until that casket was out of my sight, and what that soldier was thinking in the final moments of his or her life.

Maybe about family. Maybe about God. Obviously that person wasn't thinking about me, but I felt obligated to honor this person in what little way I could; I wasn't going to move until that casket and that flag were properly placed in the hearse.

Strangely, it seemed everyone else had the same thought. The gate attendant didn't even interrupt this small honor for that soldier.

I hoped the last thought this soldier had was about the honor and respect he would be paid upon his tragic return. I prayed that he or she know that he was honored by 150 stranger travelers. I prayed that the soul of that person was able to see 150 people standing at attention, honoring his or her sacrifice.

I hoped this person knew his or her heroic return stopped the actions of 150 people waiting anxiously to get home. I hoped he or she was aware of the sobering moment we all had, and in that, he or she was given the sense of honor and pride they dedicated themselves to.

Most of all, I hoped when this is published, a soldier or family member of a soldier reads it, and is comforted by the fact that at least 150 people inside Gate C54 at Port Columbus International Airport honored that returning soldier.

And I can't imagine anyone will forget it.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Does it take an "Idiot" to solve the Raiders current woes? Saint of Silver ‘N Black Pride has a few ideas.

This is one of the bluntest, funniest headlines I've ever read.

Raiders SS Tyvon Branch answers some questions from Raiders Faithful on Silver ‘N Black Pride.

Raiders All-World CB Nnamdi Asomugha takes the Raiders defense to task.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk takes a hilarious shot at the Browns current misfortune.

Last Game

In email/IM conversations with Site Commander Blitzburgh and my buddy Keith from Steel Curtain Rising, I learned something I thought I already knew; it's tough to win every week in the NFL.

Seems simple, but with the amount of games Pittsburgh has won recently, and in comparison to other teams that can't do what we do each week, it's a helluvan accomplishment to suggest we're bitter to the point of agony over a three-game losing streak.

I can't say I'm happy about the loss, but one thing I can't get out of my head is just how much fun that game was to watch. Obviously, I want a win as much as the next Steelers fan, but watching the future main contributors to this great rivalry - Ray Rice, Lawrence Timmons, maybe even Dennis Dixon - was tremendously enjoyable.

We hate Baltimore, of course. Frankly, though, I'd rather see Baltimore win than Cincinnati. Get your pitchforks and torches ready, cuz you're going to kill me for suggesting this, but we lost to a great team, a great coach and a great franchise.

We were so close to winning, much like the Ravens were in three games last year (well maybe two and a half games). Unlike Kansas City, the Steelers put up a commendable effort, and came close to beating a formidable opponent on their soil.

I'm not hanging my head over this loss. Iron sharpens iron, after all. My hat's off to the Ravens, that one is just another chapter in the story of the best rivalry in football.

We'll see them again in Pittsburgh, hopefully, with our main guys. I'm looking forward to it.

Opponent Spotlight: Nnamdi Asomugha

The advantage the best player on a bad team has is massive exposure. It's tough to talk about anyone else. But frankly, very few players can boast being at the level Asomugha is at.

It's difficult for the average fan to truly apply value to defensive backs. Asomugha is the prototype example of that. Is the fact that he's the only defensive back in the league who's played more than 400 snaps and been targeted less than 25 times (24) due to his ability, or the dozens of holes that exist on the Raiders defense?

Truthfully, it's probably both.

Why throw at Asomugha when you can throw at his counterpart, Chris Johnson (77 targets in 749 plays, 7^th highest total in the league)?

Regardless of the reasons behind it, the fact is teams will not throw at Asomugha, hence the reason he barely has any statistical accomplishments this season (1 INT, 1 pass defensed).

Working with only half the field hasn't prevented teams from putting whooping on the Raiders, though. The Raiders have given up 13 pass plays of over 40 yards (2^nd highest in the league) and they are 3-8 going into Sunday.

Because of all this, expect the Steelers to take an Ignorance is Bliss stance; they have nothing to gain by challenging one of the league's elite defenders, but his ability to lock down half the field alters Pittsburgh's wide-open passing attack.

Steelers Spotlight: RBs Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker

Mendenhall has to be licking his chops in watching film. Oakland allows 4.6 yards per carry and has allowed a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns. Add in the fact QB Ben Roethlisberger is returning from a head injury that kept him out of Pittsburgh's last game, it seems like the perfect opportunity for Mendenhall to have a career game.

Is 216 yards possible? That would give him 1,000 for the season. Oakland surrenders 161 rushing yards per game, but it's typically a cadre of backs instead of just one. Jets rookie Shonn Green put 144 on the Raiders earlier this season, and Thomas Jones added 127 more. Enter in Parker, who's had 11 carries in the past two weeks, vs. two carries in the team's previous three games.

This seems to be a game where Pittsburgh will look to reach the 40-carry plateau, and potentially have two 100-yard rushers. Oakland's linebackers do not tackle well, and the front seven allows chunks of yards after contact.

Mendenhall rushed 24 times against a stacked Ravens box, gutting out 95 yards. All evidence suggests a considerably higher yardage total in 24 carries against the Raiders. If Pittsburgh is dominating the game, it's not likely Mendenhall will have that many carries, but Parker and third-down back Mewelde Moore could both crack double-digits as well. This is all assuming none of them place the ball on the ground, which Oakland has been able to force 11 times this season.

Either way, with a QB who says he should be good to go, Pittsburgh will likely place this game on the shoulders of its offensive line (which will have LB Chris Kemoeatu back) and its talented group of backs.

We need that funk. We need that energy. We need #1 P-Funk, so spin it, you goofy bastard.

I See You

I see you, Dennis Dixon. Your numbers certainly weren't enough to earn Player of the Week or anything like that, but I see you because of two non-statistical measurements: you played with a sense of calm and patience in a game where very few passers are calm and patient, and with how hard you took that loss.

