Tomlin Shakes Up Steelers Lineup, Makes Good On Promise

Updated 10/9/13
 
The Victor Hugo-novel based Broadway musical "Les Miserables" has a song of lamentation called "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables." It is sung by the character Marius who is mourning his friends who are no longer with him.

Seeing the photo posted by Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette reminded me of that scene in the play. Because, since death is often colloquially equated with dying, there empty chairs associated with empty microphones at head coach Mike Tomlin's press conference. It was more sparsely attended than your typical meeting of Congress. 

A lifeless 0-4 start will do that.

In light of said start, after the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Tomlin promised that there would be changes. 

"We'll continue to work and get better as long as I see belief and effort and continued improvement in detail because that's what's going to change the outcome of these games," Tomlin said. "Those who don't, they won't be a part of it, whoever it may be. It's just that simple."

True to his word, players were benched. 

The elephant in the room was Mike Adams at left tackle. Atrocious would aptly describe his play in the last two games. Yes, like Tomlin alluded to, Jared Allen is Jared Allen. But when the Steelers last played the Vikings in 2009, when Allen had 14.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and in contention for the Defensive Player of the Year award, Max Starks held him to all of two tackles and zero sacks.

Adams allowed Allen to get 2.5 sacks and four tackles. After awhile, he looked as if he was a part of the backfield. And he would've been pulled had Ramon Foster not gotten hurt, forcing Swiss Army Lineman Kelvin Beachum to fill in at guard. Instead, he got chip help from David Johnson. The worst part, though, is that when Adams got that help, he couldn't even recognize who he should be blocking. 

That said, Tomlin says he isn't giving up on Adams and that he "absolutely" sees potential in him. It is just that how he responds to his benching will go along way in defining him as a player. 

“The most important thing is not maybe what has happened to him to this point, it’s how he responds to it and moves forward,” Tomlin said. “I think it’s going to have the opportunity to define him and his career. There are a lot of solid professional players that have been through ups and downs, the emotions and so forth, and the guys that that show staying power and the guys that respond to it appropriately. That roll their sleeves up and go to work – solid, steady players, even within our organization.”

Therefore, after being speculated upon last week, it is now confirmed that Kelvin Beachum is the starter at left tackle going forward, with newly acquired Levi Brown backing him up. Adams is now third string. 

More promotions and demotions surrounded the defense, as rookie Vince Williams is now listed as the starting Buck Inside Linebacker. He was sharing the role with Kion Wilson.

Though he missed a key initial tackle on the long touchdown run by Adrian Peterson against the Vikings, overall the coaches "feel he’s earned it."

If It Ain't Steel wrote two articles over the last year questioning how long Ziggy Hood would remain the starter while playing the way he had been. That has now been answered in Cameron Heyward being promoted to starter. 

"He...will play more, and deservedly so," said Tomlin when asked Tuesday if Heyward had moved ahead of Hood in the base defense. "I think he's been really solid, not taking anything away from Ziggy [Hood], obliviously, both guys will continue to play, we just want Cam to play more than he's been playing and in order to ensure that, we are going to put him in the starting lineup." - http://tinyurl.com/mmfvtu3

Heyward has nine pressures, second behind Brett Keisel's 13, has batted down two passes, has two tackles and one quarterback hit in approximately one half of the plays (114) as Hood. 

Another move was that of Isaiah Green, after again clearing waivers, being added to the practice squad and Devin Smith being released from it. 

As for the rest of the presser, and aside from the usual minutiae where he makes the opponent sound 14-2 even if they're 2-14, he made valid points about Muhammed Wilkerson and rookie quarterback Geno Smith being players to watch on Sunday at the New York Jets. 

Wilkerson is a force who had five tackles, one forced fumble, one quarterback sack and even more quarterback pressures Monday night. 

Per Pro Football Focus, through four games Geno Smith led the NFL in deep completions (with a target of 20 yards or more) with 12 (Ben Roethlisberger was tied for second with 11).

The Steelers travel to the Meadowlands to take on the 3-2 Jets at MetLife Stadium in a bit of rematch of the AFC Championship game from three years ago. Though their roles are reversed this season, traditionally, the Steelers have had the edge. They are 18-4 all-time against the Jets, including a 9-3 road record.

UPDATE: the Steelers have re-signed inside linebacker Stevenson Sylvester and have released Kion Wilson.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Sylvester was cut by the team on Aug. 25. He is a former Steelers fifth-round draft pick fro the 2010 NFL draft out of Utah. In three seasons for the Steelers, he recorded 22 tackles and two forced fumbles.

Wilson had started games two and three for the Steelers before being replaced by rookie Vince Williams. 

The Steelers also worked out tight ends Ryan Otten and Chase Clement.

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TIDBITS: Injury Report - Safety Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith (hip) is questionable to start the week, per Tomlin. Guard Ramon Foster (pectoral) practiced partially capacity on Monday with his left pectoral strain. His availability is crucial. Linebacker Kion Wilson (hamstring) also practiced partially Monday. He is questionable for the week. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton (finger) was ruled out for the Sunday game by Tomlin after having surgery.

