Steelers Gameplan vs. Raiders: Run; Roethlisberger Gives Statement On 'Most Hated' List

Last Sunday against the rival Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to finally run the ball like, well, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They banged forward for a total of 141 yards on 29 rushes, mostly on the legs of rookie running back Le'Veon Bell.

We believe the Steelers should endeavor to pick up where they left off when they head into the "Black Hole" Sunday afternoon against the 10th-ranked defense of Oakland Raiders.

Make no mistake, though, it wouldn't be possible without the play of the offensive line. Jack Bicknell, jr. said upon arriving that he wanted quicker guys "who can move" and we saw that come to fruition last Sunday. The offensive line was smaller and more athletic and able operate in space much better. As offensive coordinator Todd Haley said, "you could go right down the line and probably say all played their best game."

That will allow Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Heath Miller to test a secondary giving up exactly 241 yards per game. The Steelers have been very good at working the deep safeties as Big Ben's pump fake can be deadly.

Add to that, they now have an actual and viable play-action based on the emergence of the run game. The patience, vision and cutback ability of Bell is a threat the Raiders will have to respect. As we have said before, Bell may be a bigger back, but he has the lateral agility to make quick cutbacks and get outside.

If the Raiders are in their usual vanilla two-deep safeties with man defense in front of them, expect the Steelers to test the their cornerbacks, Tracy Porter and Mike Jenkins, with short, quick passes and with the over-the-top game.

All things being equal, a top-level quarterback like Big Ben should be able to shred the Raiders secondary, even with veteran and multiple All-Pro Charles Woodson. But all things haven't been equal in the Twilight Zone known as Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Defensively, the Raiders have ways of making things difficult for the Steelers. Terrelle Pryor is a force to be reckoned with as he is developing as a passer and is also their leading rusher. Pryor can call his own number in the read-option or he can feed running back Darren McFadden or air it out to wide receivers Denarius Moore and Rod Streater. - http://tinyurl.com/l54gsvr

Another option that can't be overlooked is H-back Marcel Reese. The 6'3", 240-pound Reese doesn't carry the ball much, but averages 5.2 yards per carry, making him a load in short-yardage and goal line situations, and is a good receiver out of the backfield.

Linebackers Lawrence Timmons and Vince Williams will have their hands full, especially when the Raiders go to a formation they've used several times this season.

The look is the pistol with a 'full house' or "bear backfield" where two players flank Pryor as well as having a running back behind him. It's difficult to defend and requires defenders to stay in their lanes and not get lost in the shuffle and flow. Keeping the play in front of them will be paramount.

Regardless, the key is containing Pryor. In fact, think of it as the "3 C's":

Contain him - Timmons or Shamarko Thomas could be used as a spy to stay with him the entire game. Confuse him - he's still young and learning; lots of talent, but can be lulled into mistakes. Finally, Clobber him - bring back the ghosts of Steelers-Raiders games of the past and make him think Jack Lambert came out of retirement just make him pay whenever he leaves the pocket.  

Make Pryor be a quarterback first. He still primarily wants to use his athletic ability - make him go through his progressions. The more he does, the greater the chance the likes of LaMarr Woodley, Jason Worilds and Jarvis Jones have of making his day very long.

Do that and the Steelers may just be able to escape the Black Hole alive this time.

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FORBES recently put out an article regarding a survey taken that listed the NFL's most disliked (read: "hated") players. The Steelers' Big Ben came in 4th with 40%. 

The maligned QB decided not to take this lightly and released a statement firing back at his haters:

"I got a letter from the haters
The other day. I opened and read it
It said they were suckers. They had me on their list or whatever.
Picture me giving a damn - I said never
Posing as friends, but never gave a damn about a brother like me and myself. Because they never did
I wasn't with it,
but just that very minute
It began to make sense -
The haters had influence.
Cold sweating as I looked at my rank - How long has it been?
Even if they're hiding behind an ink pen,
I gotta get 'em, but that was thought before
I made a plan on the locker room floor.
They don't understand that I'm a Steeler, man
And I've never turned and ran.
Like Coach says, I "obviously" got a raw deal, 

So I'm gonna lay the steel!

I'll just venture onto the yard followed by 52 brothers
Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
We'll go out with a bang, ready to win out,
Do a Fast & Furious kinda spin out.
Get a number of vict's and try to host,
Against an anti-Steeler machine designed so I don't come out alive, but I'll come out clean.
Because the steel is Black and Gold, so the chase is on.
We're 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone!"

Wow...I didn't know Big Ben could flow like that.