You had 100 percent confidence in yourself and your ability to help this team win, even when no one gave you a chance before the game. Your focus and your ability to shrug off mistakes were admirable, and you earned your varsity letter in that loss.

There are plenty of NFL-level QBs who would have thrown that same interception. It was a great defensive play call, and it was executed very well. While many Steelers fans are willing to give you a mulligan on that, considering your touchdown pass and run in that game, but you held yourself to a higher standard after the game, and put the loss on your shoulders, much like any great leader would.

Wins are all that matter to you. Steelers fans are going to remember this loss for a variety of reasons, but we aren't going to say "we lost because Dixon played a terrible game." We're going to say, "we had a bunch of injuries, and went into a hostile environment without several key starters, and almost pulled out a win."

There's something to take away from wins and losses, but what we know is you earned a seat at the table this past week. We're looking forward to seeing you again.

Key Stats

Since 2005, the Steelers are 13-6 in December
Oakland has won two straight over Pittsburgh (2006, 2002)
Pittsburgh has 20 rushes over 10 yards to the right side of center
The Steelers are 2-3 when the opposing QB passes for more yards than Roethlisberger/Dixon
The Steelers are 3-1 when an opposing receiver has the game-high receiving total
Troy Polamalu has 3 of the team's 8 INTs this year (23^rd in the NFL)

Tennessee Titans Morning Links: You're Going To Root For Chris Johnson, And You're Going To Like It Edition

August West — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:19:37 -0000

More photos » by John Russell - AP

CJ may love to say he has no home, but he sure finds the house a lot once he hits the second level!

Browse more photos »

SoCalTitan teased it in the fanposts yesterday, but here's the link (Insider subscription required) to the article featuring Chris Johnson in ESPN The Magazine.

Now, that's cool, but the best part about that link is the sidebar link (Insider subscription required), where the FO guys go in-depth on the numbers to show how ridiculous Chris Johnson has been this year:

When a back runs for three, five or even eight yards, he usually owes the lion's share of credit to his offensive line. But once a back reaches the second level -- 10 yards and beyond -- any additional ground gained is primarily a function of his speed, vision and agility. So it's another testament to Johnson's greatness that 39% of the Titans' rushing yards this season have been compiled past the second level. That's nearly double the 20% NFL average, and it's on pace to break the Lions' 38% record, set by Barry Sanders & Co. in 1997.

CJ wants to be in the MVP discussion so badly he's vowing to launch his own 'campaign'. My bet is Paul K is right on this one: a QB will get the MVP while CJ might have a better shot at the Offensive Player of the Year Award.

Follow us through the jump to see who the Tennessean spent time interviewing...

Ugh. Just, ugh. Tough for me to get upset though, because it's not like a serious writer like Terry McCormick did it.

Nate Washington told Kenny Britt from the beginning to be ready to contribute this year when his number was called, and now we're seeing the dividends.

Mike Florio actually takes a sober, and at least some-what well reasoned look at the similarities in career path between Vince Young and Kordell Stewart.

Will Leon of TitansTracker.com takes a look at a few of the charter members of the Vince Young Haters' Club, and sees what song they're singing now.

The successful resurrection of Vince Young as an NFL QB could have good benefits for Steelers back-up Dennis Dixon, says Aaron Fentress.

A soft-hearted piece on VY's emotional benchmarks... as seen from Boston.

Looks like the Colts could get starting CB Kelvin Hayden for the game on Sunday, who would most likely give them a boost over well-performing rookies Jerraud Powers and Jacoby Lacey.

Every time you read a great Titans-related story on the web and don't share it with the MCM community through the fanposts, fanshots or by emailing me at mcmaugustwest@gmail.com Peytoon Manning makes YET ANOTHER commercial. Is that what you want?!!!!?!?!

Quack Fix: Lots of Civil War talk, Dennis Dixon and some recruiting updates

ntrebon — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:00:55 -0000

by Rob Carr - AP

18 days ago: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon outruns Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Trevor Pryce (90) for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

View full size photo »

With the Civil War only three days away, there's lots quack out there. Let's get straight to it.

In today's Register-Guard, Adam Jude has a feature article on Kenny Rowe and Eddie Pleasant and the need for them to pressure Oregon State QB Sean Canfield. In what should be a good matchup for Oregon, the Ducks are second in the conference in sacks while the Beavers are second-to-last in sacks allowed.
Mike Tokito is running a series of stories looking at intangible aspects of the Civil War matchup that may affect the outcome. Today's story looks at non-offensive touchdowns. While Oregon has scored six touchdowns on either special teams or defense this year, Oregon State has yet to score one.
The Oregonian's Aarron Fentress takes a look at how former Ducks and Beavers that are now NFL teammates are preparing for Thursday's showdown. There are ten NFL teams that feature players that played collegiately in Eugene or Corvallis, which is quite a few more than I would have guessed.
In Sunday's print edition of the Register-Guard, Rob Moseley writes about two pairs of brothers who play for the Ducks: the Butterfields (Brian and Ben) and the DiVicenzos (Mike and Chris). Moseley notes that all four players were walk-ons until this season, when the two older brothers (Brian and Mike) earned scholarships.
Getting almost as much attention as the game itself is how the Autzen crowd will behave on Thursday night. George Schroeder had a column on Sunday where he discussed how fan behavior affects Oregon's reputation. Schroeder notes that Mike Bellotti is concerned about the issue, as Thursday's game will feature an increased security presence.
Of course, while previewing Thursday's game, it's hard not to bring up last year's outcome. John Hunt has a blog entry up in which he asks whether or not Oregon's offense can approach the level of production achieved in last year's Civil War. And, OSU's rivals.com site is looking back at the top five Civil Wars of the decade and coming in at #5 is 65-38.
And, as many of you noticed (evidenced by the almost 500-comment thread from last night), Dennis Dixon made his first NFL start for the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. I was only able to watch the first the three quarters but, from what I saw, Dixon looked pretty good with a 33-yard TD pass and a 24-yard TD run. Unfortunately, Dennis' one turnover led to the winning FG by Baltimore in overtime. Still, not a bad performance in his first start playing against the Ravens on the road.
Finally, DuckTerritory has a series of premium recruiting articles (subscription required). First, 2011 dual-threat QB Jerrard Randall (Scout: 3-star) has the Ducks as his early favorite despite not yet having an offer from Oregon. Randall looks like he might be the latest Oregon recruiting target from the state of Florida. Next, is a story on four-star linebacker Shaydon Akuna, who is hoping to set up a visit to Oregon soon. Finally, there is a collection of recruiting notes up from Friday, featuring the latest info on Gabe King, Christian Thomas and others.