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NFL may compel teams to participate in "Hard Knocks" if none volunteer. If Steelers don't make playoffs, we may see them as next year's team.

Steelers Defense Unravels, Sends Team To 0-4 In Loss To Vikings

If this keeps up we may just start referring you to previous articles since we end up saying the same things about the same reasons for losses. That said...these are not your father's Pittsburgh Steelers.

For that matter...or as the cockney across the pond would say, come to that, they aren't even y'r older brub's Steelers.

At home, on the road or even in another country, the Steelers lost yet again. The beneficiaries of the latest gift were the Minnesota Vikings as they defeated the lowly Steelers 34-27 at Wembley Stadium.

The Steelers were the forced to endure the longest flight home ever - 45 years. Not that the plane that the team would take from London to Pittsburgh would have a Flux Capacitor, but in that the last time they saw 0-4 was in 1968. They're now 8-13 over their last 21 regular and postseason games.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll feel every mile of the silent trip.

"Right now, you could say we're the worst team in the league. That hurts." - Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers fell to 0-4

Let's set aside for a moment the fact that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was responsible for both of the team's turnovers, his sixth in the last two games, the second ending a rally at the end.

Let's also set aside that Markus Wheaton isn't being used enough, maybe even replacing Felix Jones as the kickoff returner, and that Mike Adams is frighteningly bad - hands, feet, technique, strength...you pick - at left tackle.

This defeat was on the defense.

The Dick LeBeau unit that has been a rock for a decade has looked brittle and porous of late. The two main tenets are to tackle the catch and not to allow the big play. Poor positioning and poorer tackling have all but eliminated that. 

The Steelers defense was so pedestrian and lethargic that it looked like a promo for The Walking Dead.

They have allowed 74 points and four plays of over 50 yards in the last two games - a low not seen since 1999. They have only have four sacks (six individual players have that many or more) and no takeaways - the only with none. The Steelers as a team are now -11 in turnover differential.

Not only are there just four sacks, but neither Jason Worilds nor first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones have any between them. Jones, who looked early on to have a nose for the ball, hasn't even sniffed a quarterback yet.

Reigning NFL MVP Adrian Peterson was held to 69 yards on 18 carries in the previous meeting between the two teams. Sunday, AP (or AD or ADP) 60 yards on one touchdown run alone as he rode roughshod over the Steelers defense for 140 yards total on 23 carries.

The team's tackling didn't make it through customs. Case in point were two plays: cornerback Ike Taylor's complete whiff of AP and fellow cornerback Cortez Allen's terrible angle on wide receiver Greg Jennings' 70-yard touchdown catch.

But, what might just have been a microcosm for the Steelers' black cat-crossed fortuity on defense was the strip-sack by LaMarr Woodley that should have been their first turnover of the season. Instead, it slipped through Jones' hands and the Vikings recovered for a first down.

With the offense finally showing signs of life, the wheels are coming off a once proud and stifling defense. Remember, this was Matt Cassel, not Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford.

And they remembered it also...every single mile home.

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TIDBITS: "I'll look at the tape," head coach Mike Tomlin said following the game when asked if he received what he was looking for out of Le'Veon Bell in Bell's debut. "Obviously, I thought he gave us a good effort from a conditioning standpoint. For a guy who hadn't played a lot of football, to absorb the number of snaps that he did was positive, but in terms of evaluating his play with a fine-tooth comb, I'll do that at the appropriate time."

Bell scored two rushing touchdowns in the game which were the Steelers' first two for the season.

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Sunday Blitz Recap: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9745129&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

London Calling - It's Time For The Steelers To Put Up Or...

After Pittsburgh Steelers head coach said that "we're going to roll our sleeves up and keep our mouths shut", Steelers players did just what you'd expect them to do - they started talking.

Some of it was basically benign, as when safety Ryan Clark said that he'd retire rather than play for a London team if and when the NFL expanded there. - http://tinyurl.com/nwveqyp

UM...RC25, you will be - the NFL won't be expanding there for 10 years.

Did Troy Polamalu really call someone a yinzer?

Isaac Redman caused a bit of a stir when said that he had a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals, but lied about it. He said he "was pretty much out of it the rest of the game. I had a concussion. I said I was all right." - http://m.espn.go.com/nfl/story?storyId=9728680&src=desktop

The NFL has said it is satisfied with the Steelers' explanation of the incident, but why say anything in the first place?

The one, however, that has caused the biggest stir and that has polarized Steelers fans is the comments made by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The man-child quarterback, when asked, said of the Steelers second-round draft pick, Le'Veon Bell, that he had "no idea" about whether Bell will contribute or not.

“Honestly, I have no idea with him,” Roethlisberger said. “You can’t get a read on him. One day, he’s practicing, one day, he’s not; one day, he’s going hard, the next day, he’s not. I wish I could. If he was a guy like Heath Miller that you knew was busting his butt every day to get back there … Le’Veon is a rookie, I don’t know him quite well enough yet. But if he can come back and help us, we’ll take him.”

