Does it get any worse than the AFC championship game this Sunday? Ravens vs Patriots, Belicheat, Brady, Flacco, Ray Ray... and it's all practically in my backyard. People up here have been asking me all week, "Who are you going to root for on Sunday?" I keep saying, "I'm rooting for an apocalypse. I'm rooting for aliens to come down and abduct Brady and Rice and Welker and Lewis and Gronkowski and Reed. I'm rooting for Goodell to announce that they've discovered more cheating issues, so they're disqualifying the Patriots and putting the Steelers into the game instead. I'm rooting for the game to be preempted by Heidi. I'm rooting for the cameras to find Giselle in the crowd while she's making out with some guy wearing black and gold. I'm rooting for Belichick to be strangled by the strings of his own hoodie." People then ask, "Well, if you bet on the game, who would you pick?" I reply, "I'd bet that Brady whines the first time he is hit. I bet that Belichick will never change expression on the sideline. I bet that the Ravens will whine about the officiating if they lose. I bet that, win or lose, in his press conference Belichick will say, 'They're a great team. They do a lot of things well. We did some things well. Other things we didn't.' I bet that Suggs will get at least one 15 yard penalty. I bet that Oher will have at least two false starts. I bet that Flacco will look ridiculous on the sidelines with that stupid mustache. I bet that the announcers will gush on and on and on about Brady and Ray Lewis, even when they're not doing anything. I bet that I'm going to be so happy that one of them is going to lose but so annoyed that one of them is going to the Super Bowl.

How could the football gods be so cruel? There is no match up more odious than Ravens vs Patriots. Steeler fans don't deserve this. One shout out here to Mr. Mechem. I think we need a special hate guide for this game. Lay down the vitriol on both teams, because, as the man says, "I hate em and they Stank!!!"

Many people have been commenting on the apparent softening of the Steelers' run defense, since the unit has dropped from first to eighth this season. These same "experts" claim that this is going to be a problem on Sunday, since the Broncos have the number one rated running attack in the NFL. What no one seems to be talking enough about, however, is that the Steelers are the number one rated pass defense in the NFL. Granted, many on this site have talked about this, often giving credit to Carnell Lake for the improvement. Although I agree that Mr. Lake has done an excellent job with our young corners especially, isn't the shift also largely due to Coach LeBeau's schemes this year? As we keep hearing, this is the year of the quarterback, the year of pass happy teams with quarterbacks over 4,000 and even 5,000 yards. It is more important to be strong against the pass this year, so that is how Coach Dad is planning. Could the Steelers be the number one defense against the run right now? Honestly, I think they could be, but this year, especially, defenses must stop the pass first. That is what the Steelers have done. On Sunday, we face one of the few teams that simply cannot pass the football effectively, so I think Coach Lebeau will go back to his staple run blitz, gap responsibility defense that stifles opponents in the running game. The Steelers have not softened against the run. They have simply changed with the times in order to combat the current trends in offensive football. Look at the Patriots game if you aren't convinced. The Steelers were one of the only teams this year to slow down Tom Brady. Personally, I hope they have the chance to do it again.

On Friday, I wore my Black and Gold to work, only to hear the usual garbage from Patriots fans. "Brady always dominates you guys." "How are you gonna defend our tight ends with your slow ass linebackers?" "Belichick owns LeBeau." Oh what a beautiful day it is here in Boston.  I know they are going to start with the "Wait until the postseason" crap soon enough, but I am relishing this victory. It's especially difficult being a Latrobe PA native living in Massachusetts, watching pretty boy Brady and stoneface Belichick own our Steelers far too often in the past, listening to obnoxious phone calls from neighbors during those heartbreaking AFC championship games earlier in the decade. Well ya know what Red Sox Nation that happens to cheer for the Pats now that they're good.... NOT TODAY. On top of that, I scored two tickets to the Steelers / Ratbirds game next week end. I'm going home to enjoy my Steelers with over 60,000 of my closest friends. We have been the dominant team of this decade. We showed it last night, and we'll show it again next week. The AFC North is ours. The AFC is ours. And Seventh Heaven is but a few months away. Thank you, Steeler Family, for allowing me this celebratory rant. If you see a green SUV with Massachusetts plates in the Burgh next Sunday, don't throw anything at it. It's just me, coming home, to be with my family.

