Although it’s an unoriginal corollary, here’s some thoughts on the Good, Bad and Ugly regarding the game vs the Broncos….

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What we saw yesterday was confirmation of the tidal change of the Steelers offense in their game versus the Patriots.  The Patriots championship defense is long gone, while the Steelers offense is now the high-powered unit which can strike from all over the field.  And if that wasn't dramatic enough, it was the Pittsburgh defense which confused and rattled the Belichick-led Pats, not the other way around.

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Great job by the Jaguars and their coaching staff in defeating the vaunted (and hated around here) Baltimore Ravens.  The energy and effort exhibited by Jacksonville was impressive, especially given their current record and doubtful playoff hopes.  That was professionalism even if it was ugly.  The Jags did what they could and did what they had to do to win the game.  How they did it is something the Steelers may choose to utilize - at least on the defensive side of the ball.

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Whether it is a game or an offensive series, this team goes where the offensive line takes it.  A leaky dike is all we really need, not the Hoover Dam.  But with guys like Trai Essex playing, the Steelers can't stay above the flood tide for very long.  That roar you hear isn't the crowd, it's the rush of oncoming defenders trying to wash away the legs and face of Ben Roethlisberger.

Sounds ridiculously simplistic but this is football, and the need for good line play never ceases.  In basketball, offensive talent is very hard to stop - you can't tackle the guy dribbling the ball.  The skill of players with the ball is not dependent upon others for success.  In football, that is the essence of the game. 

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How did the vaunted Steelers running game come to this?  Why has Big Ben continued to be hit, harrassed and sacked since taking over the starting position?  Why are the Steelers struggling in short yardage and at the goalline?

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In the big picture, the game kind of went the way most thought it would.... but there were some uncharacteristic and unexpected results too.  From a Steeler fan's perspective regarding the game, here's 5 thoughts in each category...

The Good

1)  Pittsburgh's Offensive Line.  At times, they played very well but more importantly they looked well prepared and executed the majority of the time.  Given the injuries of the season and the playoff run, the unit played as well as could be expected in total.  Kudos to Coach Kugler for a job well done.

2)  Veteran receivers make solid contribution.  Both ARE and Hines made some great catches at key moments.  I had a friend over who is not a Steelers fan who said, particularly regarding critical moments - " Hines Ward is their best player on offense, get him the ball."  Not something overheard  nowadays very often but Ward showed his mettle and value.  The guy is a great football player first and foremost, he just happens to play receiver.

3)  Run Defense  No surprise.   Green Bay was one dimensional for virtually the entire game.  See below...

4)  Kicking game  Deep kick offs, made FG and punting were worst case neutral or beneficial.  No weaknesses, no gaffes.  Suisham looks like a keeper.

5)  Running backs  Mendenhall, Moore and Redman did what they could do and showed great effort.  The game got away from them so fast, the running game was not allowed to grind out yards, time of possession and physical punishment against the Packers.  The fumble lost was bad but is a symptom to a greater issue, see below.

The Bad

1)  Big Ben has a rough day  Most of us thought the QB position between these teams would cancel each other out for the most part.  Ben never looked as comfortable or smooth as he usually is.  Credit to the Packers but he seemed off most of the day - non-contact injury, high throws, late throws... not his best day despite some momentary bright spots.

2)  Secondary exposed  It's what we were worried about and rightfully so.  Not much else to say except " the Steelers are on the clock...".

3)  Pass rush  Just not enough.  Not a fault issue for any one player but a reality in the scheme of the game.  Rodgers had enough time to do the damage.  One or the other needs to happen - you have to cover or you have to rush the QB.  The Steelers didn't get enough of either for most of the game.

4)  Special teams/return game    Bad penalties at critical times.   Not terrible all around but just not effective enough to be a positive factor.  You need special teams to make big plays, especially when you are down.  Those plays never happened.

5)  No defensive splash plays   No turnovers, no explosive hits changing the momentum of the game, no limping Aaron Rodgers.  In short, the #1 defense in the league looked lind of average.

