SB Nation User Blog: ncoolong

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Broncos

ncoolong — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:41:26 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

We've got a week of casual viewing of our present and future opponents, and a healthy record's perspective from which to see them. Health is the trendy topic this week, as Pittsburgh is out multiple defensive ends and potentially, a free safety. It should be noted (and of course, the PZB makes sure of that) Ryan Clark has the support of Steeler Nation with whatever he and the medical staff decide to do, but certainly, a win in Denver helps Pittsburgh's case to not be in this situation come playoff time.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

We feel your pain, Denver fans. We had these same feelings about Mitch Berger.

Dawkins: "(Dumervil and Harrison) are guys that are lower to the ground already." Hilarious description for the vertically-challenged stud pass rushers for Denver and Pittsburgh.

Nod to our brethren at the Mile High ~~Club~~ Report. This will no doubt gain some traction. PBZ has to ask, though, is there a logical reason for you to be in the city of Baltimore?

It's safe to say both Denver and Pittsburgh have concerns with their young stud running backs hanging onto the football.

A slight digression, but ESPN's Adam Schefter's 10 Spot column always has a bunch of fantastic information. This week,it's chock-full of Steelers stats.

Last Game

There is such a thing as winning a game but not beating your opponent. The biggest difference between the two is teams get a win for winning the game, not for beating their opponent.

Pittsburgh's defense flashed some 2008-like playmaking ability, and behind the steam of LaMarr Woodley and Keyaron Fox, who both scored second half touchdowns, Pittsburgh won a critical intra-conference game against a good Vikings team.

Luck? Nah. Champions tend to have the moxie needed to win games like that. If nothing else, it was one of the more entertaining games we'll see, considering the level of individual talent on that field.

I've been trying to best describe him, but Vikings rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin plays unlike any receiver we've seen in some time. He has the strength of a much larger possession receiver, but how many possession receivers are returning kicks at a high level of success? I've been watching Harvin with great interest since I saw his first kick return against Kansas City in the preseason. The first upfield cut he made was like magic; he runs so powerfully, yet gracefully.

Try to accurately draw a comparison to him, seriously. I'm not saying he's a Hall of Fame player, I'm saying we haven't seen a receiver quite like him. He has great speed, obviously, but it's his strength for his size that makes him so unique. My favorite example was during the Steelers game, and there have been a half dozen of these examples so far this year. Harvin catches a curl, squares his shoulders, and SS Troy Polamalu, with a 10 yard head of steam, plants his shoulder directly on Harvin's thigh, as perfectly as it looks in the text book. I can't think of even tight ends who wouldn't go down when hit like that. Harvin faltered a little, but didn't go down. He basically didn't move, he just stopped moving forward.

The best I can come up with is Steve Smith with the strength of Ben Coates. He's a special player.

Opponent Spotlight: QB Kyle Orton

Hey, did you hear the Broncos traded High-Talent-Mediocre-Leader Jay Cutler to the Bears for Kyle Orton? It's true. It's even more true that Denver (6-1) has had a bit more success than the Bears have (4-4) to this point in the season.

Pittsburgh's biggest problem is the fact Cutler played a helluva game and beat Pittsburgh earlier this year. Logic should dictate Orton will beat them even worse.

What's interesting between the two is how Cutler, the big arm, gunslinger passer, went short, short and short again to maintain possession and eat away at the clock and let Jeff Reed miss two field goals. Orton's game - and Denver's success - is predicated on the concept of short, controlled passing.

So in many ways, Pittsburgh should be prepared for much of what they saw against the Bears. But Orton has had a great deal of success in playing in this philosophy. With a passer rating over 95, and just one interception to nine touchdown passes, his efficiency keeps Denver competitive.

Pittsburgh loses a bit of athleticism when ILB Lawrence Timmons isn't on the field, and their hook-to-curl defense will be challenged by playmakers like WR Brandon Marshall. Orton loves to find Marshall inside the numbers, and despite Marshall's career-low 10.8 yards per catch, he's as dangerous as they come with the ball in his hands.

Containing Marshall isn't done by one player, and it's more sensible to find ways to get to Orton and disrupt his rhythm. If Orton is the same precision-based passer he's been so far this season, it could be a repeat of the Steelers trip to Chicago.

Steelers Spotlight: WR Hines Ward

"It's hard to sit there and tell everybody it's a violent sport but tone it down a little. When I go across the middle, those guys aren't going to tackle me softly and lay me down to the ground. That's not football. I find it ironic that now you see a receiver delivering blows, and it's an issue. But I haven't changed. I've been doing it this way for 11 years." - Hines Ward

It's tough not to give Ward a nod for the Spotlight this week, considering his achievement as being named the Dirtiest Player in the NFL this week. It's an intriguing match-up for Ward as well, considering a relative lack of success against Denver in his career.

Ward has squared off against Shanahan's Broncos three times in the regular season, and has yet to garner a win. Since he was named the Dirtiest Player in the NFL, and he obviously gives a rat's patootie about that, he's gotta be fired up and ready to play, right?

If nothing else, the fact Ward continues to roll back the hands of time, and is putting up the best half-season numbers in his career, speaks volumes to the role he plays with the passing attack version of the Steelers.

An even bigger fact to consider; Denver's nickel defense was shredded by Baltimore's Joe Flacco last week on 13-for-15 passing. It was so bad, Denver went out and signed the ageless Ty Law, and released CB Jack Williams.

It's fair to say Pittsburgh has a tad deeper group of receivers, and a bit more experienced of a passer. Law on Ward is a nice match-up for you nostalgia fans, but the scope of Pittsburgh's passing game against Denver's sub packages is going to be an advantage for Pittsburgh.

(honorable mention: LT Max Starks)

I See You

"It is only one game in the long journey of a season and Steeler Nation would completely understand if you stood along the sidelines." - Dr Del on BTSC

I see you, Ryan Clark. Perhaps I'm seeing you a bit later than I should have. It was scary to hear what happened to you the last time Pittsburgh went to Denver. Even more tragic, perhaps it took us that crisis to realize your value to the team, and to solidify your place among the best free agent acquisitions the team has ever made. In missing the remainder of the 2007 season, after the high altitude of the Mile High City, you prepared yourself well enough to have a fantastic 2008 season. Your ability to place the team ahead of yourself was demonstrated by the multiple bone-jarring hits you delivered (see: McGahee, Willis and Welker, Wes). It's because PZB loves you, Ryan, that a point must be made; while it's tougher to win without you, don't play this game if you feel there's a chance it can be repeated. We'll worry about you playing in a potential playoff game at the 6-1 Broncos when we get to it. PBZ said at the time you should have been Comeback Player of the Year in 2008, I'd rather you not attempt to win the award you should have had. The fact you made it back on the field is enough to show everyone you have the warrior mentality, both on the field and off it.

Key Stats

Monday Night marks the second time in three years the Steelers have played at Denver following a bye
Mike Tomlin's Steelers teams have scored 66 points in their two games following a bye (1-1)
In three regular season games, Hines Ward has never scored a touchdown against Denver (0-3 regular season).
The Steelers have faced three of the league's top five rushers (Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson and Cedric Benson) through eight weeks, and haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Vikings at Steelers

ncoolong — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:11:30 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

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It's a personal grudge-match for PZB; Steelers vs. the hometown Vikings. Far too many bets riding on this game, and perhaps it's because these are the two teams PZB hears about the most often, but it looks like two mirrored teams will be squaring off at Heinz Field. Both teams can make arguments supporting them having the best three-deep receiving corps in the league. Both have dominant edge pass rushers. Both have highly successful quarterbacks with reputations to gut out wins late. All signs point to this being a close one. Maybe it comes down to the kickers. At the very least, we know our kicker looks for fights as opposed to backing away from them.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Gonzo with the Daily Norseman will be "severely disappointed" if he sees CB Karl Paymah in anything short of a special teams capacity.

Not to worry, it looks like Benny Sapp will get the starting nod for the injured Antoine Winfield.

PZB pities you if you look like Brad Childress, but at least you could win Vikings/Lions tickets.

Anthony21 of the Daily Norseman says Minnesotans can pony up the cash to build the Vikings a new stadium.

It's a good time to remember former Vikings coach Jerry Burns, and his submission for Greatest Post-Game Rant of All Time.

I'm not sure if Ericj69 from the Daily Norseman understands that fan support is not the bottom line for a team moving. It's about money, and Vikings owner Zygi Wilf wants a new stadium. Unless the people of Minnesota vote to build him one, he's moving the team.

Last Game

"This is the best I've ever seen him play." - Steelers tight end Heath Miller on Ben Roethlisberger

It's cliché to suggest Roethlisberger is punishing Cleveland for not drafting him when they had the sixth overall pick in the 2004 draft.

It's about close to a reality as it gets, though.

Roethlisberger put on an individual clinic Sunday, throwing for 417 yards and two touchdowns in Pittsburgh's 27-14 victory, that was way more lopsided than the score indicates. If it wasn't for a bizarre sequence in the third quarter that saw five turnovers in 12 plays between the two teams, Pittsburgh could have had 600 yards of offense.

Cleveland dropped eight back into coverage at times, and Roethlisberger completed passes. Cleveland rushed eight guys at times, and Roethlisberger completed passes. Cleveland threw foreign objects and rosin into Roethlisberger's eyes, and yes, he still completed passes. Well, he would have if they did that.