After the jump are a couple of videos, so check them out.

Jeremiah Masoli on the Civil War

Civil War week: Chip Kelly

Uninformed Recap: Ravens Beat Steelers in OT, 20-17

Brandon — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:27 -0000

The Steelers at Ravens game was a twofer. Here's the boxscore. It had 2 of the Green Bay Packers' next 3 opponents.

In between their games against the Ravens and Steelers, the Packers play the Bears in Chicago. I watched a little of the Bears at Vikings game, but what I did see was ugly (for the Bears). Their defense has looked bad for weeks, and they couldn't do anything to stop the Vikings. 537 yards for the Vikings, and the Bears only had 169. In the 2nd quarter, despite their meager offensive performance, the Bears drove twice into Vikings territory, only to watch QB Jay Cutler throw back-to-back drive killing INTs. And why did they give up their (high) 2nd round pick in 2010 for DE Gaines Adams? He only has 3 tackles in 6 games.

As far as the Steelers at Ravens game goes, my recap is uninformed because I don't know a lot about either team. They both have great defenses, through week 11, according to Football Outsiders, the Steelers had the No. 3 defense and the Ravens' D was No. 4.

The Steelers were able to run straight up the middle, which was where RB Rashard Mendenhall, who had 24 carries for 95 yards (4.0 YPC), went every time he carried the ball. The Ravens D might have lost a step. Just as the Packers have lost Kampman and Harris, the Ravens have lost their top pass rusher, LB Terrell Suggs (torn MCL), and a starting cornerback, Fabian Washington (torn ACL). But the Steelers were forced to start 2nd year QB Dennis Dixon, his first career start, and he was just overmatched. On the Steelers final offensive play, Dixon misread a zone blitz and he threw an INT right at the Ravens' rookie defensive lineman. Overall, Dixon only completed 12 of 26 attempts for 145 yards, but you could tell at times during the game that the Steelers offensive coordinator had lost some faith in him.

The Ravens offense is built around getting the ball to WR Derrick Mason and RB Ray Rice. Though WR Mark Clayton had a big game, 7 catches for 129 yards, that was due in large part to the awful coverage by Steelers CB William Gay. Mason is still a good, Donald Driver type receiver. Rice is an explosive playmaker and he's maybe even more dangerous as a receiver. I don't see how any team can cover him with a linebacker. Despite generating 393 yards of offense, it was boom-or-bust. Most of that yardage came on their 3 scoring drives, while the rest of the time they struggled and were forced to punt 6 times. Their offense isn't any better than the Vikings or Cowboys.

And while the Packers are still No. 1 in most penalty yards allowed per game, the Ravens are a close 2nd. They had 9 penalties for 80 yards against the Steelers, including a killer special teams penalty that erased a huge punt return near the end of regulation. If that return hadn't been called back, the Ravens would likely have kicked a late game winning FG, instead of having to win in OT.

The Packers and Ravens are two comparable teams, and both teams need to keep winning to keep pace for a wild card spot.

Steelers Lose Heartbreaker To Rival Ravens, Lose Third Straight To Fall To 6-5

Blitzburgh — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:02:47 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

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First of all, if you're curious about where the AFC playoff picture stands as of the completion of Sunday's games, check out my breakdown here. On to my thoughts about the Pittsburgh Steelers brutal 20-17 loss to the rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night. Fans are understandably frustrated with not only this loss but the 2009 season for Pittsburgh in general. 6-5 for the defending champs will do that to the morale of a team's fanbase. All the close losses are hard enough to swallow. The fact that the Steelers held late leads in all five losses makes it even tougher to digest. But Pittsburgh's loss Sunday night, on the road against a bitter rival fighting for their playoff life, was hardly what I'd call a major disappointment or setback. In the grand scheme of things, the game was just another example of how hard it is to win close games consistently in this league; it also confirmed how much this defense relies on Troy Polamalu, as well as how competitive this squad is even without their top two players on the entire roster - Polamalu and Ben Roethlisberger.

Some thoughts on the game as well as what the future may hold for the Steelers moving forward in to this final 5 weeks of the 2009 season.

Before I begin in earnest though, let me say this: what a game! We watch the National Football League to be entertained. It's part of our lives and we attach deep seated emotions to seeing the team we love succeed. But at the end of the day, it's about escaping from our everyday lives for a few hours each week to watch a game between the most accomplished and awe-inspiring athletes on the planet. Tonight, both fanbases were treated to fantastic drama, if not perfect football. Too many fans get caught up in the end results. I don't critique them for that. I don't legislate emotions or tastes (we all are drawn to certain things for different reasons and to different degrees) but for me, I have a hard time being too upset after getting to watch an immensely entertaining and emotionally draining game like the one played between the Steelers and Ravens. Last year, the Steelers emerged victorious in all three hard fought battles with the Ravens. This time, they got our number. With our star safety and starting quarterback shelved.