The Ugly - and I know some of you will take exception to this but here goes...

1)  Troy Polamalu MIA -   When they weren't targetting Gay, it actually looked like the Packers were targetting his area of the field.  Specifically inward breaking routes in his half.  Troy was a non-factor in the game which says a lot about the Packers, their game plan and coaching.

2)  B.A. and the Steelers Offense   As an Arians-basher, it gives me no pleasure to point out what I see as his areas of responsibility that look wanting.  The Mendenhall fumble occurred for one major reason - the man assigned to block the linebacker whiffed.  That guy is a converted TE playing FB.  That play is their bread and butter.  That can't happen.  Suffice to say that the last 6 minutes and the ineptitude of the Steelers in the hurry-up offense speaks for itself.  This was a microcosm of the whole game.

3)  William Gay in coverage   I'm not sure how a #1 defense has a guy like this playing but good Lord, that was ugly.

4)  The Jordy Nelson Show - I'm not sure how HOF coach Lebeau and his staff prepped for the game specifically, but the in-game adjustment required never materialized.  The Steelers looked inept at times

5)  Overall Coaching  Why was Troy invisible?  Why didn't Ben attack the depleted GB secondary?  Why was Mike Wallace repeatedly running routes of 5 yards or less?  Why can't the Steelers run the ball to the left?  Why can't they execute a draw or screen?  Why didn't the defense make a play?

The Packers looked better prepared, they executed and were able to win the down when it mattered most.  Tomlin and his staff have to do some soul searching regarding Xs and Os, personnel and how they prepared and adjusted in-game.  Specific examples - inability to exploit injured GB secondary, inability to use run game and play-action effectively to control the game, decision to try 52 yard field goal, lack of execution on last kick return - they lost the 2 minute warning on offense because they used the clock up during the return... and received a penalty.  These little things all add up.  Green Bay did not make critical mistakes.  Pittsburgh had all the experience but it didn't show in the final result.

Tomlin is accountable and everyone likes his no-excuses, bottom line style.  Changes in personnel and scheme need to be addressed on offense for sure.  Defensively, how many more years for Coach Dad?  The draft and off-season FAs need to be utilized to shore up their obvious problems in the secondary and O Line.

The Steelers came a long way through injuries and other issues.  So did Green Bay, probably more so.  Did Tomlin do a good job this year?  Obviously, but he won't excuse losing this game for any reason - and shouldn't.  The Steelers have a great corps of players - QB, HB, WR, C, TE, LB, and one CB all show great talent.  They need a few more pieces to get the most out of these guys before major re-tooling needs to happen. Some big decisions going into next year....

1)  They aren't who you think they are.... The Jets are not as good as the media wants them to be.  After numerous non-calls and momentum shifts going the Jets way, the Steelers still had a chance to win at the end.

2)  The Steelers offensive line isn't quite as bad as I (we) think they are.  As an ardent critic of our O Line play, I was pleasantly surprised they played remarkably well for most of the game yesterday.  That said, see #1 because other clubs have made them look horrible.

3)  They (Patriots) are who they think they are.  Until someone kicks their ass, the Baahston Area Baastards are still the bully in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. 

4)  Arians is who he usually is..... hmmmm.... what can you say?  Generally he called a good if not very good game.  He pulled a BA at the wrong time and the wrong place.  Blame Scott, but it's not a sound call in that position.  Good coaches put their players in the best position to succeed.  This was not a good call.  Schottenheimer called a good game.  Personnel groupings and mix of run/pass were effective.  The critical 3rd and 4th down plays won the game for the Jets.