While PBZ doesn't want to try to create an impression that doesn't exist, that Browns defense isn't as bad as Pittsburgh's 543 yards indicates. In stretches, they looked like a physical, cohesive unit. It was as if parts of their team forgot Eric Mangini was their coach, or their Prozac kicked in or something.

Opponent Spotlight: WR Sidney Rice

"I wasn't expecting the ball because it was a run play." - Vikings WR Sidney Rice, on the playcall before a 63-yard reception against Baltimore in Week 6.

Third-year receivers are commonly (cliché?) seen as players who are finding their stride. Ironically, the stride of Sidney Rice is what has made him a sleeper high-end wide receiver in the NFC.

He may not have found his mental stride in his first two seasons in Minnesota, but his incredible physical ability is helping make up for that.

And when he gets both working for him? Look out.

That process may be accelerated with the addition of a quarterback not known for convention. Brett Favre may in fact be the perfect passer for Rice. This was illustrated by a 63-yard completion that blew the game open for Minnesota in Week 6, en route to a 33-31 victory.

Rice thought it was a run play. Maybe if he knew Favre intended to throw the ball, he would have been able to earn the extra eight yards he left on the field before the end zone.

He's just one component to a lethal array of weapons at Favre's disposal. It doesn't appear rookie Percy Harvin will play (shoulder), Bernard Berrian is adjusting to Favre more each game. TE Visanthe Shiancoe leads the team in touchdowns with five. Rice, though, wasn't expected to be leading the team in receptions (23) and yards (409) after six games.

Rice's size and quickness off the line make Favre drool, and as guaranteed as pregame close-up shots of Ben Roethlisberger and Jared Allen, Rice will run a slant or a quick post, Farve will hit him in stride. While it's not guaranteed, Rice has a decent chance to take any of those passes to the house. He's been doing it all season.

Much like Roethlisberger is doing for the Steelers, Favre is using all his receivers, but Rice is emerging as their main weapon, and Pittsburgh's ability to slow him down will be instrumental in its success in Week 7.

Steelers Spotlight: QB Ben Roethlisberger

"It is a mark of how good Ben Roethlisberger is that he threw for 417 yards, with two touchdowns, and no one noticed. It's becoming routine." - Peter King, Sports Illustrated

Minnesota's secondary is in dire straits. With Pro Bowl CB Antoine Winfield wearing a walking boot to protect his sprained foot, the Vikings have several unappealing options in case he can't play. One, Minnesota can move nickel back Benny Sapp to the LCB position, which will put special teams guru Karl Paymah, who curiously chose to let Ravens WR Mark Clayton to his inside while he was defending the sideline, giving up a 32-yard touchdown last week, to the nickel. Or, they could use rookie (and yet to achieve activated status) Asher Allen at the nickel spot.

Ya think Roethlisberger, fresh off a 417-yard display against the secondary-weak Browns, isn't licking his chops over the thought of any of those match-ups?

Roethlisberger has a favorable match-up against the Vikings defense, especially considering his elusiveness and ability to buy time in the pocket. The Vikings have had difficulties in their deep secondary, which has caused some big games for opposing quarterbacks and tight ends. Roethlisberger can utilize his multi-faceted receiving corps and TE Heath Miller for big gains, provided his head remains attached to his neck after the constant pressure he'll feel from DE Jared Allen.

Don't ask me, though, let's go to the experts. If you want to get some analysis from a kid with a bad moustache, foul mouth, massive Pittsburgh accent and ADHD, he's your guy.

Even better, it gets followed up by the kid from Two and a Half Men:

I See You

I see you, Steelers wide receivers. I see you because you're trying so hard not to be seen by your opponents, and it's working. Don't think the fact Hines Ward now leads the NFL in receiving yards has escaped our attention. Only Browns Defensive Coordinator/Allman Bros. Roadie Rob Ryan forgets about Hines Ward, hence the reason, Hines, you dialed his defense up for 159 yards and a touchdown.

But what about Santonio Holmes? Leading the NFL in first down percentage (min. 2 catches per game, are we clear on that this time?), and 8^th in the NFL in receiving yards (438). ‘Tone has 28 grabs, 26 of them have gone for first downs, and he's averaging 15.6 yards per catch.

Then Mr. Mike Wallace...Coach Tomlin is right, the game's not too big for you. I haven't heard many descriptions that are as fitting for a player as that is for you. You were drafted due to your speed, but it's your versatility that's going to land you on the All-Rookie Team. You're running sharp routes, catching passes underneath and over the top, but more than anything else, you're playing the game without a sense of fear. How many Browns did it take to get you out of bounds on that reverse in the third quarter? Two Browns got credit with a tackle on that play, but one more step, and you would have scored the most inspiring touchdown of the season.

It wouldn't surprise us at all to see ‘Tone grabbing eight passes for a buck 59, Ward hauling in five catches for five first downs and Wallace blocking as if his contract depended on it.

Put simply, the three of you are forming into the quietest but best all-around receiving group in the game. PZB can't see one of you without seeing the other two.

Key Stats

Pittsburgh's 543 yards against Cleveland was their biggest offensive game in 14 years.
Combined record of Vikings road opponents this year: 1-16.
Minnesota is 6-9 since 2007 when Adrian Peterson rushes for less than 100 yards.
The Steelers haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in their last 24 games.
QB Brett Favre has completed 75 percent (63-for-84) in the Vikings last three games (3-0).

Quick Hitters

WTF?: I didn't watch the replay, but how did former Steelers WR Nate Washington manage to lose 22 yards on one reception? Oh wait, I know, because he left the defending champions for the Terrible Towel-jinxed Titans. Tennessee has lost seven straight since proudly declaring themselves Pittsburgh's superior, including a 59-rip dismantling at the hands of New England in Week 6. The wheels have officially come off that bus. Quick! Get off their bandwagon!

Tempting: Having direct access to Chad Ochocinco? Like, we can call him a tool 24 hours a day? That may just be too much fun to be permitted. If we really had no life, a group of Steelers fans could get together and just spam the hell out of him. While I'm sure Jordan Palmer and his buddies have years of experience in such technological ventures, I wonder if their app could handle massive amounts of messages just saying things like "you suck," and "what a loser," or "Mamma call him Johnson, I call him Johnson."

Pregame Zone Blitz: Browns at Steelers

ncoolong — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:59:17 -0000

More photos » by Don Heupel - AP

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Fourth quarter points? Psshaw! All that means is our offense scores enough to force teams to come back. Detroit had nothing else to play for, and the fact Daunte Culpepper threw perhaps the stupidest pass I've ever seen (including high school quarterbacks) is exactly what makes them the Lions. It's tough to worry when you've got a passer the likes of Ben Roethlisberger under center (I see him, too). But, the greatest news of all, we've got Troy back. Worst news of all, Aaron Smith is out for the rest of the year. Take the good with the bad, because it's a new season, ladies and gentlemen. It starts with a visit from our old pals in Cleveland.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Dawgs By Nature says we shouldn't read into anything about trade rumors involving Brady Quinn.

Quinn tells the Cleveland Plain-Dealer basically nothing about anything, including nothing about his house for sale, nothing about the $10 million he'll miss out on this year, and nothing about his future.

Our Fearless Leader Blitzburgh shows off his tap-dancing skills in an interview with Dawgs By Nature.

Look! Limas caught a pass! Sorry, kind of off-topic.

Chris Pokorny of Dawgs By Nature discusses the post-Edwards Browns receiving corps.

Last Game

"It's still not up to the level we need it to be. We let them go down the field again and make it close." - James Harrison

That sour taste remains strong after another week of missing direct contact with that last nail in the opponents' coffin. Pittsburgh rarely gets beat in Time of Possession. Detroit 32:35, Pittsburgh 27:25. Rashard Mendenhall had six carries in the second half, after a "Delicious" 65-yard first-half effort.

Are we waiting for the other shoe to drop on a season in which the Steelers can't get out of first gear, or are we waiting for the Steelers to put together a concerted four-quarter effort from everyone, coaches included?

A modicum of credit needs to be given to Detroit. While it's not likely we'll see them in the Super Bowl any time soon, they played a solid game. In fact, if it wasn't for QB Daunte Culpepper's JV-level interception, Detroit could have pulled out a huge win.

But that's what makes them the Lions.

They don't give out style points, but we certainly use them in evaluation of our teams. With a divisional showdown with the bizarre Cleveland Browns looming, Pittsburgh needs to find a way to mirror their first half performances so far, and ignore their second half results.

Opponent Spotlight: P Dave Zastudil

"The Browns beat Buffalo 6-3 in one of the all-time ugly NFL games because of Zastudil, and almost because of Zastudil alone. On nine punts, the Bills had seven return yards. Seven!" - Peter King

PMZ likes looking at punters, and the impact they have on a game. Coincidentally, Zastudil hauled off one of the best punting performances in NFL history the same game the Browns put up one of the poorest winning efforts in recent memory.

It was extremely curious how the Browns won 6-3 over Buffalo, (Best Headline Award goes to Dawgs By Nature) when QB Derek Anderson completed two - TWO - passes in fair weather conditions. But looking at Zastudil's performance, it's no surprise. If you want to produce no offense, turn the ball over and generally do nothing significant with the football, you better punt well, or you're going to lose by 30.

