Sorry guys I have the itch.  I know it is way too early.

We all know that the Steelers will face a pretty soft schedule in '09, let us see how soft.

Home - Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Oakland, San Diego, Tennessee, Green Bay, Minnesota

Away - Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Chicago, Detroit

I honestly see a 14-2, 13-3 season with this group of teams.  We are fairly young on both sides...the core will still be there in '09.

The Steelers will play 8 games against teams drafting in the top 9, 10 games against teams drafting in the top 16.

Of course, we can't really project without an actual schedule (bye weeks, short weeks, Thursday games).  But of the away games Baltimore by far is the toughest opponent.  Four of the away opponents will have new head coaches.  10 of the Steelers' games will be against teams in the bottom half of the NFL in points allowed/game.

Team - Rank (points allowed/game)

DET - 32, DEN - 30, KC -29, OAK - 24, GB -23, CIN - 19, CHI - 17, CLE -16

And for those who want to get the running game going.

The Steelers face 6 of the 7 worst rush defenses: Detroit, Oakland, Kansas City, Cleveland (2), Denver, and Green Bay.  5 of those games happen to be on the road.  Additionally the Steelers will play 5 road games against teams with the 30th, 28th, 27th, 26th, and 25th pass defenses.

Can teams correct there defensive flaws in an offseason? Sure.  But not all of these teams have the personnel to drastically change the defensive culture.

All together the Steelers have the 29th strength of schedule, as opposed to the #1 this past season.

Here is a link to the SOS.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/afcnorth/0-2-47/AFC-North-strength-of-schedule.html

Also the Steelers will more than likely fill their 5 primetime games.  Which ones would you like to see in primetime?

These are mine:

Home - Pittsburgh usually plays either Cleveland or Cincinnati (or both this year).  I will take Cincy as one of my home night games.  San Diego or Tennessee (but not both) and neither team on opening night.  And Minnesota or Green Bay on opening night.

Away - The Steelers have played the last couple MNF against the Ravens at home...that changes in '09.  Denver or Miami...I would like to see Broncos (last two night games against MIA have been stinkers).

Recap of prime time choices.

Home - Cincinnati, Tennessee, Green Bay

Away - Baltimore, Denver

I know we haven't even seen the parade yet, but lets move on to the next task at hand - the '09 NFL Draft.

This list of players are players that would fit the Steelers.  Rather than looking at all seven rounds - this is more one through four.

QB - None

RB -Shonn Greene/Iowa, Rashad Jennings/Liberty, Andre Brown/NC State, PJ Hill/Wisconsin, Gartrell Johnson/Colorado St., Herb Donaldson/Western Illinois

FB - None (Unless we want to replace Carey D)

I am adding some WR...mostly past the top tier of Crabtree, Harvin, Maclin, Heyward-Bey, and Nicks.

WR - Juaquin Iglesias/Oklahoma, Derrick Williams/Penn St., Mohamed Massaquoi/Georgia, Ramses Barden/Cal Poly, Brian Robiskie/Ohio St., Austin Collie/BYU, Louis Murphy/Florida, Quan Cosby/Texas, Jeremy Childs/Boise St., Aaron Kelly/Clemson, Darrius Passmore/Marshall, Jarrett Dillard/Rice, Demetrius Byrd/LSU, Brooks Foster/N. Carolina, Brandon Gibson/Washington St., Jaison Williams/Oregon, Kenny McKinley/S. Carolina, Tiquan Underwood/Rutgers, Mike Wallace/Ole Miss, (Moslty looking at a KR) Pat White/West Virginia, Brandon Tate/N. Carolina (torn ACL), Sammie Stroughter/Oregon St.

TE - (Maybe another blocking TE) Davon Drew/E. Carolina, Ryan Purvis/Boston Co., Bear Poscoe/Fresno St.

OT - Eben Britton/Arizona, Michael Oher/Ole Miss, William Beatty/UConn, Troy Kropog/Tulane, Phil Loadholt/Oklahoma, Fenuki Tupou/Oregon, Alex Boone/Ohio St., Jamon Meredith/S. Carolina, Augustus Parrish/Kent St., Jason Watkins/Florida, Joel Bell/Furman

OG - Duke Robinson/Oklahoma, Herman Johnson/LSU, Andy Levitre/Oregon St., Trevor Canfield/Cincinnati, Ray Feinga/BYU, Louis Vazquez/Texas Tech

C - Alex Mack/California, Max Unger/Oregon, Jonathan Luigs/Arkansas, Eric Wood/Louisville, Antoine Caldwell/Alabama

All defensive players are listed at positions they would play in 3-4 D.