5)  Big Ben is what we think he is.  Awesome, frustrating, inspiring, maddening, unflappable.  Part riverboat gambler, gunslinger, and ice man in the clutch - he also hurts his team with the occassional bone-headed maneuver.  Taken in whole, who wouldn't want him back there when the game is on the line?  I know I do.  Like Fran Tarkenton, John Elway, Bradshaw and even Johnny Unitas - the guy who can pull a victory from the jaws of defeat has the brain chemistry to make some mistakes too.  His two fumbles while struggling to escape the pass rush hurt.  He has to take care of the ball or throw it away.... live to fight another play.  All that said, he will be back making plays for a long time to come.

6)  Steelers defense can't win the game themselves.... not every week.  Defense played well again.  They did not have the big turnover which could have sent the game sailing into the Steelers hands.  Give credit to the Jets and Sanchez there.  Keisel had two huge knockdowns.  A little disconcerting how they could not get Sanchez to the ground.  I didn't think Timmons had a good day at all.  If they didn't run an edge stunt with him coming outside, he was often a step behind the play and was put on his back numerous times.

7)  Special teams are still a concern.  They were a losing phase in this game.  The old adage usually holds true - you have to win two of the three phases to win the game.  I would say the defensive and offensive phases were almost even yesterday.  The kicking game for the Jets was the difference.  Of all things a head coach can exert his influence upon - it is on special teams.  Who he makes available, how they are used, picking up advantages on film study, playing the field position game,  Tomlin and the Steelers lost that phase and gave the Jets the yards they could not gain themselves on offense.  Suisham himself has remained clutch.

8)  On any given Sunday..... the 2010 Steelers exemplify another old NFL saying.  As many of us have said - they are capable of beating anyone, anywhere, any time.  A little bit of 2009 remains such that the opposite seems eminently possible no matter the opponent's record.

9)  Polamalu's timing is good, in more ways than one.  The injury comes at a good time.  Even though they would have been better with him, I didn't think they needed him vs the Jets to win.  The game was close, winnable and probably should have been a win.  They don't need him against Carolina and they shouldn't need him vs the BrownEyes.

10)  The Steeler's receiving corps is peaking coming into the playoffs.  I was not happy with Wallace early.  He didn't finish a few plays when he thought he was being fouled.  Keep playing!!  The zebra is going to make up his mind without your histrionics.  Aside from that, they play fast and had success against a good defense.  Sanders is getting better every week, Wallace is a factor every play and even Spaeth looks better than years past.  Hines Ward is Hines Ward.

Can't say I'm satisfied with a tough loss.  However, the Jets, Jags, Colts, AFC Worst and hated Ravens are all teams the Steelers can beat.  The Pats are on a different level, but it's 3 weeks until the first playoff game.  Time is on the Steelers side right now.  Thursday is going to be tough but at least we're at home.  Browns game may be tough again simply because of the rivalry and the look ahead to the playoffs.  Two wins will go a long way toward setting them up in the playoffs for another AFCCG against the Pats.

5)  Patches over patches on the O Line.  They played poorly most of the game, sometimes they were downright awful.  It can't get much worse - can it?  The Steelers won the game anyway.

4)  Redman shows resolve and effectiveness.  Redman hurt.  Redman back in.  Redman wins the game on a great run after the catch.  Hopefully sign of much more to come.

3)  Steelers defense survives and then thrives.  Polamalu made the play of the game but the defense kept the Steelers in the game until the bitter end.  Big plays early and a few later on did not cause a disaster.  The game was razor close the whole way and the defense won the game (almost) at the very end.  Only thing better for the D would have been if they punched it in themselves.

2)  Suisham comes through - again.  The guy has been clutch and looks primed for a run into the playoffs.

1)  Roethlisberger's performance in spite of everything.  The other negative factors all affected Big Ben and how the game played out.  We all know what the offense was playing with and the injuries before and during the game to Ben and others.  The escape from Suggs, the key pass plays at the end, the foot, the nose, the falling down ramparts of the offensive line....  none of it could keep Roethlisberger from being on the field at the pivotal final moment to win the game.  The guy has just elevated himself, especially in the eyes of his teammates.