Zastudil was the only reason Cleveland was even within four scores, let alone won the game. He leads the NFL with 18 punts inside the 20, and he's tied for the lead with 30 punts. With the struggles the Browns are having offensively, it's a good bet he'll be on the field a bunch, and he has shown the ability to affect the game on his own.

But hey, at least Zastudil's not in Detroit!

Pittsburgh has struggled in the punt return phase, with Stefan Logan averaging 7.4 yards per return, 27^th in the NFL. This is the only area in which Cleveland holds a strong advantage, and if Pittsburgh wants to avoid the upset, Logan will have to break a return or two, and create decent field position.

Steelers Spotlight: SS Troy Polamalu

"You know, I really enjoy watching my brothers play out there. I really feel like I'm out there anyway. I ride the emotional roller-coaster of wins and losses if I play or not." - Troy Polamalu

The most anticipated return in Pittsburgh since the Stanley Cup is expected Sunday when the Browns come to town. Granted, to get there, the Steelers had to lose another indispensible defensive player, but what the loss of Aaron Smith does to the Steelers, at least Polamalu's return will hide it somewhat.

Putting it nicely would be to say Cleveland's offense is not moving the ball very well. To put it accurately would be to say their offense is the worst in the league. The play they've gotten from Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson at quarterback has been grossly lacking, and that has caused serious disruption in the 1-2 rushing attack of Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison.

Polamalu isn't necessary to slow down this offense in most regards, but his inclusion will nullify any confidence the Browns may have received when they learned of Smith's injury.

There's a certain amount of game-planning teams will have to do when Polamalu is on the field. He affects both the pass and run offensive plans, but the lack of Smith, and Cleveland's lack of passing attack likely will equal a steady diet of "run-left" kinds of plays.

That presents a problem for Pittsburgh. While Quinn, Anderson and their C-list group of receivers have produced next to nothing so far this season, the running game has produced two 100-yard rushers the past two weeks. Harrison had 121 yards against Cincinnati in Week 4, and Lewis put 117 on the Bills in Week 5. Polamalu will be stationed at the line for much of the game, and should expect a physical contest. With the platoon of Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason and rookie Ziggy Hood holding down Smith's left defensive end position, the Browns are libel to run to that side. Polamalu will help shore that potential gap up.

I See You

I see you, Ben Roethlisberger. It isn't just your career-high 73.8 percent completion rate, it's that smirk we saw on your face after throwing your second interception that was returned for a touchdown this season. The confidence you displayed in yourself, seeing you own up to a mistake, is inspiring. More of what we really loved was how you showed your young receivers you believe in them. Limas Sweed's drop woes continued, but your first pass attempt was to him on his first play since the drop against Cincinnati. Granted, he's probably got to catch that slant as well, but you went back to him. Mike Wallace joined the fun, dropping what would have been a 71-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. You could have doghoused him too, and just gone to Ward, Holmes and Miller as you had been all game, but you see the value in involving as many receivers as possible. The more confidence they have in themselves, the better they are. You went back to Wallace, who beat CB William James (the guy who took your out route to the house earlier) as badly as any corner has ever been beaten, and got his first career touchdown.

The confidence you have in your receivers makes them better, and it's as much a factor in your ridonkulous completion percentage as your own ability. It's also a big reason why the Steelers are 3-2 without their best defensive player.

Key Stats

Pittsburgh has won the battle of time of possession in nine of their last 11 games
Pittsburgh is 2-0 in those games (Dallas in 2008 and Detroit in 2009)
James Harrison has forced 18 fumbles in his last 36 regular season starts.
Cleveland (11), Oakland (9.8) and St. Louis (6.8) are combining to average 3 points per game less than 2008 league-low Cincinnati (12.8)

Quick Hitters

Thankfully, He Doesn't Play for Us: I would have paid good money to witness the conversation between Bly and Singletary. Good money.

What's Going On In Bravo Company, Matthew?: A classic Col. Nathan Jessup quote to the Cleveland Browns for their most recent PR disaster. My favorite is the sarcasm-laced comment from the league about never having the need to implement rules about players without pads getting hit by players with pads. Only the Mangenius...

I Am Not Talking About No Fine: Chad Ochocinco gets hit hard, and Ray Lewis gets fined. It's kind of a double-win, huh?

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Lions

ncoolong — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:32:50 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

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The Lions got off the schnide in Week 3 with a big win over Washington. Then they hopped right back on via a thorough whipping at the hands of Chicago in Week 4. New Look Lions? Maybe not so much, but former Titans defensive coordinator, now Lions head coach, Jim Schwartz has them going in the right direction. (Just look at what happened to Tennessee since he left) He's got a strong ex-Steeler, a multi-faceted defensive end and a promising quarterback. The PZB has nickname ideas, a look at our opponent's preparation and The Big Legursky.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Pride of Detroit writer Sean Yuille gives a run-down of team notes, including an interesting tidbit about Bears WR Johnny Knox's controversial touchdown in Week 4 (he also calls for Tigers manager Jim Leyland's job. Ouch. Don't ever count the Twins out, Sean).

Pride of Detroit is breaking down Detroit's Red Zone efficiency, sponsored by Comcast's Red Zone Channel.

Fans posting on Detroit Lions Forum.com aren't exactly optimistic with their chances Sunday.

The versatile DE/OLB Julian Peterson is studying, says Detroit Free Press writer Nicholas J. Cotsonika.

Ford Field is officially sold out for Sunday's game, which obviously means the Steelers are coming to town.

Last Game

"We never make it easy, it seems." - Willie Colon

What's easy? Almost entirely shutting down one of the better offenses in the game? The league's 27^th-ranked rushing offense exploding for 177 yards? The fact the offense ran 73 plays to San Diego's 47? The fact Pittsburgh won the time of possession battle 40:20 to 19:40?

I could go on...5-for-5 in the Red Zone, 4.9 yards per carry, 8-for-12 on third downs...So Stefan "Joystick" Logan had a ball ripped out of his hands when the play should have been blown dead, and there's some work to do on potential onside kick situations. Other than that, it was as solid of a three-phase effort as Pittsburgh has shown over the past two seasons. As Coach Tomlin often says, they don't give out style points. Even if we insist on the idea of "closing teams out," 2-2 sounds a helluva lot better than 35-7 does.

Opponent Spotlight: LB Larry Foote

"We all know that (Foote's) a top-quality player and person, high character guy and great leader for those guys." - Mike Tomlin

I was at McGovern's in St. Paul, chomping on a brat at the Steelers Fans of Minnesota's annual pregame picnic in Week 2. The Vikings were playing the Lions, and a few of the purple faithful who invaded our bar took exception to the cheering from my table after former Steelers LB make a tackle for a loss, and did his Stomp Out routine.

Usually, the Steelers who leave Pittsburgh don't leave under the best circumstances. Joey Porter was ticked at the franchise for their lack of desire to give him $20 million guaranteed. Plaxico Burress was no different.

If Week 5's game was in Pittsburgh, I get the feeling Larry Foote would receive a boisterous ovation. A fourth round pick in 2002 - arguably GM Kevin Colbert's best all-around draft - and became a keystone of a foundation that won two Super Bowls. Probably not surprising to anyone, he leads the Lions in tackles through four games. While it probably comes as a shock to most people, Foote is leading a defensive unit that is aggressive, physical and what's worse for the Steelers, is growing in confidence.

They haven't quite learned how to put it together for an entire game, but in stretches, they've looked quite imposing.

Physical, confident, imposing...that certainly sounds like Larry Foote. If James Harrison and Troy Polamalu were the heart and soul of the Steelers defense in their most recent Super Bowl championship season, Foote was the mouth.

His teammates say they miss him. I'm sure the fans do as well. For the team, he's one of the guys who does things the right way. For the fans, he's a fearless, emotional sparkplug. I'll admit it, I'll be cheering the same way for him Sunday as I have since 2002.

He's a Steeler for life.

Steelers Spotlight: Rashard Mendenhall

"He had a good week's practice. I'm not going to take any credit for that." - Mike Tomlin, on Rashard Mendenhall

Whether we call him "Delicious," or "Runnin' Hard Rashard" or just "Mendy," Rashard Mendenhall's introduction to high production party Sunday night was a thing of beauty. Forget San Diego's suspect defense, the level of run blocking oftentimes is keyed off how hard the running back is playing. In turn, the running back is running as hard as the hogs up front are blocking.

Both were clearly dominant, and it was a joy to watch.

While he's holding down the fort in Willie Parker's absence, the offensive line will enter Week 5 with a large amount of confidence. Coming off their most dominant performance of the season, it gives them a week reprieve from the slings and arrows usually associated with their production. It wasn't that Parker didn't get the same level of effort, it's that Mendenhall had the same sizeable monkey firmly planted on his shoulder as each member of the line did. They clearly were taken to task the week before the Chargers game, and Mendenhall broke out of the gate, and neither he nor the line ever looked back. He was decisive, sharp and powerful.

Detroit isn't exactly going to take Pittsburgh to the shed defensively. All signs point to Mendenhall making his second start of the season, and the Steelers should use it as an opportunity to grow even stronger in the run game.