I was just reading some NFL sites, and I saw that the Washington Redskins, once again, are spending way too much money on very little talent, opening the check book to every washed up wide receiver 30 years old and over. I can't help but wonder why they continue to not get it. Look at the most successful franchises of the last ten years--the Steelers, the Colts, and (grrrrrrr I hate to even say it), the Patriots. They never spend money on washed up names, and they are always in contention. When Shanahan was hired, the Redskins made a point of saying that they were done spending money frivolously on mediocre talent, but here they go again, doing the same stupid things that make them 6-10 every year. I am not a football expert and don't spend my life figuring out the best things to do to be a successful football team, but along with most sensible people, I see how stupid it is to waste money on the Brandon Stokley's of the world when a strong scouting department, good drafting, and good player development is the way to build a successful NFL franchise. I guess I shouldn't complain. As long as teams like Washington, Cincinnati and Denver keep being stupid, the Steelers will continue to shine as one of the best organizations in all sports. Bring on 2011 and ring number seven.

Halfway through the preseason, it seems like a good time to reflect on what we've seen so far. I live in Boston now, but my hometown is Latrobe Pennsylvania. Back home, family and friends are saying that two people are rocking training camp--Ziggy Hood and Maurkice Pouncey. So tonight, as I watched the Steelers beat up the Giants, I watched these two players a lot. Of the two, Pouncey impressed me more. During the third quarter, the Steelers took advantage of Pouncey's superior skill, running straight up the middle consistently as Pouncey opened hole after hole. The final Steeler touchdown was an excellent illustration as Pouncey pushed his man back and then peeled off on the linebacker. He seems like the real deal, but it would be very nice to see what he could do against an opponent's number one defense. Hood, on the other hand, was most noticeable during a roughing the passer penalty. I'm still a fan, and I think he will upgrade and revitalize the line in the future, but I'm not sure he's ready to take over for Keisel, who still looks as solid as ever. Here's my admittedly amateur assessment of the different positions thus far.

Quarterback:  Tonight, it was obvious why Ben is a star and Leftwich has been a mediocre player in this league. Yes, the pass to Wallace was very good, and Ben didn't do anything spectacular, but there is a completely different vibe when Ben is behind center. On the first scoring drive, the Steelers faced second and 27. Ben completed two passes to give the Steelers a first and goal at the nine. But as we all know, Ben will not be with us in September. At first, I agreed with Coach Tomlin that Leftwich gives us the best chance to win, but really, how much must Dennis Dixon do before he gets his shot? He has looked poised, athletic and intelligent in both games, making good decisions and throwing the ball accurately. The broken play, where he calmly ran around right end, directed blockers, and gained over twenty yards is an excellent illustration of what he brings to the game. I'd rather take my chances with him than rely on Leftwich. 

Running Back: Is anyone else as worried as I am about this position? Mendenhall has not looked good in either game, and I think I'm going to create a drinking game where you have to drink every time he spins in circles. Redman looks so much better, but Dwyer has been a major disappointment. I thought he was a sixth round steal, but he came to camp out of shape and got hurt in his first game. I doubt he'll even make the team.

Wide Receiver: I'm actually really excited about our young wideouts. Brown and Sanders both have shown good potential, and with Hines Ward to mentor them, they will get an excellent understanding of what it means to be an all around player in this league. As for Wallace, I was a huge fan last year, and I continue to be impressed with him. He's so much further along than Holmes was after one year. I saw an interview with Mike Wallace, where he said that he can't wait to play preseason games because he wants to block someone and knock him on his butt. Again, the Hines Ward influence is obvious.

Offensive Line: I was thrilled when the Steelers picked up Flozell Adams, but that enthusiasm was short lived. He's looked old and slow, and I don't think he is going to help us much. I know the Steelers never rush to play rookies (remember Troy sitting his whole rookie year?) but Pouncey must play now. He's a different level athlete than we have anywhere on the line, and he has shown that he gets the nuances of the position. In twenty years, we will be talking about Mansfield, Webster, Dawson, and Pouncey in the same breath. 

Defensive Line: We're solid here as always. Aaron Smith coming back will help tremendously, and Hood's development will help the rotation. 

Linebackers:  Why oh why didn't we nail down Woodley for the long term? I love Harrison, but he's so much older than Woodley, who has 5-7 years of excellent production left. If we lose him, I know we'll find a good replacement (the Steelers always do), but this guy is consistently great and plays his best in big games. Tonight, I watched our newest linebacker, Jason Worilds, and frankly, he looked lost out there. I know Legend LeBeau's defense is hard to pick up, but Worilds just never seemed to be in the right place.