I'm not one to gush and glow about professionals doing their job.  The Steelers really had no business winning the game as things went from bad to worse.  They won anyway.  It was a great win because it was Baltimore, it was for first place, and it has big AFC implications.  But the best thing about it was overcoming all of the things thrown in front of them.  A lot of heart and determination on display. That is what makes good teams great.

Can they fight through this week and win again this weekend?  That's going to be tough as well.

1.  Offensive Line

2.  Defensive Backs

3.  Overall Coaching - specifically Offensive Coordinator

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Found this on another site and thought some might like to read it.  I would agree with the vast majority of sentiments here, especially the examples of Bruce Arians wacky play-calling.  Hope the link below works....

Miami recap


Many of the issues facing the Steelers are cited here.  Although players like Farrior and Hampton have become fan favorites and have undoubtedly contributed to the Steelers great history, I think they will be gone soon.  Changes are coming for sure.

We have all noted the continued struggles of our Offensive Line.  I was interested in seeing how the statistic of Sacks compared to offensive success, specifically scoring TDs and ultimately winning games.  Comparing total sacks can't be used since some teams throw a lot more than others.  The more you throw, the more you are sacked right?  As illustrated by the Steelers, the answer is not exactly. 

Irregardless, Attempts per Sack Allowed gives a fair comparison of how well each team protects their QB relative to how often they pass.  I computed this, then looked at TDs scored and INTs allowed to get an idea of how efficient each team was versus how many times they passed the ball.  The number of teams and stats available is huge, so I just compared our guy Ben to a couple QBs who have had statitical success as well as a lot of wins and a few championships.  I chose to compare the Pats to the Colts to the Steelers since they have all had continued success but have done it by different means.  While the Steelers were known as a run-first team up until about 2005-2006, the Colts and Pats have been pass happy that whole period of time.  

Here are some of the numbers from 2005 - 2009 week 15:

Peyton Manning / Colts
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff result

2005    26.6                       28     10                       2                            14 / Div Rd Loss
2006    39.8                       31       9                      23                           12 / SB 41 Win
2007    24.5                       31     14                       1                            13 / Div Rd Loss
2008    39.6                       27     12                       7                            12 / WC Rd Loss
2009    55.3                       33     15                       7                            14 / ?

Ben Roethlisberger/ Steelers
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff result
2005   11.6                        17     9                        3                             11 / SB 40 Win
2006   10.2                        18     23                     11                            8 /  none
2007   12.6                        32    11                       2                             10 / WC Rd Loss
2008   10.2                        17    15                       1                             12 / SB 43 Win
2009   10.2                        23    12                       12                            8  / ???

Tom Brady (except 2008) / Patriots
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff  result
2005   20.4                        26     14                     26                            10 / Div Rd Loss
2006   19.9                        18      24                     6                              12 /  AFCCG Loss

2007   27.5                        50       8                      4                              16 / SB 42 Loss
2008   11.0                        21      11                     8                              11 / none !
2009   35.9                        28      12                     4                              10  / ???

The most striking thing is the huge number of sacks which the Steelers have allowed as compared to these two successful teams.  The ratio of Attempts per Sack are at least twice as bad for the Steelers on average, in some years that ratio is 3 times larger !!  I think one thing these numbers show is that Sacks are a significantly telling stat for how the offense is doing.  Even though both of these guys attempt as many or more passes per year than the Steelers, neither one of them has been sacked like Ben.  Part of this is no doubt due to Ben's holding of the ball.  But let's be honest here, even that can't account for the huge number of sacks given up and all the downs and yards sacrificed.  Sacks can be overcome by two basic things - a high scoring offense but more importantly a dominant defense.

If you are giving up sacks by the dozen, how can a team keep winning?  Well, the team with the most points always wins.  As a head coach and defensive coordinator, I have always been more concerned about how many points we give up, not yards or first downs.  Defense Wins Championships, Offense May Help is how I think of it.  Many games are lost as compared to won.  The offense's mistakes are the casualties which lead to the team's demise more often than not.