-- Obvious parody. Lyrics paraphrased from Public Enemy's "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos." --

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TIDBITS: Steelers very healthy as they head to Oakland. Only WR Markus Wheaton and TE Richard Gordon are out; all others full participation in practice, no one questionable or doubtful.

Oakland starting SS Tyvon Branch out (ankle)

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Steelers restructure Ike Taylor's contract freeing up around $3 million under the salary cap this year. The Steelers and Taylor agreed to turn his base salary this year into a signing bonus that can be spread over the remaining two years on his contract. - http://es.pn/1dpjeHV 

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Steelers had interest in Terrelle Pryor, but he said no. - http://es.pn/1h9KCd4 

Steelers, Raiders Renew Old Rivalry, Try To Renew Season Hopes

A big-time matchup between two perennial powerhouse AFC teams that is sure to have playoff implications.

In the 1970s.

The 2013 version of the Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers matchup, however, isn't exactly your father's rivalry. There won't be anyone who'll be mistaken for John Matuszak, Mean Joe Greene, Lyle Alzado or Jack Tatum.

With both teams at 2-4, neither division nor conference titles are on the line, either.

Nonetheless, there is a rivalry that does still exist between the two teams. Certainly not like that of, say, the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday. Still, these are two teams rich in tradition and history - 3-3 head-to-head in the playoffs between 1972-1984 - as they combine for a total of nine Super Bowl Rings, which is tied for the most of any two AFC teams.

When they take the field Sunday afternoon, though, only recent history will matter. A recent history that has seen the Raiders defeat the Steelers on a three-year interval in the last decade: 2006, 2009 and 2012. Each time, the loss costing the Steelers a chance at the playoffs.

The same would happen this season as the Steelers are already in a hole having lost their first four games. Another loss, another loss to the Raiders no less, would essentially end the Steelers already-slim playoff hopes. It would take arithmetic requiring more than the fingers and toes I have to calculate whatever sliver of possibility remained.

That means this is a must-win game for the Steelers. Each game is.

The Raiders won't make it easy, though. Sunday will have twice as much of a chance of seeing LaMarr get a sack...because LaMarr Houston leads the Raiders pass rush. He's accompanied by Charles Woodson and Tracy Porter leading a Raiders defense ranked 12th in the NFL, but that has twice as many sacks (16) as the Steelers.

On offense, Denarius Moore and Rod Streater lead the passing attack, while Darren McFadden and Jacoby Ford provide enough wrinkles to keep Dick LeBeau and the defense on alert.

But it's quarterback Terrelle Pryor who is their main and true weapon. His numbers aren't exactly All-Pro, but he is dangerous. He's completing 64.5% of his passes and leads the Raiders in rushing. He's sleek, shifty and can strike at a moment's notice - kind of like a snake. (I know you got that...)

Two things, however, are in the Steelers favor: the Raiders haven't won a game coming off of a bye in approximately 10 years, and the Raiders return from said bye facing many questions on the offensive line.

The Raiders struggled mightily in their last game in Kansas City as many of their starters were and are down with injuries. Backups are working with the first teamers as the Raiders may be without center Stefen Wisniewski, tackle Tony Pashos and guard Andre Gurode Sunday. - http://tinyurl.com/klwuneo

The Steelers will take any and all advantages that may come their way as they continue to attempt to turn the season around toward a winning record.

And also as they attempt to reverse the recent losing trend to the Raiders - every three years in the last 10.

Maybe even start a new trend. The last Steelers victory against the Raiders? Three years ago in 2010.

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TIDBITS: Steelers signed RB George Winn to their practice squad. They signed TE Richard Gordon last week. They also have Bruce Gradkowski as backup QB - all former Raiders. Gamesmanship, anyone?

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STEELERS INJURY REPORT: {tuesday} Beachum (ribs), Woodley (knee), Keisel (ribs), Gilbert (quad), Gordon (toe), Heyward (sick) and Timmons (broken hand/wrist - in cast, but will play Sunday).

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Tomlin singled out CB Curtis Brown and P Zoltan Mesko for "below the line" play. He said Brown was set Sunday because his special teams play has slipped. Brown has had just one defensive play all season, so special teams was his meal ticket.

Mesko has had at least one "junior varsity," as Tomlin put it, punt per game and needs more consistency. True to Tomlin's word, Mesko ranks near the bottom of the NFL with a 42.4 yards per punt average. 

Steelers Lose Again To Raiders Amidst Turnovers And Penalties

Submitted for your approval...

What started out so good ended so badly. It was 2006 all over again.

The first play of the game between the long-time rivals Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders resulted in a Raiders turnover as free safety Ryan Clark with the interception. It was looking good.