I See You

I see you, Doug Legursky. I see you, because according to Coach Tomlin, the decision to put you in at fullback on goal line situations against San Diego was more spontaneous than anything, and it was made largely due to the fact you made yourself available to do it. However you can get yourself on the field, whatever role you can fill, right? Fill that role, you certainly did. With FB Frank Summers regulated to the IR, and H-back/TE David Johnson out with an ankle injury, you blew out a hole at the goal line for Rashard Mendenhall - one of his two touchdowns on the game - and helped supplant confidence for anxiety in the Red Zone. Championships are won situation by situation, and the confidence needed to win those championships is built by knowing someone is always willing to fill a role. Credit to Tomlin and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians for noticing all value in each player, and trusting their back-up center's athletic ability enough to know he can move fast enough to lead the glory back to paydirt. But more than anything, credit to "The Big Legursky," we needed the confidence boost.

Key Stats

Pittsburgh has beaten Detroit in two of their last three meetings dating back to 1998. That game is memorable to Steelers fans...something about a coin toss.
The last time the Steelers played at Ford Field, they defeated Seattle 21-10 to win Super Bowl XL.
James Harrison's two sacks against San Diego gives him 31.5 in his career, moving him to 8^th all-time in Steelers history, just above Mike Merriweather and Chad Brown (31).
Detroit is surrendering 6.2 yards per play, the highest in the NFL.

Quick Hitters

Pittsburgh, Philly, Boston, In That Order: Congratulations to Pittsburgh, being named the top sports city in the U.S. and Canada, by The Sporting News. Both myself and site publisher Blitzburgh lived in Philadelphia, and we can both attest to the maniacal sports following of that town. To be considered an overall better sports market is quite the achievement.

Get Your Roll On: While Lions coach Jim Schwartz seems to want to make it a surprise, Lions rookie QB Matthew Stafford hasn't been officially held out of Sunday's game. At this point, its likely veteran Daunte Culpepper will get his first start of the season. This is the same Culpepper who turned down the Steelers' offer to back-up Ben Roethlisberger (a job that eventually went to Byron Leftwich) because he wanted the chance to start. Probably a very unwise move by Culpepper and his agent (they're the same person). Then again, this is the same quarterback who was part of the "Floating Orgy" with the Vikings in 2005. Along with the agent/player relationship he has with himself, my favorite part of the confused Culpepper is the way he calls a huddle together. Here's a game for you, count how many times Culpepper interlocks his fingers with his arms over his head, the universal signal to call a huddle, over the game. Bonus points given to the confusion on his face, or if he's the last one to join the huddle, which has already formed without him.

Woodley the Scribe: Nod to Surag for pointing this one out, but it seems Steelers OLB LaMarr Woodley has found a way to help bolster his salary. Per the editor's note at the start of his article, Woodley will bewriting for Sports Illustrated off and on this season. Good for him, it's good exposure, and it seems our pass-rushing monster can string a sentence or two together. His main point of contention, of course, is the league's protection of quarterbacks, and offensive players in general. At the risk of swinging at this softball myself, I thought Jason Whitlock makes an excellent point, "Why can't there be a 5-yard running-into-the-Brady call and a 15-yard roughing-the-Brady call?" The need to protect the cornerstone franchise player is inherent; the league can make the penalty far less severe as to not damage the integrity of the game being played. Then again, any penalty that hurts the Ravens seems ok to me.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Chargers at Steelers

ncoolong — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:56:53 -0000

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

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The friendly confines of Heinz Field probably never looked as good as they do right now for the battered Steelers. Dropping two consecutive games, something that hasn't happened in over two seasons, is a sobering reminder of the cruelty of the NFL season. Missed field goals, dropped touchdown passes, that extra yard on a 4^th-and-2 all add up to a disastrous 1-2 start. The good news? The new season starts Sunday vs. San Diego.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Kevin Acree of the San Diego Union-Tribune (one of the best in the game) says Roethlisberger "gets things done" against the Chargers.

Acree also thinks Chargers QB Phillip Rivers will set up out of shotgun.

OLB Shawne Merriman practiced this week, but is listed as questionable with a groin injury.

One of my favorite forum names, Glorify the Past, is predicting a variety of scores, mostly all of them pick a victory for the visiting team.

The Union-Tribune is optimistic about LaDainian Tomlinson's chances to impact Sunday's game.

What raising a champion taught Loreane Tomlinson, mother of LaDainian Tomlinson, about life, faith and listening to your dreams. If you buy the book, please let me know what championship she's referring to. Seems to me LT is usually hurt during the playoffs.

Last Game

"Two games." - Ben Roethlisberger, to Jim Wexell, summarizing his unshaken confidence in his offense after two blown 4^th quarter leads in the last two games.

It's difficult to characterize the poor start Pittsburgh has gotten off to as a "Super Bowl Hangover," which is the readily accepted phrase. If that were true, they could just drink some Gatorade, visit a Chinese buffet and sleep it off, like most people do. It goes deeper than that.

‘Shake said it the best in the post-game forum, "Teams are beating us like we beat them last season. Look back at the Dallas game from last season where we were beat for 3+ quarters found and found a way to win with a pick 6."

Were we not exactly like Cowboys fans last year, right after Deshea Townsend ripped their still-beating heart out of their collective chest? What about Ravens fans after Roethlisberger twice saved victory from the jaws of Baltimore defeat?

We won those games last year. It was our trademark of the 2008 season. We had no problem closing those teams out, and the team knew it. The Bengals had the ball 23 of the game's final 30 plays. They converted two fourth downs. They caught passes that hit them in the chest in the end zone, and ran the correct routes on blitz reads.

Cincinnati did not play the better game through four quarters, but they won the little battles, and exploited the dropped passes, wrong routes and they stretched out for those first downs.

When the rubber met the road, they wanted it more. Hangover? No. Gut-check time, absolutely. It's the little things that matter.

Conversely, we showed blitz too early too often, but QB Carson Palmer did not throw well into pressure when he didn't see the blitz coming pre-snap. CB Jonathan Joseph will be a marked man for the rest of the season (beaten at least four times, by my count). Poor personnel decisions can and will be corrected moving forward. We have more to work with here than we think in our post-back-to-back-loss gloom.

Opponent Spotlight: WR Vincent Jackson

"I've always seen myself I look at Reggie Wayne, Derek Mason, Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss, I've got to put myself up there. If you don't see yourself being in that position, I don't think you can achieve it." - Vincent Jackson

The secret's out. The rest of the league has found Vincent Jackson.

He's been the NFL's best-kept secret for two years now. Jackson has managed to stay off most people's radars, despite being built like T.O., having hands like Harrison and the big play ability of Moss.

Maybe it's something with Division I-AA Northern Colorado. Jackson's alma mater is the same as another underrated player involved in this game; Steelers DE Aaron Smith.

The Steelers probably know him well enough that he scares them. It didn't take long for him to make his impact against Pittsburgh in the 2008 Playoffs. Shortly into it, QB Phillip Rivers found Jackson from 41 yards out, giving the Chargers one of two leads they had all game - the only two times the Steelers trailed all playoffs.

Jackson hasn't slowed down a step since then, either. He's second in the NFL with 317 receiving yards, and second in touchdown catches (2). He's also the NFL's active career leader in yards per catch, at 17.5. Incidentally, Santonio Holmes is third with 16.5.

Jackson is certainly boosted by Rivers, whose lights-out year of 2008 went largely unnoticed, if not unappreciated. His 105.1 rating was the 13^th-best passing season in NFL history, and he's already racked up 991 passing yards.

The Chargers, much like their opponents on Sunday, are slowly transitioning from a power running team to a team that will average 38 pass attempts a game (the 6^th highest total in the NFL). Pittsburgh is currently averaging 36.3, good for 7^th highest in the league. San Diego averaged 29 pass attempts per game in 2008. It used to be that Rivers spread the ball all over the field, and completed passes to as many guys as coach Norv Turner put on the field. TE Antonio Gates led the team last season with 60 receptions. Jackson was second with 59 and RB LaDainian Tomlinson had 52.

Jackson averaged 3.7 catches per game in 2008. He's averaging 5.3 so far this season.

Stopping the big-play production of Jackson will be a critical component of a Steelers victory. And with Pittsburgh having given up six plays of 20 yards or more through the air, it's a good bet the Chargers will look to get Jackson open deep.

Steelers Spotlight: OLB LaMarr Woodley

"We're not playing winning football right now, and the reality of it is we've got to get after the quarterback. We have to find ways to make significant plays at significant moments." - Mike Tomlin

Woodley stands at the edge of league dominance. When one gets to the edge of anything, one can either walk away, or jump. There's no third option. He's currently staring at that edge, and we're waiting to see whether he'll jump to another level of production, or if he'll walk away.

This isn't to say Woodley is playing poorly. He's just not showing that he's factoring in much. He swatted away a Carson Palmer pass in last week's loss, but through three games, he hasn't registered a sack, and the highly-touted Steelers defense has a pedestrian five sacks overall.

It's time for Woodley to step up.

Granted, offenses have not been looking to attack deep very often. Pittsburgh is only surrendering an average of six yards per pass completion, indicating passers are only taking three or five step drops and quickly releasing the football. San Diego, however, is transforming into a vertical passing team, led by the strong-armed Rivers. Woodley, and the rest of the Steelers' pass rush, is going to have a chance to get him to the ground.

Rivers may remember this hit in the playoffs last year.