In 2007, Big Ben had his best sacks versus attempts ratio ( though it palls in comparison) in this 5 year span.  This would lead one to believe that year would have resulted in better overall results.  But in the playoffs versus Jacksonville he threw 3 INTs, but maybe more interestingly - he was sacked 6 times.  These sacks combined with no Willie Parker led to a loss against a Jaguar team which was a run the ball and play defense squad.  The Steelers outgained the Jags 340 - 239 and led Time of Possession 33 minutes to 27 for Jacksonville.  No matter, the Steelers offense lost the game for them even with their brilliant comeback in the 4th quarter.  In the 2005 playoffs, Manning was sacked 5 times by the Steelers en route to their 5th title.

Sacks can lead to a lot of other problems - loss of yardage and field position, injuries to your QB and more long yardage downs following the sack.  Those long yardage downs lead to more incompletions, more sacks and more interceptions in an attempt to gain back what you have lost.  Peyton has thrown 150 TDs compared to being sacked 76 times in these nearly 5 complete seasons.  Ben has been sacked 209 times over the same timeframe and delivered 107 TDs.  Ben's TD to INT ratio these 5 seasons is a combined 1.5 ratio - in other words, he throws 1.5 TDs for every 1 INT.  Manning's ratio is 2.5 TDs/INT.  TDs per Sack gives the most telling story - Peyton's ratio is 1.97 compared to Ben's .51,  In other words, the Colts score a TD almost exactly 4 times as often as they are sacked.  Can you imagine how successful this offense would be if the sack totals were anything close to Manning's or Brady's?   Here's hoping the FO gets moving in the off season toward fixing two big personnel issues - Offensive Line and of course Defensive Backs.

The Steelers have the best fans in sports.  They make a great effort to travel and have surpassed any other NFL team in their ability to demonstrate loyalty and passion.  I do not see this level of commitment from the players on the team, not now.  Notable exceptions are Ward, Holmes and Mendenhall on offense and Woodley and Keisel on defense.  Big Ben?  Not sure what is going through his head right now.

I don't post much and I know this statement is blasphemous but hear me out.  From what I have seen lately and especially on Thursday, the Steelers as a team have given up.  Clearly, many of these guys are going through the motions, notably on defense.  The worst of whom I believe are:  Timmons, Taylor, and Townsend.  Farrior looks awful but maybe that's all he has left.  If you really watched Ike Taylor this game, you would have seen a guy waiting for the game to be over before it even started.  He should have been pulled in my humble opinion.

BA had perhaps his worst day ever.  The offense looks worse than ever.  The combination of a poor O Line, BA's inability to create a flow to the offense and the reemergence of Roethlisbungle made them look pathetic and lost at the same time.  The money they invested in Starks and Kemoeatu may really come back to haunt them.  Their offense has been built from the outside-in.  That is going to be hard to change any time soon.

Poor special teams play is exemplary of this lack of effort.  I have stated before that the woes on ST may have been caused by the fact that too many players do not want to play on specials.  Now, I am convinced of it.  The Steelers have succumbed to the prima donna syndrome - I, me, mineinstead of we, us and team.

They won the SuperBowl, now the rats are jumping ship when things are getting tough.  The level of effort and passion are not there.  They are not acting like professionals now that their playoff hopes have been dashed.  They stopped believing in their ability to win another title, so now they have a bunch of guys mailing it in.  You can imagine thoughts like - "Hey, I'm not going to get hurt for nothing..." and "  ... "It's not my fault"  uttered in private.

I can take losing, I can't take a lack of effort.  I need to see something different but it's not lkely this year.  I am really concerned that Tomlin has lost his team.

Best Things I've seen lately on the field:

Dennis Dixon - could have been a disaster.  Looked very good given the circumstances.

Hines Ward - still effective, great hands, blocking, consistency.

Heath Miller - bad drop/interception aside, he has been effective and consistent along with Ward.