Secondary: Ok, I know this is blasphemy, and I'm already cringing at the posts I'm going to get, but Troy doesn't look good. He's missing tackles, and he looks tentative. Now, don't get me wrong, I think he's one of the best players in the league, but he didn't look like it tonight. Is it a mental thing after the injuries? Is he just still trying to get up to game speed? I don't know, but tonight, it looked like Patrocles was wearing Achilles' Armor and pretending to be the hero. Sorry for the geeky Homeric reference, but he just didn't look right. At corner, I'm still not sure what we've got, especially since Ike did a Sugar Ray imitation three plays into the game. Did anyone else notice that Gay did not take Ike's spot after he was ejected? It seems like the coaches have totally lost confidence in Clueless William. Finally, I really want to like Joe Burnett and want him to contribute, but so far I don't see it. 

Special Teams: Sepulveda looks stronger this year after another year away from the injury, and I predict a pro bowl season from him. Cousin Jeff (sorry, that's what we call him here because my wife's last name is Reed) will be solid as ever, as long as he stays out of the bars, and I think overall the special teams will be better this year. The battle to return kicks is interesting. Logan is still electrifying, but Brown looked good too and can also contribute as a fifth wide receiver.

Conclusion: This is still a very dangerous football team. Cincinnati's collection of criminals is not going to do as well as expected this year. The Ravens have upgraded their offense, but the defense isn't what it once was. No one is talking positively about our Steelers, but then again, no one was talking about them the year they went 15-1 and went to the AFC championship. I know it's just preseason, but the Giants handled the Jets on Monday, and I thought the Steelers dominated the Giants tonight. Everyone is saying the Jets are a Super Bowl contender. Well, that's fine. Let everyone talk about the Jets, Ravens, and Colts in August. But come December, they'll be talking about the Steelers... as usual. Thanks for reading all of my rambling, and let's get ready for a great season.

After the Super Bowl tonight, Steve Young (one of my least favorite commentators) said now that Drew Brees has won a Super Bowl, he should be considered among the league's elite quarterbacks, right up there with Brady and Manning. Last year, this same "expert" argued that Ben Roethlisberger was not an elite quarterback, despite his two Lombardi trophies. Like any true Steelers fan, I was more than a little annoyed with this, so here's a little comparison between Ben and some of the best quarterbacks, not just of today, but of all time.

1. Super Bowl Championships: Forget personal statistics. The true measure of a quarterback is how many rings he has on his finger. Look at Ben compared to some of the best to ever play the game. Brett Favre has played in the league for eighteen years. In that time, Mr. Retirement has one Super  Bowl win and one loss. Peyton Manning, the man who everyone has been calling "The Greatest QB of all time" this week, also has a 1-1 record in his twelve year career. Like Ben, Dan Marino made it to the Super Bowl in his second year, but unlike Ben, Marino lost that game and never led his team to the Super Bowl again. It took John Elway fourteen years and three losses before he won his first of two Super Bowls. Hall of Famer Jim Kelly was 0-4 in the big game. Joe Namath is justly famous for his Super Bowl three victory, but Namath played another eight years without ever getting his team back to the big game. In a distinguished ten year career, Roger Staubach was 2-2 in the Super Bowl. Bob Griese played for thirteen years, but the hall of famer was only 2-1 in the Super Bowl. In fact, Steve Young, the mouth who roared so loudly against Ben last year, led his team to only one Super Bowl win. Sorry, Steve, but you get no credit for the rings you got while watching Joe Montana. Finally, Drew Brees, who is a class act and a great player, has one super bowl now in his nine year career. Ben Roethlisberger won two super bowls in his first five years. Other quarterbacks, namely Montana, Aikman, and Bradshaw, have more rings, but frankly, I'll take that company, and besides, Ben isn't done yet.