DE - Tyson Jackson/LSU, Fili Moala/USC, Sen'Derrick Marks/Auburn, Jarron Gilbert/San Jose St., Ricky Jean-Francois/LSU, Vance Walker/Georgia Tech, Alex Magee/Purdue

NT - Ron Brace/Boston Co., Terrance Taylor/Michigan

OLB - Everette Brown/Florida St., Larry English/Northern Illinois, Aaron Maybin/Penn St., Brian Cushing/USC, Clint Sintim/Virginia, Brandon Williams/Texas Tech, Cody Brown/UConn

ILB - Clay Matthews/USC, Scott McKillop/Pittsburgh, Worrell Williams/California, Jasper Brinkley/S. Carolina (Levon Kirkland look a like)

CB - DJ Moore/Vanderbilt, Sean Smith/Utah, Victor Harris/Virginia Tech, Jarius Byrd/Oregon, Domonique Johnson/Tennessee St., Asher Allen/Georgia, DeAngelo Smith/Cincinnati, Mark Parson/Ohio, Keenan Lewis/Oregon St.

FS - Louis Delmas/W. Michigan, William Moore/Missouri, Sherrod Martin/Troy

I have purposly omitted top tier players such as Andre Smith, Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe because I don't think that the Steelers would give up what it would cost to get into the top 10.

I have also left off CBs such as Malcolm Jenkins, Vontae Davis; LBs such as Rey Maualuga, James Laurinaitis.  Because they are not a "need" position that we would trade up to get in the middle of the 1st Round.

Much like GM Colbert said last year - The only positions that the Steelers would not look at in the 1st Round were QB and TE.  The only positions that the Steelers will not take in the first round are QB, WR, RB, and TE.

Obviously the Steelers will be looking heavily at OL with #32 (or a mid-1st trade-up).  I think the best choice would be to go OT rather than Alex Mack or Max Unger...I can live with Hartwig for another year as opposed to Willie Colon.  I think the sleeper OT of the 1st Round is William Beatty.  Beatty help block for 2,000 yard rusher Donald Brown.  He is big framed, long arm tackle with projectabiliy to a left tackle.  Currently he is a little light, but according to Mike Mayock (NFL Network) will fill out his frame and put on the needed weight.  This is the player that I want with our 1st Round pick whether it is at 32 or as high as 20, I believe he is worth it.

Please comment on these or other players we should be looking at for the Black and Gold.

One of the more decorated active officials, Bill Carollo has worked two Super Bowls (XXX - back judge, XXXVII - referee) and five conference Championship Games ('95, '97, '99, '00, '05).

In addition to being an NFL white cap, Carollo is a former Official Scorer for the Milwaukee Brewers.  He also worked the 1988 Rose Bowl, and is currently the director of officials for the Big Ten Conference.

In the 1999 NFC Conference Championship Game between Tampa Bay and St. Louis, Bill Carollo overturned a catch by Bert Emmanuel.  This overturned call led to the rule changing that the football could touch the ground as long as the receiver maintained control.

2008 stats through Week 15:

Penalties Accepted per game - 10.3    13 out of 17

Penalty Yards per game - 78    15 out of 17

Yards per penalty - 7.6    almost all officials are around 8

Total Points per game - 40.2    16 out of 17

Home Team winning Percentage - 43 % !!!!!!!!   TIED FOR 16TH

2008 notable games:

Week 5 - TEN at BAL

Week 6 - JAC at DEN (Dre Bly fined $20,000 for comments on Carollo's crew for Illegal Contact and Pass Interference calls)

Week 8 - NYG at PIT

Week 9 - NE at IND

Inside TEN at BAL:

TEN got 2 FD via penalty and BAL 3 FD via penalty

Penalties - TEN 10-78....BAL 11-91

6 Personal Fouls or Unnecessary Roughness Penalties

Inside NYG at PIT:

One penalty each for a First Down

Penalties - NYG 7-71....PIT 8-59

5 Personal Fouls or Unnecessary Roughness Penalties

Inside NE at IND

Three total penalties in the game...BTW I refuse to believe that there were only 3 penalties commited in this game.  I think this shows the perception of teams in the league.

But as you can see, it looks like Bill Carollo and crew have an itching trigger finger when it comes to the 15 yard flags.  Something to be mindful of.

Also I'm not sure if he has worked any of the Steelers Championship Games, I couldn't find that information.

Go Steelers!