Mike Wallace - complimentary speed with Holmes puts the defense on the defensive.  Shown ability to catch and is getting better.  Great threat on deep ball, reverses, stretching the defense.

Rashard Mendenhall - running hard, good speed and power combo.  Better all around threat and getting better coming out of the backfield as pass receiver.

Worst Things I've seen lately on the field:

James Farrior - Inconsistent play, spotty tackling, lost in pass game at worst of times.  Big sack late vs Ravens was not enough to make up for poor play overall.

Lawrence Timmons - Like Farrior, has looked bad in vast stretches of recent games since injured.  Looked great on blitz plays resulting in sacks.  He should - he was untouched.  Tackling and physicality vs the run has been poor.

Ryan Clark - No explanation needed is there?  The big hits are few and far between, the TDs against him are not.

Coverage Teams - maybe nobody wants to play on specials since they are all World Champions.  Not for long with the lack of effort and poor results shown.

Rashard Mendenhall - standing on the sidelines on 3rd down -  Let's see... pass, pass, pass or draw or screen occassionally to the guy who comes into the game - Mewelde Moore.  Arians at his worst.

I know some flak is coming... let's here yours...

I don't start posts here too often but after that game I have a few topics some may want to sound off on:

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After watching the Ravens play the Steelers twice, Tennesee and one or two more games - I think I see an obvious trend.  Flacco throws a very high percentage of passes toward Mason (#85) during the first 2 -3 quarters of the game, especially on 3rd downs or in more critical situations.  From about mid-way thru the 3rd qtr onward, he throws these passes to Clayton (#89) with ever increasing frequency.

I watched parts of the Ravens-Steelers 2 regular season games last night on NFL network.  It reinforced my opinion as formed watching the games live.  Without doubt Mason is his favorite guy.  I don't do fantasy football - any of you stat guys confirm my suspicion here?

More interesting Flacco stats are that he has higher passer rating in games where he throws more passes and that he has higher rating when the team is behind than when they are ahead.  These seem inverse of typical young QB wisdom but I looked some stats up on NFL/Ravens page... interesting.

Greetings All,

I'm more than a little surprised that there is no fan fallout and second-guessing regarding Ben's injury on this site.  I guess no one wants to look like they aren't 100% loyal but I think there is some room for debate if nothing else.

Did Ben have to play?  If so, how much?  Who else had to play, who should sit?

Rothlisberger, Ward, Harrison, Clark, and probably Miller needed rest the most.   Parker needed a few touches but Moore is their most valuable RB at this point.  Moore sits earliest then Parker.  I think Parker looked good for 2 reasons - the Browns defense and the fact he has not gotten used much lately - he's recovering still and is fresh. He may even play really well in the coming weeks but I don't think he has more than 20 or so plays in him full speed.  He won't be fully recovered until next year.

In Tomlin's defense - you want the guys sharp.  We all get that.  However, who is the one guy you can't lose?  The starting QB.  No coach is going to get fired for sitting the starter in a meaningless game but coaches do get fired when bad things happen.  If management believes the coach used poor judgment, he can be held responsible for the decision.  Now, I don't think Tomlin is getting fired in 2009 no matter what.  But, how is the decision to play Roethlisburger going to look if Ben throws 3 picks and the Steelers lose?

My contention is that Ben has not been the same since his motorcycle accident.  He is still good but seems more indecisive and shows some real strange decision-making at times.  It takes years to recover from brain trauma.  Big Ben has sustained numerous concussions in football and one big one from the accident.  The guy is standing on the edge of a cliff now.  One more fall in the coming weeks  and he may be really damaged.  Do I want this to be true - NO. 

I believe one quarter was the limit if the coach felt he had to play at all.  The guy has been beaten up for two full seasons and the last half of this season has been no cake-walk.  If anyone needed to sit down and recover for two weeks it was Ben.  Harrison didn't play and for good reason.  Roethlisberger can turn into Roethlisbungle at any time.  If he plays poorly in the first playoff game, what is going to be the first question asked after the game?