The outcome sucked, but the game itself was outstanding, as was the buildup all week to the game. It's rare that the game itself leads up to the anticipation and the hype. Tonight was one of those nights. That's why we watch the games and care so much.

* Let's first start with Dennis Dixon, who filled in for Ben Roethlisberger on short notice after the coaching staff of the Steelers opted to sit Big Ben because of the headaches he was getting following practice sessions earlier in the week. Here were Dixon's numbers for the game. 12 of 26 for 145 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 3 rushes, 27 yards, 1 TD

Dixon was neither spectacular nor awful. He made a few really nice plays both in and out of the pocket; he did a generally good job getting the offense in and out of the huddle; he went through his progressions fairly well without getting flustered in the pocket; and he showed a competitive spirit that proved the biggest of stages wouldn't overwhelm him emotionally or psychologically.

He did however make some mistakes. Obviously the late interception was costly. He got away with a few other bad decisions - most notably the out pattern he threw that was almost intercepted by L. Webb in the 2nd half. He also had several very positive plays negated by penalties. His lengthy 31 yard run on 3rd down during the Steelers second possession was erased by a holding penalty. He also had a big gain to Santonio Holmes taken away due to a Mewelde Moore hold on Ray Lewis. The Steelers would have had the ball at the Ravens 23 yard line with the score tied at 7. Instead they were forced to punt and the Ravens capitalized with a touchdown drive of their own to take a 14-7 lead in to intermission. It's an awful lot to ask of a kid to lead a team to victory in Baltimore's house in the first place. It's an even greater task to expect him to do so when two of his better plays get negated by penalties.

All in all, I'd give Dixon a grade of B for the evening, all things considered. That was an awfully tough spot for him to make his first NFL start. His teammates helped him at times, but they probably could have done even more to lift some of the burden off the young kid's shoulders. That's the way the cookie's crumbled for Pittsburgh so far in 2009. Still, the Steelers now know they have something in Dixon as Big Ben's backup. Given the number of hits Ben takes, that's good to know.

* To all those who are bashing Bruce Arians left and right for his game-calling tonight. First of all, take this in to very strong consideration. If Tyler Palko is asked to play in this game, the Steelers maybe gain 5 yards of total offense. One hit to the not-exactly-statuesque Dennis Dixon and Tyler stinkin' Palko is playing on the road in Baltimore. That would have been so comically disastrous I don't even know where to start. So, yes, that's most certainly a consideration when crafting a game plan for Dixon.

More importantly though, lots of people seem to be complaining that Dixon didn't get nearly enough designed runs or roll outs as he should have. Well, remember first that Roethlisberger was only scratched late in the week, meaning Dixon wasn't exactly getting all the reps or the undivided attention of the coaching staff leading up to the game. He got some work in with the first unit all week because it wasn't clear whether or not Ben would go, but up until late in the week, the plan was to have Ben start the game. It's pretty simple then - Dixon didn't have a full week to work with Arians and the Steelers offense to get a complete gameplan ready in case of emergency.

They did have enough time to get a few plays ready though. We saw one of them on Pittsburgh's second touchdown of the game - a 24 yard scamper midway through the 4th quarter that gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game. The play call was exquisite, with Mike Wallace coming in motion from the right side; Dixon faked the handoff to him, then rolled right with Mewelde Moore. Dixon had the option of keeping it or dumping it off to Moore depending on what the Ravens defender in pursuit did. Dixon took off, Moore threw a key block and Dixon was off to the races to the endzone. The play call was outstanding, and the execution perfect.

Yes, I too had some issues with some of Arians' play calls. I thought it was silly not to call timeout for example after Carey Davis picked up that big run as the 1st half came to a close. A timeout after that run gives the Steelers roughly 35 seconds or so to get another 25 yards in 30 seconds to attempt a long Jeff Reed field goal. Instead they chose to let the clock wind down in the half and head in to intermission content that the score was just 14-7. I thought that was a mistake.

I also thought it was a bit of a mistake to not try those bubble screens to Santonio Holmes more often than they did. I believe they called that play twice. Both were completed for solid gains. I might say the same about getting Mendenhall the ball in the passing game a bit more. See how Baltimore isolated Ray Rice against James Farrior in key moments? Well, people were hard on Farrior for getting dusted in that situation, but believe me, Mendenhall would have left Ray Lewis in the dust too had he been in the exact same situation. Arians could stand to see the value he has in Mendnhall in the passing game outside of just the traditional dump offs and screens on the perimeter. Rememer that one pass Mendenhall caught on the outside and took for a big gain after breaking a tackle? What stuck out to me was how fluidly Mendy caught the ball. Same for his catch last week against Kansas City.

Other than that though, I really had no major beef with the gameplan Arians called. Consider this - the Steelers had 38 rushes to just 26 passes. Pittsburgh averaged a solid, if not spectacular, 4.0 yards per rush. Their commitment to the run kept them in the game in the first half after Baltimore forced an early three and out and then scored on their first drive. Pittsburgh had over 150 yards rushing, something they've not even come close to achieving in recent meetings.

Look, I definitely feel the Steelers could benefit from hiring somebody other than Bruce Arians to coordinate this offense. I just don't think he deserves all the ridicule and vitriol he's gotten after this game. As far as I'm concerned, he did a very good job concocting a gameplan that shortened the game, took responsibility and pressure off of Dixon and ultimately put the defense in position to win. The defense deserves a nod for their work in the 3rd quarter, but at the end of the day, they couldn't seal the deal once again in the final minutes.

Finally, for the haters out there, be happy this season is playing out the way it has because if the team does miss the playoffs or even get bounced out in the opening round, you'll probably get your wish and see Arians shuttled out of town after this season.