One issue the defense seemed to have last week was with disguise. They often mis-timed their blitz, showing far too much of it pre-snap. That allowed Palmer to change plays, which he did successfully. That's an issue of rhythm and cohesion.

Expect Woodley and the Steelers to have a stronger pass rush, as coach Tomlin likely took the front seven to task this week.

I See You

"Really, how can anyone have faith in Sweed?" - Ron Cook, Post-Gazette

I see you, Limas Sweed. Yeah, you (eat me, Ron Cook). I see you because of the route you ran, not the pass you dropped. What most people don't look at on your second ginormous drop as a Steeler is how beautifully you burned Bengals CB Jonathan Joseph, and how you ran your route so crisply, it was right behind the safety as well. A receiver can be taught how to catch, it's a lot tougher to teach them the kind of balance, timing and speed you displayed in the execution of that route.

And hey, not to sound like a jerk, Limas, but you came a lot closer to making that catch than you did on your drop in the AFC Championship game.

I see you, Limas. We're behind you. We want so badly to add "SWEEEEEED" to our list of cheers upon one of your big receptions. We haven't given up on you, so please, don't you give up on you, either. All it takes is one catch, your confidence will be restored. Then, you can get back to kicking the hell out of chumps like Joseph on a regular basis.

Key Stats

Opposing quarterbacks are completing 62.7 percent of their passes against the Steelers - 9^th highest total in the league.
The Steelers are allowing 6 yards per completion - fifth-lowest total in the league.
Of Pittsburgh's last six losses, they held leads in the fourth quarter in four of them.
Of the 9 kick returns Steelers WR Stefan Logan has taken, two of them have gone for less than 20 yards.

Quick Hitters

Welcome Back Carey: Good to see you, Carey Davis. Glad you weren't too busy to try and help us out. With rookie FB Frank Summers whiffing on several blocking assignments with just a spattering of plays in two games, his "mysterious" back injury will keep him out all year. Davis was sort of a "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of guy in his previous stint here, so maybe he can provide some versatility in a hot-and-cold running game.

What? Really?: Maybe I'm being oversensitive, but does it sicken anyone else to read comments from Rodney Harrison discussing himself, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, and bringing Hines Ward into the discussion? None of the three of them will ever be a champion the caliber of Hines Ward. I'll give Moss a half-pass in this discussion, because he's not the bum people make him out to be, but don't make comparison where comparisons do not exist; Rodney, you're no Hines Ward. T.O., you're no Hines Ward.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Bengals

ncoolong — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:07:31 -0000

More photos » by Mike Roemer - AP

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Still smarting from a tough road loss, the Steelers regroup, but find themselves in a strange situation. Yes, the Bengals are a viable team, with a viable defense. I watched their first two games, and they actually don't look like the old Bengals; ya know, the ones where we gave them credit, because at least they didn't spike themselves?

That's not the last "Major League" reference in this week's PZB, and we've also got face-plants, stories of resurgence and a whole lot of "Swaggin'."

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

This week's plea from home fans not to sell tickets to Steelers fans.

Fans on Bengals Zone Message Board are feeling some confidence from Joe Theismann's prediction of a Cincinnati win.

Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Daugherty says the Bengals need to bully the Steelers.

Steelers WR Hines Ward would do it again, says the Associated Press via the Dayton News.

It's funny how a 1-1 start makes Ohio-based media proclaim bold statements - a Bengals win, a 10-6 season and a playoff berth.

Last Game

The thin margin between success and failure in the NFL is a pain. Pittsburgh, with a 17-14 loss at Chicago, has gone from Super Bowl champions and odds-on favorites to repeat, to a game behind rival Baltimore facing a must-win game at upstart Cincinnati in just two weeks.

In this case, that margin is defined by a few feet to the left of the left upright at Soldier Field.

Damn, Skippy.

K Jeff "Skippy" Reed hasn't earned exile treatment; he's been steady and reliable his whole career. But he really isn't helping things, either. If the Steelers go up by two-possessions of points, the Bears would have had a real difficult time climbing back into that game. Give them credit, they wagered all their chips on the idea of controlling the ball with a short, rhythm passing game, not allowing Pittsburgh's monster pass rushers to get a hold of QB Jay Cutler (note to fans: get ready for a lot more of that strategy). Chicago figured they could get enough out of their defense to keep it close, then, with precision and a little luck, they could pull it out at the end.

It worked, and Pittsburgh is forced to continue an 8-game winning streak at Paul Brown Stadium to keep pace with the charging Ravens (and Bengals) in the AFC North.

Opponent Spotlight: DE Antwan Odom

What? Cincinnati has a pass rusher?

Seriously, Odom, likely September's Defensive Player of the Month, has racked up seven sacks in the team's first two games, a last-second loss to Denver and a big road win over Green Bay.

Five of those seven sacks came at the hands of Green Bay last week, but despite his performance, the Bengals needed every last defensive play to get past a streaky Packers team. For Cincinnati, heading into Week 3, Odom represents something the franchise hasn't had in God-only-knows-when; hope on defense.

The question then becomes (well, the question after "the NFL has a drug-testing policy, right?") how much of an impact can Odom have, now that he'll be a focus of the protection scheme? With all due respect to him, the Packers have struggled mightily in pass protection through two games. It's tough to sweep aside a stat like five sacks in one game, but unless the player's name is Harrison, or Allen or Umeniyora, it's tough to take an eye off that player's opponent.

The more revealing picture I gleaned from watching the Bengals' gutty win over the Packers was how many of those sacks should be at least half-attributed to a much-improved secondary. It's always seemed former first-round picks Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall played well - against everyone but Pittsburgh. The addition of the leaner, sleeker Roy Williams at safety has given Cincinnati a well-balanced coverage defensive backfield, and one that makes it a bit easier on the front seven to get to the passer.

With that being said, Odom did wreak enough havoc against Denver suggesting this really is a combination of outstanding efforts from all three positional units on Cincinnati's defense.

I know, weird to hear, right?

Steelers Spotlight: CB Ike Taylor

Just a random guess...the coaching staff of the Bengals peeked at the film from the Bears victory over the Steelers last week. In that, they're going to see a few mismatch opportunities if they are able to spread Pittsburgh's secondary out. With a group of talented receivers, lead by the moronic Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati is going to try to employ as much 4-WR sets as possible, in the hopes of isolating either Ochocinco or WR Chris Henry on one of Pittsburgh's smaller safeties.

The spotlight falls on the veteran Taylor (Swaggin') for the sake of his ability to lock down Ochocinco over the years (and mix it up with Henry). The Steelers can't hide a weakness in 1-on-1 coverage because they have to play both of their back-up safeties in some specialty packages. But Taylor can be counted on to take out the opponent's most athletic receiver (Ochocinco), and perhaps be able to use more of what Tyrone Carter and Ryan Clark excel in - a Cover 2 look.

Ochocinco's frustrations are usually pretty obvious by the second half, if the ball isn't going in his direction. Using his own fatal flaw against him is something Taylor's been doing for several years now. The Chad Johnson version of Ochocinco has scored once against the Steelers in their previous six meetings, dating back to 2006. He was also at the mercy of a few beatings by Pittsburgh's secondary over the years. Or, maybe he just bounces his face off the turf.

He's carrying something of a hot hand going into Week 3, having snared nine catches for 180 yards and a touchdown in Cincinnati's first two games this year. Look for the Bengals to pass and run out of 3 and 4 WR sets. Taylor will have to do what he can to make up for a team disadvantage in those situations.

I See You

I see you, Chris Kemoeatu. The Bears saw you, too, usually in a "there's a freight truck bearing down on me, and there's nothing I can do" kind of way. Your crushing hits on the unfortunate defender in the hole during the second half last week sparked hope in a dimming light of a run game, and you did it so consistently well, it inspired the offense. It inspired your offensive coordinator to continue to call 22-Blast over and over. Pulling from your left guard position, your assignment is simple; destroy the linebacker or safety, and knock him out of the play. Effort, technique and confidence fixes more problems than anything, and because of your ability to show those characteristics, the Steelers can say, again, they have a bread-and-butter running play.

Key Stats

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is 11-1 against the AFC North since 2007 - the only loss being a Week 17 throwaway against Baltimore in 2007.
Since 2007, the Steelers are 7-2 in games following a loss
Since 2005, the Steelers are 7-3 in games without SS Troy Polamalu
Cincinnati has not recorded a sack against Pittsburgh in three straight meetings

Quick Hitters

"Shut up, Dorn. Save all that energy for the field" If this story doesn't show the complete level of dysfunction currently engulfing the Cleveland Browns, nothing will. It seems more fit for another show of Cleveland's joke status, the movie "Major League," when third-baseman Roger Dorn taped a red tag on rookie Ricky Vaughn's locker, indicating Vaughn had been cut. Vaughn tackled Dorn, and engaged in a yelling match highlighted by the most F-bombs dropped since "Scarface." In the Browns' case, perhaps the most telling sign was WR Braylon Edwards yelling "Welcome to the Browns locker room!" with the media present. That's a shocking sign of intentional disrespect, and one guaranteed to get Edwards jettisoned out of town next season, if not earlier.

In the end, though, doesn't the mug shot of Francies look like a character drawing from "The Simpsons?" Sort of like Apu Meets Tyra Banks?