The Steelers went for for it on 4th-and-1 from the Raiders' 27 and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger moved the chains by throwing to wide receiver Mike Wallace for 19 yards. Then, for the third straight game, tight end Heath Miller scores the Steelers first touchdown. He was wide open for a 5-yard touchdown throw from Big Ben.

The Beaver County Times Mike Bires tweeted from his personal Twitter account that, "When I asked Roethlisberger about Heath Miller on Wednesday, he said 'We want to get him to the Pro Bowl.'" It was looking very good.

Then it became clear that the Black Hole would become more like the Twilight Zone.

In three plays the Raiders tied it up in an improbable way. Darren McFadden broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown run. It was improbable because the Steelers rarely give up yards on the ground in such a manner. Improbable also because McFadden had rushed for only 54 yards in the Raiders first two games.

The Raiders sealed off the backside linebacker and it was up to the safety. Brett Keisel should've spiked inside. Lawrence Timmons had a terrible first read, Casey Hampton made a horrible effort, and Ryan Mundy lost his socks on McFadden's shoulder shake...just terrible defense on that touchdown run.

It has become an all-too-common situation now with the Steelers defense. They're either caught out of place, they don't play their gaps and they can't get stops when needed. Whether it's scheme, alignment, coaching, players or a combination of all of the above, the defense is offensive.

Want proof? In the last 10 road games the Steelers defense has recorded all of 10 sacks. The Steelers are 5-5 in those games. The vaunted Blitzburgh has been Splits-burgh.

Want more proof? Historically the Steelers don't allow 100-yard rushers. From 2005 to 2010, six years that included three Super Bowl appearances, the Steelers defense allowed four such games by running backs. They've allowed four in the last 19 games going back to week one of 2011.

Plain and simple, the defense, or lack thereof, is a concern. - http://tinyurl.com/9ush4xd

Back to the game specifically, an amazing 73-yard punt return for a touchdown by Antonio Brown was nullified by two flags on the Steelers on the play. TD negated. Game changed.

The Steelers were flagged 10 times for 81 yards with only three flags being called on the Raiders. No excuses being made this week either. The penalties were mostly correct. The refereeing was horrendous around the league yet again, so there's no point in dwelling on the referees.

You can't win playing such poor defense and stopping your own drives with penalties. Those were only two parts of the triad of problems causing the Steelers loss today. The third made this eerily similar to the last trip to the Twilight Zone...er uh...Black Hole.

Turnovers plagued the Steelers again in this trip to Oakland. In 2006 there were four interceptions by Big Ben Roethlisberger, two of which returned for touchdowns. One of 24 yards by Nnamdi Asomugha in the first quarter and the backbreaker being of 100 yards by Chris Carr in the fourth quarter.

Sunday the turnovers were by all but Big Ben. Antonio Brown had two of them, one of which he miraculously recovered for a touchdown. The other wasn't and led to Raiders points. Jonathan Dwyer coughed up the other fumble that wasn't recovered by the offense. Turnovers lead to points that ultimately lost it for the Steelers.

"We expect more and better from ourselves," said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. "We turned the ball over. We can't do that..." - http://tinyurl.com/9az2pfm

He also mentioned special teams. Tomlin fired former special teams coach Al Everest right before the season. Amos Jones was promoted.

More first downs then and now, more turnovers then and now, more yards then and now...oh, and more penalties then and now.

How can a team that allowed Mike Wallace to be so wide open be the same team that played playoff defense down the stretch?

Spreading the wealth again by Big Ben, who was the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, was the only bright spot in the game, as he connected with 10 different receivers again. He went 36-49 for 384 with four (maybe 3) TDs.

This wasn't on the implementation of the offense at all. Yes, it was questionable and even stagnant at times, but it's still a work in progress. That work in progress scored 31 points and could've (read: should've) scored more.

This was about lack of execution/penalty miscues on offense and poor play on defense. A defense that has secondary and pass rush issues. Issues that won't be solved with the return of Troy Polamalu and James Harrison respectively, either. They are issues that have been on the horizon for some time.

Still, it's early enough in the year where we don't think there's reason to panic. We predicted a 10-6 season anyway and still believe that's possible. Games will be won that should've been lost and games will be lost (ahem) that should be won.

Most importantly, none of the rest of them will be played in the Twilight Zone.

Steelers at Raiders - Commitment to Mediocrity

A long time ago in a galaxy far away...

Years ago when the Oakland Raiders were a power in the NFL, their eccentric owner Al Davis coined slogans such as "Commitment to Excellence" and the famous "Just Win, Baby."