* Big props to the offensive line of the Steelers for their efforts. The big eaters up front paved the way for 158 rushing yards while keeping Dennis Dixon off his back all evening. Dixon wasn't sacked once and frankly, the times he was pressured most heavily was a result of Mewelde Moore getting lit up by Ray Lewis. Definitely one of the better games the Steelers offensive line has played all season considering the circumstances. Kudos to Trai Essex, Justin Hartwig and Ramon Foster in particular for holding down the fort in the interior of the line. Max Starks and Willie Colon also did a very nice job in both pass protection and the running game.

* In case you were beginning to wonder if the Steelers didn't miss Aaron Smith, let tonight be a reminder just how valuable he is too our defensive success. The Ravens rushed for 132 yards on 29 attempts, good for 4.6 yards per pop. The experience Ziggy Hood is getting is a very good thing, but he got blown off the ball several times tonight in the run game in a way that would never happen to Aaron Smith. The Steelers need him almost as much as they do Troy Polamalu when playing a team like Baltimore. By that I mean the Ravens don't match up particularly well when they're r endered one-dimensional. But with the emergence of Ray Rice as a formidable threat both inside and outside the tackles, the Steelers very much could have benefited from Smith's gap-clogging abilities. I was very impressed with Rice tonight. He displayed an amazing sense of what was going on around him and proved to be both tough, careful protecting the ball, and capable of breaking off a big play on a moment's notice when it looked as if nothing was there. I don't love this Ravens roster, but I will say this - with Ray Rice, they're capable of beating anybody on any given day come January. He gives them a chance to maintain leads, erase deficits and keep teams off balance with his dynamic skill set.

* Special teams rears its ugly head again. Kickoff coverage was better this week, but it was punt coverage that hurt the Steelers this time around. Chris Carr averaged 14 yards per punt return and came close to taking one to the house not once, but twice. Thankfully, one of them was called back due to an illegal block in the back. Still, the Ravens first touchdown drive was set up by a 17 yard punt return that gave them the ball at their own 42 yard line. Carr then took one 34 yards inside Pittsburgh territory in the 4th quarter for what could have been a backbreaking series by Baltimore's offense. Instead, Lawrence Timmons forced a fumble and the Steelers capitalized. But at the end of the day, it was the Ravens special teams that put more pressure on Pittsburgh than vice versa. If there ever was a day when the Steelers could have used a big day from Stefan Logan, it was tonight. To his credit, Logan did have a nifty 14 yard punt return out to midfield that would help lead to 3 points, but he was largely rendered a non-factor once more.

* Three plays that really hurt the Steelers chances - not the obvious critical plays like Dixon's INT or Ike Tay lor's pass inter ference call. The other plays that could have potentially turned the game in Pittsburgh's favor.

1) Dixon and Mike Wallace barely missing out on a TD connection in the 3rd quarter. In the o pen thread, fans were on Wallace for not bringing the TD in. Perhaps he should have made the grab, but it was definitely made harder than it needed to be by Dixon. I was impressed by Dixon's trajectory on his passes and the natural ability he seems to have in terms of knowing when to gun it and when to take something off it and add some trajectory to his throws. On the missed TD to Wallace though, Dixon put just a bit too much air under it and it cost Wallace valuable real estate in the back of the endzone. Not a bad play but definitely one of those 'game of inches' type misses that I imagine he'd convert in the future if given the opportunity now that he knows just how fast paced the action is in live NFL games.

2) Ryan Clark and William Gay whiffing on Derrick Mason on a deep ball late in the 2nd quarter. William Gay let Mason run by him, only to discover that Clark had been sucked too far towards the middle of the field and was late getting over to Mason. Flacco's throw hung up in the air forever, but Clark still wasn't able to get over in time to track the ball in the air and make a play on it. He correctly didn't just level Mason - had he done so, it definitely would have resulted in a flag. Anyway, I love Ryan Clark but I'm starting to question his instincts in the passing game more and more. He's pretty darn good in the angles he takes in the running game, but he keeps missing plays in the passing game without Polamalu back there with him covering up for some of his mistakes.

3) The touchdown run by Willis McGahee on Baltimore's first drive on 3rd and goal from the 2. The Steelers could have really used a stop there to hold Baltimore to just 3 points. Pittsburgh simply doesn't give up rushing touchdowns in that situation very often. They did tonight and were forced to play catch up for almost the entire remainder of the game.

* Total Yards: Baltimore 393, Pittsburgh 298. This marks just the second time the Steelers have been outgained all season - the other coming against Minnesota when two late turnovers led to a Steelers important victory.

* 3rd Down %: Baltimore 5 of 14 (36%), Pittsburgh 6 of 14 (43%). Four of Pittsburgh's first downs on 3rd down came via the run. That's definitely not something we've seen out of Bruce Arians and his offenses in recent years. Just another reason why immediately blaming him for all our problems is wrong. He adapted to the circumstances and by doing so helped the Steelers win the time of possession battle, the third down conversion % battle, and ultimately, put the team in position to win.

* Tip of the hat to LaMarr Woodley for eating Michael Oher's lunch all night long. Woodley had 1 sack and should have had another if not for Oher dragging him to the turf, which led to Travis Kirschke getting the easy sack.

* After an awful first series, Lawrence Timmons played awesome as well. He had two sacks, one of which resulted in a huge forced fumble that the Steelers would take the other way for a touchdown on their ensuing offensive possesion. This 2009 Steelers team definitely is missing something but if the pass rush stays this intense moving forward and Troy Polamalu can return healthy and play the remainder of the schedule, then this defense has a very legitimate shot of getting on a nasty run and dominating. As is, they're still missing too many tackles and surrendering too many big plays late in the game with all the marbles at stake to be a championship caliber team. But, and it's a big but if you ask me, it's important to remember that all five losses have come with Polamalu on the sidelines. They're undefeated with him playing and all signs point to him returning next week for the home stretch. As I've mentioned before, there's a nice 10 day rest coming up after we play the Browns two Thursdays from now. Fingers crossed, but if he can play the rest of the season and do so behind a pass rush that's really starting to round in to form, then it's waaaaaaaaaaay too early to think that Pittsburgh is down for the count this year.