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Bears

ncoolong — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:45:24 -0000

How bad was Jay Cutler in Week 1? Pretty bad. In his three years in the league, though, he tends to rebound quite well after poor performances. Add in the fact the Steelers are without their best defensive player (the Bears have several injuries as well), and it makes the defending champs' Week 2 match-up with Chicago an intriguing one.

Here's what our opponents are saying.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

The Chicago Tribune's David Haugh wonders who will miss their star defensive player more, the Bears or the Steelers?

Fans posting on the Chicago Bears Official Message Board seem to like their chances on the site's game thread.

ESPN's John Clayton says the Bears' defensive run appears over.

Bears DE Adewale Ogunleye asks Bears fans not to feel sorry for the team, the defending champs are coming to town.

Opponent Spotlight: QB Jay Cutler

"Cutler consistently made poor decisions and appeared panicked. He was so reckless that if he were driving a car instead of an offense, he would have ruined his car and taken out a block full of others, a few trees, a telephone pole and a mailbox." - Chicago Tribune writer Dan Pompei, in his Bears Grades column Sept. 15.

It's not a question of how badly Cutler played in a 22-15 loss at Green Bay in Week 1. It's how the young but talented passer responds.

At least that's what Bears brass are telling themselves right now. After trading two first round draft picks and Week 1-winning QB Kyle Orton to Denver for the mercurial Cutler, he laid a Tyrannosaurus-sized egg at the 50-yard line of Lambeau Field. Now he's got the home-opener in Chicago, a season in which many have (had?) Super aspirations.

Cutler's career is an odd phenomenon of inconsistency. The Broncos 8-8 campaign last year seemed to mirror their up-and-down quarterback - unable to sustain success, but not down for long, either. Through eight games, his worst game was a 3-INT, 2 TD game (a loss) at home against Miami. He responded the following week by going 24-of-42 with 447 yards and three touchdowns (to 1 INT, 107 passer rating) against Cleveland.

His worst game of the year was a Week 11 loss to Oakland at home, and he followed that up with a combined 59-for-83 with 643 yards and four touchdowns in wins over the Jets and Kansas City.

Pompei suggests it's even quarter to quarter. Cutler had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in the third quarter. In quarters 1, 2 and 4, he was 20.6.

Which Cutler can the Steelers expect to get in Week 2? Recent trends suggest he doesn't follow his poor passer rating games (43.2 in Week 1) by laying another egg. Even more fuel on Cutler's fire is the fact Pittsburgh will be without All-World SS Troy Polamalu, who, through two quarters, was well on his way to ensuring a shutout on his own against Tennessee in Week 1.

With Cutler's ability to bounce back after forgettable performances and the Steelers' lack of their most dynamic player, look for Cutler to settle into the talented passer he is.

Steelers Spotlight: SS Tyrone Carter

"People will say, ‘Well, they still have James Harrison and Casey Hampton and so on...' Irrelevant. Troy's really the only guy on this defense that I see as a full playmaker. Sure, James Harrison gets after the QB. But Troy is all over the field. He can change the outcome of a game in one play. Without him, this becomes a good defense with a very ordinary secondary." - Former Steelers RB now SI writer Jerome Bettis

Pittsburgh is a different team without Polamalu. Understatement of the year (no wonder you lost your NBC job, Jerome). Carter is effective enough to continue to be a spot-starter in the twilight of his career, and while it's unfair to suggest he's no Polamalu (who is?), the Steelers are without their sideline-to-sideline force, and his level of impact cannot be duplicated.

The question then becomes at what level can this secondary play without him? If Week 1 was any kind of precursor to that, the Steelers can feel optimistic. They only allowed 112 yards of offense in the second half of that game, which was played entirely without Polamalu.

Despite the success the defense had with him in there, Carter becomes a marked man in Week 2. Chicago is going to look Carter's way if they see Pittsburgh playing Cover 2, and any time FS Ryan Clark is not on TE Greg Olsen, the Bears will exploit it.

It's a great game for ILB Lawrence Timmons to come back, he can alleviate some of the coverage responsibilities from the physical-but-slowish Carter, but Little Evil is going to have to be a key contributor in specialty packages. With even as poorly as the Bears receivers looked in Week 1, the speed they have in WR Devin Hester and rookie WR Johnny Knox will be utilized.

Chicago should tread lightly, though. Carter is such a weak link, he's been a part of two Super Bowl championship teams. One of those two led him to dance.

I See You

I see you, offensive line. I'm probably the only one who sees you, and appreciates the job you did in pass protection in the two-minute offense in Week 1's victory, but I'm not just trying to jump on the bandwagon now. You wore down a (no offense) stronger unit in the Titans defensive front, and by the end, you had created enough of an advantage that Ben Roethlisberger had plenty of time to work his magic.

Ya know what happens when you don't stay aggressive, and continue to pound away at that rock? The defense breaks you down, and your quarterback can't win the game for you at the end. Just ask Buffalo's Trent Edwards, who was sacked twice in the Bills' final drive. They lost a heartbreaking game, you guys prevented that from happening to the Steelers.

Even more so, when Hines Ward fumbled at the 4-yard line, eliminating the chance to win the game in regulation, you weren't kicking dirt, or screaming at him or each other. You calmly collected yourselves, and when Pittsburgh won the coin toss in OT, you went back on the field, kicked their butts for a few more minutes and got the win.

With all due respect to Jerome Bettis, he's a "writer" now. Screw him. The run blocking will come, just stay confident in your pass pro, it'll all work itself out.

Key Stats

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was 15-for-16 in the fourth quarter and overtime in Week 1
His 43 pass attempts were more than he's thrown since Nov. 9, 2006 - a 24-20 Week 10 victory over Cleveland, where he threw 44 times.
It was the first time Kerry Collins lost to the Steelers in his 15-year career
Games With 300 Yard of Offense since 2008: Tennessee 2-2; Rest of NFL 1-18
Bears K Robbie Gould is fourth in NFL history in career field goal percentage (85.938). Steelers K Jeff Reed is 10^th (82.653)
The OT field goal against Tennessee was Reed's eighth career game-winner

Quick Hitters

Coach Snipes: One of the highlights of Week 1 was SteelerBro's English friend texting him during the game, asking, "Why is Wesley Snipes Pittsburgh's manager?" Referring to an American football coach as a "manager" is funny in itself, but it invented a new game: "What Would Coach Tomlin Say?" If a reporter asked him to respond to a comment that he looked like Wesley Snipes, what witty, profound or flat-out blunt response would he use? "Image isn't as important to me as success." Or perhaps "Our men don't concern themselves with who their coach looks like." He'd be right though, it's the fans' job to concern themselves with who their coach looks like.

Coach Babich: Bears linebackers coach Bob Babich is a native of Alaquippa, Pa., and has seen a fair amount of success in his coaching career. His biggest non-pro stint was a five-year run at then-Division II North Dakota State University, located in Division II town Fargo, N.D.

It also happens to be the alma mater of the author of the PZB.

As a young scribe working almost primarily for beer money my freshman year, I was assigned the football beat for the college newspaper, The Spectrum. Reading over the media guide, I noticed Babich was from Alaquippa, and hoped to use our link to Pittsburgh as a way to get the coach to remember me.

Like just about everyone else I've met from the Pittsburgh area, Babich loved to find out I was from there, and it started a great relationship that spanned the five years I covered the team. He and his wife, Nancy, invited me over for dinner that freshman year, he spoke to my dad for a little while before a game and generally just went out of his way to be helpful as I tried to learn from him about football and the role the sports writer plays.

I remember speaking to him about a young recruit that Babich said they couldn't get to qualify academically, but really thought they were going to land him. He told me to keep my eye on him, though, because he's going to be a fantastic player. His name was Larry Fitzgerald.

Babich resigned after a miserable 2-9 season in 2002 to accept the assistant linebackers coach of the St. Louis Rams under newly hired defensive coordinator Lovie Smith. A few years later, Babich followed Smith to Chicago. Babich has been the defensive coordinator of the Bears since 2004, and has seen a good level of success in that time.

At the risk of worsening my name-dropping diatribe, Steelers fans will be pleased to know that Babich is a fine man, an excellent coach and a true Pittsburghean through and through. It'll be an honor to watch Roethlisberger put a game-winning 75-yard drive on his defense Sunday.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Titans at Steelers

ncoolong — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:35:08 -0000

The Tennessean had a great quote to describe this game from Pittsburgh's viewpoint: "For one team, this is a coronation. For another, this is a chance for a dose of redemption. Welcome to Steelers-Titans '09. Better tighten your chin strap.

That sounds about right. The NFL made a great choice to open the 2009 season.

A dual-headed monster rushing attack (one much fatter than the other, even though he claims to have lost weight) awaits the defending champs tonight. The Titans plan to use Chris Johnson in space, is spot-starter Keyaron Fox up to the challenge?

Here's what our opponents are up to.

Titans DE Kyle Vanden Bosch can't think of a better way to start the 2009 season than a game against the Steelers.

A Titans fan posting on GoTitans.com thinks it'd be a good idea for RB LenDale White to draw a 15-yard celebration penalty by doing lewd things to the ball after he scores a touchdown. Does Coach Fisher agree with that philosophy?

I'm not sure what "Whack-a-Steeler" is, but wasn't Nashville the same market that had a radio station host a contest to race dummies of injured quarterback Tommy Maddox to the hospital? Stay classy, Nashville.