These are not your father's Raiders.

Since being blasted in the Super Bowl in 2002, they have gone a combined 45-99 through 2011. So far in 2012, they're 0-2 and hurting at key positions.

The Raiders of this generation look nothing like what Al Davis built for so many years: there is no air of supremacy when they step on the field, there is no fear of the big, bad silver and black and they just don't win, baby.

It has been a commitment to mediocrity.

Despite that, the 2006 2-14 Raiders beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-13. It was a game in which a concussed, recently stitched up and lucky to be alive Ben Roethlisberger shouldn't have played. He threw four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. We wrote in out last article about their secondary problems, so don't expect a repeat performance. - http://tinyurl.com/9y7h3xw

Nonetheless, this is the NFL and an overlooking of an opponent can lead to a loss. We've seen it yet again this season around the league already and are sure to see it again...just not this weekend.

The Steelers may have their issues, especially running the ball, but the Raiders are worse. They have a very poor running game that only averages only 2.0 yards per carry (YPC). They also have their troubles in the air.

Starting quarterback Carson Palmer has already thrown 94 passes, second highest in the NFL. Palmer has the yards to show for it (670), but he’s only produced two touchdown passes. He ranks 22nd in the league with a 84.1 passer rating.

The coaching staff is still weary of the veteran QB and what the potential the Raiders offense has.

"This guy is a veteran guy, who is very familiar with us and how we attack people," head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday. "He probably has as much experience against facing our defense and our pre snap looks and our blitz packages, as any quarterback in football. He's always represented himself well against us."

That's a bit of Tomlin-speak actually. Palmer has completed just 234 of 410 pass attempts for 2,402 yards and 17 touchdowns against 11 interceptions when facing the Steelers in the regular season action with 11 interceptions.

They don't exactly have All-Pros at wide receiver either. Instead of T. J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Henry and the vociferous Chad Johnson/Ochocinco/Johnson/Inmate 92-3654AJ-42, Palmer has Darrius Heyward-Bey, Rod Streater and Denarius Moore to catch his passes.

I thought it was interesting to see Dick LeBeau experiment with the 4-2-5 alignment five times against Jets when he hadn't used it in Training Camp or preseason. - http://tinyurl.com/8mp6fst

Equally interested by the lack of snaps for Steve McLendon. Casey Hampton still getting the greater number of snaps. Especially with use of the 4-2-5, I would have thought McLendon would see more snaps. Not yet, though.

I would think we'd see more of the more agile McLendon if the Raiders do use Darren McFadden in the Wildcat formation like the Steelers expect they might. - http://t.co/bPdndfk0

The Raiders, though, will be without starting right tackle Khalif Barnes which should allow LaMarr Woodley to be able to have his way with backup Willie Smith. Their suspect interior should be susceptible to LeBeau's crossfire blitz scheme as well.

The Steelers have blitzed on 50.8% of the passing plays against them this year so far. Without James Harrison and Troy Polamalu once again (and probably until the Tennessee Titans Thursday night game, that may increase Sunday.

Defensively for the Raiders, it should be noted that they've allowed 295 yards on the ground in two losses, putting them in the bottom five of the league in run defense. So, running on them should aid the Steelers paltry numbers on the ground.

Last Sunday, 47% of the plays executed by the Steelers’ offense were runs, but Redman only had 25 yards on 12 carries, while Dwyer had only 28 on 12 attempts. Most of this came on the 10-minute scoring drive. Tomlin recognizes the need for improvement.

"We’ve got to get better on first-and-10, second-and-medium. We’ve got to block better."

Steel Curtain Radio's Lance Williams considers the Steelers inability to run and the Raiders inability to stop the run to be a wash, though. His latest podcast brilliantly breaks down what to expect this Sunday. - http://steelcurtainradio.com/?p=273

The difference once again might just be the passing game. The difference in the Steelers wide receiving corps and the aforementioned Raiders WRs is most evident in this stat: the Steelers are tops in the NFL in converting third downs at 55.9%, including 8 of 13 when needing at least nine yards. The Raiders, on the other hand, are dead last at 22.2%.

Naturally, a big part of that is quarterback Big Ben Roethlisberger. He's been lethal on third down in the first two games and is completing approximately 65% of his passes and has a 99.5 passer rating. An "MVP-type of quarterback" according to wide receiver Mike Wallace.

These are not your father's Oakland Raiders. Don't expect another Immaculate Reception. - http://tinyurl.com/8mw7wr5

Should all of this play out like I expect it to, look for the Steelers to go to 2-1 on the season with a 24-13 victory.