* I actually think that the experience William gay is gaining this year is extremely vital to the Steelers chances of competing for Super Bowl runs in the next couple of years. But man, for now, is he having to pay his dues this year or what. Teams continue to pick on him relentlessly. I actually would have said before this evening that at least he is a fairly sure tackler compared to his current ability to actually not allow his guy to run free and make the catch. To me, his tackling had been his saving grace for most of this season. He had an off night tackling though this evening. Cornerback is definitely the hardest position in all of sports - even more so than quarterback - so it's not unacceptable that he's going through some growing pains. But he's struggling quite a bit this year and it's cost this team to some extent. Again though, as hard as I've been on the guy, I wholeheartedly believe he and the team will be better because of it in years to come.

* I read a comment somewhere earlier on BTSC that the Steelers Super Bowl window may be coming to a close this year and in the next several years. Absolutely not true at all. I wrote this all last year but haven't gotten around to doing so this year yet - but this Steelers roster didn't peak last year; nor have they this year. They're set to be their most formidable in 2010-2012. Think about it - Big Ben will be in his absolute prime, Santonio too (even if he leaves via free agency, we still have him next year and I'd bet quite a bit we lock him up this summer). Mendenhall is coming in to his own. Heath Miller is locked up for quite some time. We've got a player in Mike Wallace. The offensive line is looking better and better, and Starks, Kemoeatu, Foster, Stapleton, and probably Colon soon enough, are all going to be around for the foreseeable future. The defense is going to get better - Woodley and Harrison will be at the same if not higher level for the next few years; Ziggy Hood will improve; Lawrence Timmons should be a dominant force in a few years time; Polamalu still has several great years left. Same with Ike Taylor, while his counterpart William Gay will be better with more experience.

Anyway, this roster needs a bit of work moving forward, but to think that this team is missing out on its chance to win a 7th Lombardi is simply not true. Our franchise quarterback is not yet 27 years old and we've got plenty of complimentary pieces around him that are gaining invaluable experience as we speak.

* Loved John Harbaugh's decision to go for it late in the game facing a 4th and 5 from their own 46 yard line down 3 with just 3:30 left in the game. Totally dumb to punt it there. At worst you risk the Steelers getting 3 points, but most likely not even that considering the circumstances. You just never know when you're going to get that kind of field position and opportunity again to go in for the tying score. By the way, comparing it to Bill Belichick's decision against Indianapolis is asinine. The Patriots were ahead when they went for it on 4th down late in the game; the Ravens were trailing, and near midfield, not deep in their own territory.

* To conclude...again, I would never dare suggest that anybody watches or follows sports in any way except the way that comes naturally to them and brings them the most enjoyment. That said, I sure hope those who are struggling to feel anything but misery and disappointment from this year to step back and rethink how this season only enhances what football means to all of us who love the game. 16 games a year sandwiched by months of life without football. Some years things break our way; others, the opposite. As Steelers fans, we're treated to the psychological sanctification of being right there in the thick of things most years, which if nothing else, manages to at least capture our sense of hope, optimism and engagement for as much of those precious 5 months each calendar year. This is as frustrating as it gets; or at least as frustrating as it gets since the 2006 season....but even the bad years manage to keep us captivated and enthralled with the action each and every week. The Steelers seem to not be subject to the 50% rule in life - the simple truism that for every great break comes an equally unfortunate turn of events. Well, this may just be one of those years where the odds seem to be ridiculously stacked against us. That seems to be the case, but here the team is, still right there in position to accomplish all their goals if their fortunes change. We know the talent's there, so you never know. And that's what keeps us watching and interested...and that's what makes us blessed to love this franchise. Hope still glimmers in even the darkest of days.

I for one, felt content that so much of the energy and emotion that I put in to enjoying this team and league was well founded by last night's immensely entertaining and competitive game. And now, with the Steelers backs' squarely against the wall, we officially are the 'hunters' once more with nothing to lose. Let's get it on. This party's not over yet.

Ravens Win Ugly in OT, 20-17

Bruce Raffel — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:42 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

18 days ago: Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice (27) is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Wow, as the headline says, the Baltimore Ravens did whatever it took, as ugly as it was, to win this game in overtime, 20-17. The Ravens and Steelers are now tied for second place in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tie breaker for the time now and are still in the playoff hunt at 6-5.

However, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn't just roll over and give this game away, as their third strong QB, Dennis Dixon had a very good game with both a touchdown pass and run to keep the Steelers in the game until the end.

Any way you want to look at it, the win no matter what, is certainly a heck of a lot better than what it would have felt like had the Steelers pulled this one out in the end instead of our Ravens. Time to put this one in the back of the file and move on to next week as soon as possible.

At the same time, a win is a win in the NFL and with this ugly game behind them, the Ravens can now focus on another prime time game next Monday night when they visit the Green Bay Packers in what will be the first night game in December in Green Bay history.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-5) - BTSC Week 12 Open Thread (2nd Half)

Blitzburgh — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:46:56 -0000

Well, things could be worse. A lot worse. The Steelers were down a quick 7 after Baltimore took their opening drive for a touchdown. Dennis DIxon and the offense leveled it at 7 with two gorgeous play action passes. The Ravens then responded with a scoring drive of their own late in the 2nd quarter.

The Steelers defense is going to need to do a bit more than they have if Pittsburgh is going to steal a victory away from Baltimore in the 2nd half. The Ravens start the second half with the ball.

Go Steelers!