At least some Titans fans have some creative ability.

Opponent Spotlight: RB LenDale White

"I'm a professional towel stomper. My nickname is LenDale ‘The Towel Stomping' White. I've seen the big Ben Roethlisberger sandwich on TV. So if anybody wants to freeze it and send one over, I'll be more than happy to eat it." - Titans RB LenDale White, in reaction to he, DE Jevon Kearse and LB Keith Bulluck's towel-stomping episode at the end of their 31-14 victory last season.

It's tough to determine exactly what White is saying in reference to the sandwich, but his story this off-season was more about the avoidance of such foods.

White shed a few pounds this off-season, and is expected to be playing at 234 pounds - down from around 250 that he'd been playing at for the first three years of his career.

It's safe to say the outspoken White feels confident it will give him an edge - only the foolish would believe White's lack of a contract after this season has nothing to do with his desire to finally get into game shape. He rushed for over 1,100 yards in 2007, only to watch the team draft Chris Johnson in the first round the following year. White is on the edge of a big contract, and his dedication to physical fitness as well as a productive year as a short-yardage back will depend on the value of that contract.

It starts tonight, as he'll not only face an extremely hostile crowd who will likely be using all of Thursday's 19 hours before kickoff to build up a frenzy of hatred toward the self-proclaimed towel-stomper.

White, of course, doesn't see this as a big deal. Per the Nashville City Paper, White seems to be more concerned with towels being thrown at him from the stands, as opposed to the multitude of defenders ready to force-feed him a towel themselves.

"I think we made it a lot more fun for this year. With all that being said and everything we did last year, the towel stomping, whatever, it definitely made it fun in the setup for this year."

It certainly made it fun. Not that the season-opener can be any more fun than it already is, but Steelers fans expect to have a lot more fun against the Titans this year, thanks in part to Mr. White and his mouth.

Steelers Spotlight:

Very simply, it's tough to perform better in Week 1 than Roethlisberger has in his career. In his first Week 1 start, in 2005, he was 9-for-11 for 218 yards and threw for two touchdowns (a perfect passer rating of 158.3) in dismantling tonight's opponent, Tennessee, 34-7.

His Week 1 performance in 2007 was almost better. He completed 12-of-23 passes for four touchdowns (tying a career-high TD passes in a game) in a 34-7 rout of Cleveland. Last year, it was a razor-sharp 13-of-14 with two touchdown passes.

Interspersed with those two games were a non-start in 2004 (his rookie year) and an injury in 2006 (back-up Charlie Batch beat the Dolphins in the Steelers' last appearance in the season-opening game).

After a strong preseason from the two-time Super Bowl champion, Roethlisberger looks poised to enter his prime as one of the league's best quarterbacks, and is ready to wipe the slate clean of one of his lesser-heralded performances of 2008 - a 34-17 loss at Tennessee.

With the marked improvement from third receiver Limas Sweed, he has perhaps the best compliment of physical talent around him. With a healthy stable of running backs and an improved and experienced offensive line, Roethlisberger looks like he's able to give a strong Titans defense fits.

I See You

I see you, Keyaron Fox, your preseason efforts not only justified the contract extension you got this off-season, but it also earned you the distinction of being the first 6th captain coach Mike Tomlin has had on his team since taking over in 2007. You and K Jeff Reed are the special teams captains (it was just Reed last year), joining LBs James Harrison and James Farrior on defense, and QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Hines Ward on offense.

You've won the admiration of Steeler Nation this preseason, and provided a strong presence of depth at the inside linebacker position. That depth will be tested tonight, when you make an unexpected start replacing the injured Lawrence Timmons. Whether it's crushing a ball carrier on a punt return, or smashing one of the Titans' well-reputed running backs as the mack linebacker, you've earned our respect.

Key Stats

Since its inception in 2004, the defending champions have not lost the Thursday Night season-opener. Pittsburgh defeated Miami 28-17 in the opener in 2006.

The Steelers defeated Tennessee 34-7 in their season-opener in 2005.

Pittsburgh has won six consecutive season-openers, dating back to 2004.

Quick Hitters

The Other Brady: It seems the Browns are going with Brady Quinn over Derek Anderson in their Week 1 game against Minnesota. I'm sure everyone' happy that got figured out. What's more fun in that game is QB Brett Favre essentially got new Browns coach Eric Mangini fired in New York, and his first game back is against Mangini, who was dog-housed and had to go to Cleveland.

Remember The Nate: Former Steelers and current Titans WR Nate Washington spoke of Titans WR Justin Gage, "I have a lot of respect for him. He is humble, his work ethic is good and he prides himself in being an underdog, and that's what I am. ... We don't have to have the spotlight." Is he as inconsistent as you, Nate?

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Panthers

ncoolong — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:12:36 -0000

More photos » by Don Wright - AP

Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker Keyaron Fox, left, pressures Buffalo Bill quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick as he releases the ball in the second half of the NFL preseason football game in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. The play was ruled an incomplete pass. The Steelers won 17-0. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

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The third preseason game was as crisp as fall air. We even got to hear a little bit of smack talk from James Farrior. While the Panthers have yet another quality running back in the works, the final game of the preseason - tonight at Carolina - is all about the final roster cuts. Here's what our opponents are up to.

Opponent Web Sites/Forums

Panthers CB Chris Gamble got a huge contract this off-season. He responded by giving up multiple plays to Ravens receivers Kelley Washington and Derrick Mason in their 17-13 preseason week 3 loss to Baltimore.

The Charlotte Observer's Scott Fowler says the Panthers need to play their starters against Pittsburgh, because, "it's a chance to practice with their defense against the defending Super Bowl champs."

This isn't normally something that would make the link list, perhaps it's because I was hungry when I wrote this, but fans posting on the Carolina Huddle Message Board are describing one helluva tailgate spread before tonight's game.

The resignations of Stadium President Jon Richardson and Team President Mark Richardson from the Panthers organization were announced this week. Their father, Jerry Richardson, is the Panthers owner and founder. Will that make Christmas Dinner weird?

Opponent Spotlight: RB Mike Goodson

It could be too early to call Panthers rookie RB Mike Goodson the next Maurice Jones-Drew. His versatility, though, shows flashes of the Jaguars supposed undersized multi-purpose threat. What's even better for the fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, at 6-foot-0, 212 pounds, he's a lot bigger than MJD - just not as talented yet.

Goodson had an impressive 78 total yards from scrimmage on 11 carries and three receptions against Baltimore in preseason week 3. With injuries to regulars DeAngelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart this preseason, Goodson made enough of his chance to earn a roster spot behind the two former first-round picks.

He made such an impression after the draft, All-Pro WR Steve Smith even mentioned being impressed with him after checking out his college highlights on YouTube.

In a game that typically only has the allure of watching the 51-55 ranked players on teams fight for special teams spots, it'll be interesting to see how Goodson can handle facing the starting units of two of the best defenses in the game. He's been impressive so far, let's see if he can continue it.

Steelers Spotlight: KR Stefan Logan

"I think this is the right spot for me, and I feel like I definitely can do the right thing for them." - KR Stefan Logan on playing for the Steelers

Guys like Stefan Logan make coaches love their jobs. They make it so incredibly hard to cut him, coaches get the chance to make the difficult decisions they love to make.

His lack of ability to make the squad solely as an offensive player aside, he's turned enough heads as the first explosive return man the Steelers have had since Antwaan Randle-El. Len Pasquarelli of ESPN writes that the Steelers have had 16 kick returners and 10 punt returners since Randle-El.

Logan, the diminutive pinball from small Division II University of South Dakota, has done enough with returns alone to merit a roster spot.

Numbers may work against him, as they usually do for players competing to make the team as special teams contributors, but as John Harris pointed out Wednesday, Steelers 2008 Rookie of the Year Patrick Bailey cemented his roster spot in the last preseason game.

Logan's not a rookie in terms of age. At age 28, it's his first year in the NFL, but he looks plenty comfortable filling a role the Steelers have been without since 2005. Rookie CB Joe Burnett has fumbled twice in his punt return opportunities, and Logan's 14 yard average shows consistency and the ability to break the big play. He also had a 60 yard return against Washington and his nearly 40-yard average gives him a clear advantage over rookie Mike Wallace going into Week 1 vs. Tennessee.

Last Game

"Maybe they need to huddle up a little more." - Steelers LB and Captain James Farrior, on Buffalo's newly installed no-huddle offense, which was yielded zero touchdowns so far this preseason.

Preseason aside, Pittsburgh's 17-0 blanking of offense-less Buffalo at least appeared to be what head coach Mike Tomlin asked for before the game - 60 minutes of Steelers football.

Despite the fact the Bills were without WR Terrell Owens, they were able to manage just 135 total yards (86 through the air), and the Steelers got a blocked field goal from rookie CB Joe Burnett with less than three minutes to go to conserve the shut-out.

It was that kind of a game for the Steelers defense. Completely overpowering.

LB James Farrior scored on an interception return, and the Steelers stopped the Bills starters to just 50 yards of offense in the half the two starting units faced each other.

I See You

I see you, Brett Keisel. You're the latest example of the recent Steelers trend of bucking age when it comes to signing the "right" veterans to extensions after they reach 30, joining James Farrior, Hines Ward and James Harrison.