All - I reposted this after I typed it out in a reply. Forgive the rant...

Unwatchable.......almost
Is anyone else frustrated or better put confused as to what the coaching staff is doing? I'm not saying I'm smarter than them but how do you:

a) Come out throwing the ball in the first half in bad weather and with a QB who has a bum shoulder?

b) Continue throwing the ball in the first half even though it is generally fruitless and Parker is running well?

c) Allow a one dimensional Jacksonville offense to look so good?

d) With the game on the line allow a draw play for what 15 - 20 yards on 3rd and 9 after giving up a first down on the previous 3rd down and long with the exact same play call?

e) Given your scout films and knowledge of their strengths and coach's demeanor, how can they run the ball down your throat the entire game? It looked like the Steelers were in a loose alignment or nickel package on that last key 3rd down play.  I believe they had already thrown the INT on the last series.... Del Rio is not going to throw the game away... they are going to run it, kick it and play defense... aren't they??  Who are you playing?  It isn't the Colts, Pats, or Bengals for Crissakes... How can you be surprised they are going to run the ball until you stop it !!!!

Agghhh..... I have never come so close to walking away from a game at halftime.. never. And then to look so lame at the end to lose after a valiant comeback. The offense actually helping the defense at the end - of course the defense had to gift-wrap a TD for them but they did tie the game.

My two cents after observing this coaching staff all year:

Arians - Out.  Play calling is bizarre.  One play does not set up the other for long stretches of the game.  That C Wilson pass was beautiful but if it doesn't work how insane is Steeler Nation afterwards?! If not - serious Come to Jesus meeting after the season... not sure if that will work. Play calling is an artform not a degree or certificate program. Some people have it some don't. I'm not seeing it.

Le Beau - Tomlin needs to take control more, perhaps even now. I know they are not the same dominant unit they were 1-2 seasons ago. Forget the stats, the rankings.. did you win and play well defensively against the good teams you played? I would say in many respects - No. Tomlin is a defensive guy and he can't be happy that they were run over, especially when it counted most. I think the scheme is too cute and is over-thought at times. Two examples: PATS: Throwing it all the time, they know where your players are going to be when you call your favorite stuff. Do something different to get a pass rush - most of your DB's are not cover guys. JAGS - They are a running team, what's with all the light in the ass players on the field at the same time? If that's all you have, send 6 or 7 guys on a run blitz. Better yet, get some more tonnage up front with guys who have a hand in the dirt.

Special Teams: Start over. Sepulveda has talent and is going to be fine, had a good game yesterday. Rossum is a has-been and is not worth giving opportunities when big plays are needed. I know they don't want Holmes to get hurt but he would be a game-breaker in the return game. Coverage units are generally poor even though Reed is a good kicker.

O LINE: Re-sign Faneca now, right now. He will forgive if you give him the money - and he deserves it. Draft and trade for help here before anywhere else. The O Line is the football team - without it you can't score, without possessing the ball all defenses wear out. There is no more important unit on the team. CB would be the next spot.

Now is the time for Tomlin to assert himself and put his mark on this team. He can make changes because they need to be made in order to get into the playoffs and because the weaknesses are apparent. He has plenty of cover. No player or fan revolt will come from his tweaking of the existing systems/personalities. Make some adjustments and get it going as best you can leading into the playoffs. I could be wrong but his sideline demeanor indicates that he is along for the ride during the game. 4th down, fake punt/FG, onside kick - those are universally the HC's discretion. Those are not things which make winning teams although they may help win one game. The HC's influence and fingerprints must be upon the whole team. I only see Arians' and LeBeau's at this point scheme-wise. They are tied with the Browns - a team they themselves beat twice. They should not be struggling to beat them in the overall record for the division title. Their respective strength of schedule rating is almost identical, both playing 10 teams with over .500 records in 2006 and 5 2006 playoff teams. What I'm saying here is that the Steelers and Browns are the same, and that's not good.

"Franz" in NoCal