Ravens vs. Steelers: Prediction & Open Thread

Bruce Raffel — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0000

With Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger a no-go due to his recent concussion, the Baltimore Ravens should have an additional edge going into Sunday night's prime time AFC North matchup. The Steelers are already in the midst of a two game losing streak and another loss will put them in 3rd place in the division with the playoffs beginning to look dimmer and dimmer. The same goes for the Baltimore Ravens if they lose this game as well, as each team comes into the contest at a mediocre record, Pittsburgh at 6-4 and Baltimore at 5-5.

The Ravens may be in a more desperate mode of survival as another loss will surely eliminate any chances of a post season berth. The Steelers surely can't just give up this game and expect the season to be a success. Instead, they seem to have a lot of confidence in their third string QB, Dennis Dixon, such that they only signed Tyler Palko off their Practice Squad to back him up rather than bring a proven veteran, such as Jeff Garcia into the mix Roethlisberger will actually be considered the 3rd string QB for the game, and only in the event that both others are out of action could he see playing time.

This should absolutely play to the Ravens advantage Sunday night.

Dixon has taken most of the first team snaps and has been a part of the system for two years now so he should be familiar with the game plan and the opponent. However, seeing it from the sidelines with a clipboard in hand versus seeing the Ravens defense throwing all kinds of stunts and blitzes at him will be totally different. Expect the Ravens to throw the entire defensive playbook at Dixon, hoping he gets flustered and turns the ball over for the Ravens offense to have in good field position. This is almost a necessity for the team to put points up, especially in the first half.

The Steelers defense may be without the services of safety Troy Polamalu, but this is still basically the same Pittsburgh defense that shut down the Ravens offense three times last season and is currently still rated #1 overall in the NFL. The Ravens will have to get something going offensively if they want to win, regardless of who is the signal caller for Pittsburgh. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco had better improve his play in the Red Zone where he has thrown three interceptions that have either cost the team the game or certainly contributed to those losses.

The passing game needs to utilize more players like it did the first part of the season and those receivers need to get open in he middle of the field rather than just the sidelines. Flacco needs to not check down so fast to Ray Rice, although his game breaking abilities warrant a lot of touches. Red Zone opportunities need not to result in field goals but touchdowns instead in order to not keep Pittsburgh one big play from taking the lead or even, gasp, winning the game at the end.

Sixty minutes of football will be needed to prove to the national TV audience that the Baltimore Ravens are still a team to be feared and if they make the post season, one that other teams will not want to face, just like last year. A win and we're on our way to a streak that could carry the team late into January. A loss and our season ends after playing Oakland in the final regular season game. I'm betting on the former and even would have done so had Big Ben been a go for Sunday night. Now that he's out, I'm even more confident that the Ravens will turn around their season and break the Steelers hex that plagued us all last year.

Ravens: 24-10

(NOTE: Remember to keep it here all day long and throughout the game to post your comments in the 'Open Thread.' I will be at the game and put up a final story on the game later Sunday night.)

Hope You Left Room for More Turkey, because Here Comes Jay!

ericj69 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:36:51 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

"Gobble Gobble!"

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Ahh, Thanksgiving Weekend. Four days off of work and school. The word "tryptophan" makes its annual journey into our vocabulary for a few days. Taking midday naps with your pants unbuttoned is less frowned upon. Mild-mannered grandmothers wake up at ungodly hours and turn into bloodthirsty lunatics to get that amazing deal from the Target flier they saw in the paper.

And then there's the food. Oh eff yes, the food. Turkey. Stuffing. Corn. Turkey. Potatoes. Cranberries. Turkey. Green beans. Yams. And turkey. All covered in enough gravy to flood Lake Superior. Mmmmm.

I did two Thanksgivings on Thursday this year. I had my family's celebration over at my sister's place at noon, followed by my girlfriend's family gathering at her brother's place that evening. I had full meals at both places, which almost certainly did irreparable damage to my gastrointestinal system. But damned if I didn't have that piece of apple crisp at the end of the night just to ensure that my time spent at the gym during the month of November was all but negated.

I'm sure most of you also added some winter weight this weekend by gorging yourselves on all sorts of delicious treats. I just hope you left room for dessert tomorrow.

Because just when you thought you couldn't possibly handle any more turkey...here come Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears!

Sure, calling someone a "turkey" is a tired theme for a column written right after Thanksgiving. It's been done a million times. But cut me some slack--it's tough to be creative when you've spent the majority of the weekend doing nothing more than laying around wondering if you just broke a one-day personal record for caloric intake. Besides, doesn't our pal Jay fit the "turkey" bill perfectly?

In case you haven't noticed, things haven't exactly gone as planned over in Chi-town this year. After being a popular preseason pick to win the NFC North, the Bears are off to a rousing 4-6 start. Cutler was supposed to be the missing link in a Chicago championship push. But as Gonzo has already pointed out, Jay Cutler is simply continuing to be Jay Cutler this season. You know how analysts love to say "this guy wins everywhere he goes" about certain players and coaches? Cutler is basically the exact opposite of that.

But I don't intend for this to be a slam piece on Cutler. I had some fun at the expense of T.J. Houshmandzadeh last week and people got all cranky with me. So before you Bears fans go buck wild in the comments section whining that it isn't all Cutler's fault, I totally agree with you. He isn't exactly surrounded by future Hall of Famers on that offense. (Well, I guess Orlando Pace is probably going to end up in the Hall, but I can guarantee you he won't be going in as a Bear.) Lovie Smith's approval rating isn't through the roof this year either. You also have to take Urlacher's absence along with injuries other key pieces of the defense into account when you look at the Bears being under .500 this year.

Having said that, the guy has still thrown 18 picks this year--tied for the lead league and 15 more than Brett Favre if you're keeping track at home. Plus he's a whiny brat that pouted his way out of Denver.