2. Winning Percentage: Despite playing in the time of free agency, Ben Roethlisberger consistently wins. We're so used to Ben winning games that a season like this, where we "only" go 9-7 is a profound disappointment. If you look at current quarterbacks with at least fifty starts, only Tom Brady has a winning percentage higher than Ben's 71%. It seems like Manning goes 15-1 every year, but actually, his career winning percentage is only 64.4%. Favre's is only 62.5%, and Brees has won only 51.6% of his games. If you look at some of the all time greats, Joe Montana's winning percentage was 71.3% nearly identical to Ben's. Troy Aikman's winning percentage was only 56.9%. Namath won a paltry 49% of his games. Elway won 64% of his games, and Marino won 61.2% of his games. I know Ben has played only six years, but his winning percentage is on pace to be one of the greatest of all time. Even our beloved Terry Bradshaw, playing with the Steel Curtain defense and four other Hall of Famers on offense, won only 67.7% of his games.

3. Fourth Quarter Comebacks: When the chips are down, who do you want under center? John Elway has the most career fourth quarter comebacks with 47 in his 16 year career. Dan Marino is second with 37 in sixteen years. Montana had 31 career fourth quarter comebacks in 15 years. In just six years, Ben has nineteen career fourth quarter comebacks. If he plays as long as Marino and Elway, he has an excellent chance of beating both of their records.

Conclusion: Success in the NFL ultimately is about winning games. In these three categories that directly relate to winning games and winning championships, Ben Roethlisberger compares favorably to the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Steve Young, who won one championship, has a winning percentage of 65.7%, and brought his team back in the fourth quarter 14 times, needs to shut the hell up. 

4:30 a.m. Belichick gets up, wakes up girlfriend and forces her to get up too. 

4:35 a.m Belichick and girlfriend brush teeth. Belichick inspects girlfriend's teeth. "Well, you brushed some ok. Others aren't quite as good. You could improve."

4:50 a.m Girlfriend makes eggs. Belichick eats. "Well, you cooked these ok. Some bites weren't quite as good. You could improve."

5:15 a.m Belichick takes shower, puts on favorite hoodie, stares blankly at girlfriend who stifles laugh.

6:00 Girlfriend puts on clothes, asks Bill if dress makes her look fat. "Well, in some places it looks ok. Others aren't quite as good. I think your legs are accentuated well, but your hips are rather wide. You could improve."

6:30: Belichick heads to the facility, thinking about how traffic is ok in some places. Others aren't quite so good. It could improve.

7:00 Belichick receives illegal game film of the Ravens playoff loss from shady character in trench coat. Belichick tells him that the last film was ok, but it could be improved.

8:00 Belichick and Brady watch game film. Belichick berates Brady continually until Tom cries.

9:00 Belichick berates Brady for crying. Tom cries harder.

10:00 Belichick, in a slightly better mood after making Tom cry, calls Laurence Maroney and tells him that he is probably going to cut him in the spring.

10:30 Maroney cries. Belichick, feeling satisfied, calls Richard Seymour and asks him how he feels playing for the Raiders.

10:45 Seymour doesn't cry. He tells Belichick that his team looked awful last week, reminds them how much they need a pass rush. Belichick hangs up.

11:00 Feeling miserable, Belichick berates Brady some more.

11:30 Belichick goes to lunch at the facility's cafeteria. He tells cafeteria staff that the fruit cup is ok, but the chicken is tough, and the potatoes are terrible. He reminds them that they could improve.

12:30 Belichick makes list of goals for the off season: 1. Hire ninjas to poison the Jets' gatorade.  2. Hire master criminal to steal the Steelers' six Lombardis.  3. Make Brady cry daily.  4. Buy five old Hoodies from e-bay.  5. Try to pay off all referees for next season. 

1:00 Belichick tries to meet Robert Kraft about his goals for next year. Secretary says Kraft is not in, although Belichick just saw him walk into the office. Belichick stands there for an hour, staring creepily at the secretary until she finally gives in and lets him enter. 

2:00 Belichick finds the office empty. He looks in the closet and under Kraft's desk (Kraft's two favorite hiding places), but then he notices the open window. Kraft, on the window ledge, has a sizable lead on him and escapes. Belichick wonders (for just a second) if Kraft doesn't like him.

2:30 Belichick explains to Kraft's secretary that although she does some things well, there are other things that need work. She could improve.

3:00 Belichick fines Randy Moss for not watching the illegal film with him. Brady reminds Bill that the players technically have the day off. Belichick says that that attitude is the reason Brady is such a loser. Tom cries.

5:00 After watching two more hours of film, Belichick goes into the bathroom and stares at himself in the mirror, trying to perfect his expression of complete disdain.