Keisel got his contract not just because he's a great, versatile athlete; it's simply because he's one of those players who doesn't need coaching, shows up each practice ready to work and goes about his business the right way. On the field, the intensity in which he plays mirrors the seventh round pick he was back in 2002, when he was just trying to make the team.

There are few who typify Steelers Football more than Brett Keisel. It's great to have him around for another five years.

We're Canoe-Paddling right along with you, Brett.

Key Stats

Stefan Logan is averaging 13.9 yards per punt return, and 39.3 yards per kick return. The Steelers averaged 6.2 yards per punt return and 20.3 yards per kick return in 2008.

The Steelers starting defense has yet to allow a touchdown in three preseason games.

Pittsburgh has completed 55 passes this preseason, 31 of them have gone for first downs (56 percent). New Orleans leads the preseason at 60 percent.

QB Ben Roethlisberger had more passing yards (168) in the one half he played than Buffalo had total yards all game (135) in Pittsburgh's 17-0 preseason week 3 win.

Quick Hitters

Bronco Legursky: With Darnell Stapleton placed on ice for this season, veteran C Doug Legursky has likely locked down a roster spot. Rookie A.Q. Shipley will likely end up on the practice squad (has anyone mentioned he's from Pittsburgh?).

Mr. Fox: Keyaron Fox got to join the highlight reel of Steelers linebackers making audibly violent hits against Buffalo, when he crushed return man Leodis McKelvin. He continued to thump his way toward recognition, and with the ankle injury to Lawrence Timmons, he'll start at the mack linebacker spot against Carolina. It's up in the air whether Timmons will be able to play in the season-opener.

Pregame Zone Blitz: Steelers at Redskins

ncoolong — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:59:20 -0000

More photos » by Don Wright - AP

2 months ago: Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Limas Sweed (14) attempts a catch as Arizona Cardinals' Bryant McFadden (25) and linebacker Karlos Dansby (58) defend during the first quarter of a pre-season NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2008 in Pittsburgh.(AP Photo/Don Wright)

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The preseason marches on, but the Steelers won't be taking the bus Jeff Reed duped them into thinking they would take to a movie theater Thursday, the last day of training camp.

That Jeff Reed...he's a funny one.

Here's what we're reading out of Redskins camp this week.

I always get a kick out of stories about the Steelers fans traveling to road games, but when we (the fans) are able to force teams to change their offenses based on our turnout, you feel nothing but pride.

Every coach has to support his guy, I suppose, but for Redskins safeties coach Steve Jackson to suggest La’Ron Landry is better than Troy Polamalu is akin to having Kool-Aid pumped straight into your veins. Redskins fans on HailRedskins.com agree.

Redskins coach Jim Zorn says the "Battle of Towels" that will apparently result from the Redskins giving away 50,000 white "Redskins Rally" towels in preparation for an invasion of Terrible Towels "will be fun." I guess.

Many Redskins fans are writing their displeasure after the 23-0 loss at Baltimore, and are already discussing their coaching options (coach Cower?).

Opponent Spotlight: OLB Brian Orakpo
"I thought he had exceptional speed. I thought he played hard. I liked what I saw. I think we got a player there." – Redskins head coach Jim Zorn on rookie OLB Brian Orakpo

Washington wasted little time selecting Texas’s DE/OLB combo platter Brian Orakpo with the 13th overall pick in April’s draft. Orakpo wasted little time in making an impact for the marginalized franchise, who sunk a lot of personnel attention and dollars on the defensive side of the ball.

Along with DT Albert Haynesworth’s enormous contract, and picking up Orakpo – whom many said is a steal at the 13th pick – the Redskins improved the league’s 4th-ranked defense, and bring a unique defense to FedEx Field when they face the Steelers in both teams second preseason game.

Orakpo is an interesting opponent to watch Saturday, partially due to his versatility, but mostly due to the fact his explosiveness and athleticism will provide the Steelers with some up-to-date experience against a multi-faceted player not unlike Baltimore’s Terrell Suggs, Cincinnati’s Keith Rivers and Cleveland’s Kamerion Wimbley.

As if tackles Max Starks and Willie Colon don’t get enough of that in practice from two of the game’s best outside linebackers, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, dealing with the threat of a blitzer when on the road and keeping snap counts in check are critical components of the preseason.

They’re going to have to buckle their chinstraps Saturday. After the whipping Baltimore’s offense put on them, (500 total yards), it’s likely defensive coordinator Greg Blache lit a fire under them all week.

Perhaps even more important, though, is the simulation of those factors for those battling for back-up tackle positions. Tony Hills and Ramon Foster could get a shot at the defensive end version of Orakpo after the starters play the first quarter. With Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger banged up in practice Thursday, and the fact Orakpo crushed Ravens QB Troy Smith on a pass at the end of the first half, Hills and Foster get a chance to show their worth against a pretty powerful opponent.

Steelers Spotlight: CB Joe Burnett
Working as the second-team nickel position, Burnett has drawn praise from defensive backs coach Ray Horton recently, and his 42-yard interception return against Arizona in Preseason Week 1 was the highlight of the game. He doesn’t have the size of his fellow rookie CB Keenan Lewis, but he has already shown a knack for making plays, and has great instincts on the field.

He’ll be utilized Saturday, given Washington’s competitive battle at the wide receiver position, and it will be interesting to see how well he matches up with a diverse group of receivers.

Burnett is an example of the youth movement the Steelers secondary is currently developing, and while it’s not likely he cracks the starting lineup, he has a fantastic example of positive development and the results of that in front of him. William Gay graded out higher than any other Steelers cornerback last season, and he was also a fifth-round pick from Conference USA (Burnett from Central Florida, Gay from Louisville). Gay will start opposite Ike Taylor this season, and veteran Deshea Townsend in the running for the first nickel spot, Burnett’s biggest contributions this season will be on special teams. He fumbled one punt against Arizona, and the ESPN camera crew caught coach Mike Tomlin stalking him down after the play to speak to him.

It seems like he’s in good standing with the coaches, and his first pro game showed some flashes of ability.

Last Game
"I almost forgot to predict that (Isaac) Redman would lead the team in preseason rushing. The reasons were evident in the fourth quarter last night. Keen vision, strong leg drive and a real nose for the end zone. He’s a leaner, meaner Gary Russell." – Jim Wexell, Steel City Insider

It’s a very apt description, comparing this year’s Training Camp Darling Redmond to 2007’s breakout player. Redmond looked decisive, confident and probably the most important trait, strong. That’s an area in which Russell, the former Steeler, could not show enough consistency.

Perhaps it’s alarming, but it didn’t look like 2008 first-round pick Rashard Mendenhall was all that strong, either. Redmond’s become the talk of camp after he scored two touchdowns in the Steelers’ preseason-opening win.

The question now is if Pittsburgh would seriously consider Redmond as a goal line back, or if he's just working to make the practice squad. Either way, the goal line is an area of high concern for the offense, and if Willie Parker or Mendenhall can't get the job done, the team will look at Redmond or other rookie Frank Summers to get the job done.

I See You
I see you, Limas Sweed, for your domination of Arizona’s secondary in the time you had in Preaseason Week 1. Sweed looks much more confident, showing he can be the playmaker everyone hoped he would be when the Steelers selected him in the second round of the 2008 draft. He did drop a catchable pass from Dennis Dixon along the sideline, but he went up over former Steeler Bryant McFadden to make a nice catch and move the chains, giving skeptics enough doubt to think he’s going to add to what looks to be the strongest position on the offense.
Key Stats
In P Dan Sepulveda’s return, he booted a nasty 49.5 yard average, and carried a 41-yard net average. That would have placed him third in the NFL last season, behind Oakland’s Shane Lechler (41.2) and St. Louis’s Donnie Jones (41.1).

Quick Hitters
Ben on Ice: It appears Roethlisberger will not play tonight due to the foot injury he suffered when Starks rolled over it in practice this past week.

Protect the Knees: Last time the Steelers went to Washington for the preseason, Brett Keisel was accusing of going after QB Jason Campbell’s knees on a hit. Campbell hobbled around, but was ok. Issues like this make everyone nervous about the length of time the QB stays in the meaningless game.

Guilty Pleasure: I witnessed the return of Lord Favre last night at the Metrodome. Despite closing on a house one day later than scheduled, 90 minutes after signing my life away, I was outside the Dome with Anti-Steelers-Friend Chuck, drinking beers, judging people’s jersey selections (the best was a Dwayne Rudd No. 57 jersey, which does qualify for Throwback Status).

A-S-F-Chuck has season tickets, and I told him if (when) Favre signed with the Vikings, I wanted to be there for the first game where he was announced. Perhaps wisely, the Vikings did not announce their individual starters, but the crowd went plenty crazy when the Purple No. 4 waltzed onto the field. He then completed 1-of-4 passes for four yards. So obviously, Vikings fans are having serious buyer’s remorse right now. The experience was memorable, though, it’s not every free agent signing that teams see probably $1,000,000 worth of merchandise sold just 24 hours after it.

There were plenty of Favre jerseys all over, and interestingly enough, many of them were Packers jerseys. There were even a few Favre Packers Pro Bowl jerseys. One guy had a piece of cardboard taped over the 8 on his old Randy Moss No. 84 jersey, and a piece of duct tape taped over "Moss," and "Favre" written on the tape.

Who says the preseason isn’t fun?