So yes, the blame for Chicago's woes doesn't fall completely on #6, but he isn't really helping his own cause either. The Bears just aren't that good this year for a vast array of reasons. For instance, they don't even have cheerleaders! Since the Bears are depriving us of sideline eye candy, I submit to you the following cheerleader eye candy to fill this horrible void Chicago has left:

Hey Chicago--you should look into getting some of these.

Unless the Bears play out of their minds and the Vikes lay a stinker for the first time in 2009, Minnesota should win this game pretty handily. Even the folks over at Windy City Gridiron aren't giving the Bears much of a chance. Although Devin Hester seems to enjoy adding to his highlight reel against the Vikings, Chicago just doesn't have the firepower to keep up with a Minnesota team that can kill you in nearly any way.

(By the way, if you see Matt Forte tomorrow, be sure to warn him that he should probably watch out for his safety. There are millions of people that want to kill him for absolutely destroying their fantasy teams.)

Prediction: Vikings 30, Bears 17

Let's take a look at the rest of the Week 12 NFL slate (home teams in CAPS):

FALCONS over Buccaneers: The Falcons are 5-1 against teams at or below .500 this season and 0-4 against teams over .500. Doesn't get much simpler than that does it?

Dolphins over BILLS: Wait, yes it does get simpler! The Bills haven't scored over 20 points since Week 2. If you don't score points, you can't win. Now THAT is simple.

TITANS over Cardinals: The Titans are on fire, and this just seems like one of those "Oh who the hell cares, we're already running away with the NFC West title, we don't have to try every week" games for the Cardinals.

RAMS over Seahawks: You saw the game at the Metrodome last week didn't you? The Seahawks are bad. I think Steven Jackson does enough to cover Kyle Boller's stench and double the Rams' win total.

EAGLES over Redskins: You know how when a long-time coach or player is about to retire, he gets quirky little gifts from teams during his Farewell Tour? Wouldn't it be awesome if they did that for Jim "Dead Man Walkin" Zorn? "Jim, since we all know this is your last time coaching in Philadelphia, here's a boxed set of the 'Rocky' DVDs." Would anyone be opposed to this? I sure wouldn't.

Panthers over JETS: I'm not picking the Jets to win a game until Mark Sanchez is cured of that nasty strain of Dellhomeitis he contracted.

BENGALS over Cleveland: The Bengals choked away a win last week in Oakland, and I guarantee you the Browns took notice. Cleveland doesn't like to have the competition in the choking department. They practically invented choking. I expect the Browns to choke harder than they've ever choked before to send notice to the rest of the league that nobody chokes like Cleveland chokes. NOBODY!

Colts over TEXANS: Shame on me for being allured by Vegas to pick against the Colts last week. For punishment, I'll watch 500 Peyton Manning commercials in order to remember how good he and his team are. The nice thing is that I can just serve the punishment by watching an NFL broadcast for a couple of hours.

CHARGERS over Chiefs: The Chiefs beat the defending Super Bowl champions the week after they got rid of Larry Johnson. The Bengals lost to the laughingstock of the NFL after acquiring Larry Johnson. There's no way KC beats the Chargers in San Diego, but I'm just sayin'.

Jaguars over 49ERS: Wait...the Jags are 6-4? They aren't actually good, are they? Doesn't it seem like they're 4-6? Oh wait, that's the Niners that are 4-6. My bad. I'll go with Jacksonville then.

RAVENS over Steelers: I had the Ravens winning this game before Big Ben was ruled out, so you best believe I'm picking the Ravens to usher in the Dennis Dixon Era with a victory over the banged-up champs.

SAINTS over Patriots: Great MNF game this week. Think this will be ESPN's second highest rated show ever, only behind Favregeddon? Lots of people are picking New England to win this one. Enough for me to stay away from joining them. If this was in New England I'd probably pick the Pats, but the Superdome may be a wee bit noisy come Monday evening.

Last week: 12-4

Season so far: 114-49 (including going 2-1 on Thanksgiving)

Dennis Dixon to Start for Steelers

cbwilk — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:15:52 -0000

Instead of a quarterback for Pittsburgh, Dennis Dixon could have been an outfielder for Atlanta. (Photo by Pablo Martinez, Associated Press)

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I know what you're thinking, not only does this not have to do with the Braves, but it doesn't even have anything to do with baseball. Well, as some of you might remember, Dennis Dixon was actually a 5th round pick by the Braves in 2007, selected after current Braves prospects Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Cory Gearrin, and Brandon Hicks, and the right fielder played one season in the Braves system, appearing in 28 games between the GCL Braves and Danville Braves and hitting .176 with a .538 OPS in 90 plate appearances. Those numbers sound terrible, particularly for a 5th rounder, but Dixon hadn't played a game of baseball for three years, since he was in high school, because he was focusing on his football career while in college at Oregon and also because Oregon didn't have a baseball team.

This will be Dixon's first career NFL start and just his 2nd appearance in 2 seasons, as he completed on pass in one attempt in a game last season. But, while he hasn't seen much time on the field, Dixon did get to share in the joy of winning a Super Bowl as a member of the Steelers last season. After his time with the Braves, Dixon returned to Oregon for the 2007 season and many viewed him as a top Heisman trophy candidate, but his senior year finished early as he suffered a severe knee injury with a few games remaining. He didn't return to the Braves for Spring Training in 2008, choosing to focus on rehabbing his knee for the upcoming NFL Draft. Despite the injury, he was still selected in the 5th round (what a coincidence) of the NFL Draft by Pittsburgh.

It seems unlikely that Dixon would have ever made it to the Major Leauges with the Braves, but I personally was amazed that he was able to get any hits at all as a professional considering the long layoff. That was a real testament to his athletic ability and it would have been very interesting to see how he could have developed. Dixon has remained friends with several of the Braves he played with as a member of the organization, including Freeman, so I know they'll be anxiously watching on Sunday to see what he can do in a starting role.