6:00 After an hour, Belichick decides that in some ways the stare is good, but in others it needs some work. It could be improved.

7:00 Belichick studies college prospects from division III schools. He thinks they do very little well, many things poorly, and need serious improvement. He wonders why these pathetic kids even play football. Clearly, they aren't as obsessed about it as he is or they wouldn't be in division III. One player refuses to talk to a local newspaper man after the game. Belichick writes his name down for future consideration.

10:30: Belichick returns home to find girlfriend in sexy negligee. He takes off hoodie and lies in bed expressionless.

11:00 Girlfriend enters room. Lights go off. One voice is heard making noise. It is not Belichick's.

11:03: Lights go back on. Girlfriend, obviously, dissatisfied, asks Bill if that was ok for him. "Well, there were some things you did well. I thought the foreplay was better than last time. Other things weren't so great. Your positions are still too obvious, and you're not executing well on top. You still could improve."

11:10 Girlfriend packs and leaves, after giving Bill a healthy dose of profanity. Belichick thinks some of the insults are good, but others need work. She could definitely improve.

11:45: For exactly three seconds, Bill Belichick wonders if people don't like him. He then pushes the question away as irrelevant.

12:00 Belichick puts on pajama hoodie and goes to sleep.

Clearly, this season has been disappointing for Steeler fans. Here in Boston, the only consolation is that the Patriots aren't playing well. It's hard for Pats fans to rub things in when they're barely hanging on themselves. Although it's easy to focus on the negatives, I'm going to try to come up with ten reasons to be hopeful as we end this year and look forward to the next.

1. Rashard Mendenhall has run well and should be the answer to the running game woes that have plagued us in recent years. Mendenhall hasn't fumbled in weeks, and he runs with purpose. I do wish he'd stop spinning in circles all the time, but I think he will have a huge year next season.

2. Lamarr Woodley continues to improve. Last week, despite the horrendous play in general, Woodley stood out, particularly on one series where he made all three plays in a three and out. 

3. Ben's skills continue to develop. I know this one can be debated, but Ben is doing things this year that he didn't do in years past. He looks off defenders well, goes through progressions, and has one of the best pump fakes in the league. Yes, he drives me crazy sometimes too, but I refuse to throw him under the bus. The guy is and always has been a winner.

4. Mike Wallace is for real. We've had many wide receiver draft picks not work out in the past. Does anyone remember Troy Edwards? And of course, we've all seen the disaster that is Limas Sweed, but Mike Wallace is more than just a fast guy. He "gets it." He runs good routes and can change the game. Can you imagine how good that receiving corp can be?

5. Heath Miller is becoming an elite tight end. Yes, I remember the recent drops, including the interception that bounced off his chest, but Miller is having a good year. He plays hard, blocks well, and is a weapon in the passing game. 

6. The offensive line has gelled better this year. In the draft, we're going to need to address this area further, but despite the Steelers' woes and the horrendous game against the Browns, overall, the line has played better this year. It's easy to idealize the 08 season, but honestly, last year these guys couldn't open a hole to save their lives. Kemeoatu could be close to a pro bowl appearance. In fact, at midseason, Peter King of SI thought Kemeoatu should be voted to the All Pro team.

7. Daniel Sepulvada is much better than the punters that drove us all crazy last year. I know he's a punter, but I still don't think he's 100% after the knee injury last year. Next year, I expect him to be even better.

8. Dennis Dixon is ready to move up to number two. I'm a Big Ben fan, but I have to say, the Steelers played better against the Ravens than they have the last two weeks. Maybe it's time for a Dixon Wildcat package.

9. As long as Dick LeBeau is the Defensive Coordinator, the Steelers will be strong on that side of the ball. The guy is the best. He better get into the Hall of Fame this year.

10. This might be "doublethink,"  but it's a testimony to how great this franchise is that 6-7 is an utter disaster. There are franchises that dream of being 6-7 this time of year. For the Steelers, a year like this is a catastrophe because this organization is the best in sports. We need to remember that before we start screaming for Tomlin's resignation or demanding massive changes. Six of the seven losses have been in very close games. A bounce here or a break there, and this team is exactly where it was last year. This is not a bad team. It's a team that has not been playing to expectations, but I don't believe the doomsday screamers. We're going to have a good off season, a better chance to get playmakers in the draft, and then we're going to come back hungry and ready next season.