First of all, though I personally have no problem with what he said, it isn't exactly a vote of confidence nonetheless. Big Ben is right - we don't what Bell will bring. He could be the next Franco Harris or the next Tim Worley.

What is a problem is the fact that a player who is directly responsible for all three losses this season and who has been nothing more than an average quarterback over his last seven games is seemingly calling someone out...to the media.

Remember back in 1983 when former San Francisco 49ers QB Joe Montana called out rookie running back Roger Craig?

Neither do I.

Big Ben has since said that he was complimenting Heath Miller more so than he was insulting Bell (with which I agree), but the damage was done. Whether perceived or actual.

The time has come to shut up and play football. As the old saying goes, "He who thinks by the inch and talks by the yard will be kicked by the foot." And the Steelers can ill-afford to another foot kick them in the a...well, they can ill-afford another loss.

They face a Minnesota Vikings team led by 2012 NFL MVP and 2,000-yard rusher Adrian Peterson. He alone is enough to keep a defensive coordinator up at night. For a week of nights. Dick LeBeau may not be worried about jet lag, but he is about AP-lag.

"I don't think anybody has stopped him too well for six or seven years....but we recognize he is probably the best there is in the business. To beat that team, we've got to hold him down." - http://tinyurl.com/mcnfmwq

Holding him down will be a Herculean task for this Steelers defense. When they faced him back in 2009, a Steelers victory, he was held to 69 yards on 18 carries. He is still, though, a tough man to bring down.

Just ask William Gay.

Nonetheless, his presence will be felt in the passing game as well. As LeBeau pointed out, if even one player bites or is out of position on the play-action pass, the results could be disastrous. The Vikings passing game, led by QB Christian Ponder and wide receivers Greg Jennings and Jerome Simpson, definitely has the ability to capitalize. *

However, they have some of the same problems as the Steelers in that they've turned the ball over 10 times this season. The Steelers themselves have nine turnovers. The difference is that the Vikings have forced 10 turnovers while the Steelers have none.

Therein lies the fulcrum on which the game may hinge.

In each of the three games this season, there were one or two key moments that led to the team's losing - all being from turnovers. To that end, offensive coordinator Todd Haley knows they and Big Ben especially cannot surrender the ball.

"...We're all pretty clear on why we're not winning," Haley said, "it's because of turnovers."

We've talked about that as staff," Haley further said when asked about Ben in particular, "and have talked with him and really tried to look at it, and it does not appear that anything is happening because he's trying to do too much....It comes down to protecting the football at all costs." - http://tinyurl.com/mvgs5oq

Yet, protecting the ball is something Big Ben hasn't done. With eight interceptions in his past seven games and more than 10 total turnovers in that stretch, he is the catalyst in avoiding having to provide excuses for why they lost yet another game.

The way he goes is virtually the way the Steelers will go. Protect him, protect the ball and protect international relations when Big Ben strikes 6 p.m. London time.


addendum -  I know some of you don't like this cut, but the last time I ended an article with it the Steelers won. So, again, two words: Taylor Gang! - http://youtu.be/nWAGLkyxQG0

*UPDATE: Christian Ponder has been ruled out and the starting QB will be Matt Cassell. The only thing that this will change is that Cassel isn't a running QB and more of a pocket passer.
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TIDBITS: Steelers Thursday Practice Report:  Cortez Allen, Le'Veon Bell, Brett Keisel and Steve McLendon were full participants. Heath Miller was limited.

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Top 25 NFL Players

Written by Jayden and Jason

As the season gets ready to begin, it's time to take a look at the top players in the NFL. It's an extension of If It Ain't Steel's Top 12 Quarterbacks. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/08/if-it-aint-steels-2013-top-12-nfl.html

Each year we're blessed and disappointed, we cheer and we cry, we scream and we...scream. The NFL is America's true pastime and the five months that we have it always go entirely too fast.

So, before it's too late...

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers - Honestly, he just seems to get better every year. The thing that should scare every man with a "DC" attached to his name is that he is just now getting into his prime.

2. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans - Nicknamed J.J. "SWAT", he was as dominant as any down lineman we may have ever seen. He was completely unblockable. Maybe that should be his new nickname: "C-Block." He was so dominant that the Texans might utilize his high level of talent on offense. - http://t.co/OLLJ6PFVzf

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions - How do you stop the 6'5", 235-pound Megatron? With 122 receptions, 1,964 receiving yards, 122.8 yards per game average, 16.1 yards per catch and 11 100-yard receiving games, he commands a double on almost EVERY play. Oh, and he'll turn just 28 a month into the 2013 season.

4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - The Dorian Grey of NFL quarterbacks. He doesn't seem to be slowing down, as he threw for nearly 5,000 yards, had 34 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions in 2012.

5. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings - If he came back from his ACL injury legally, then to do what he did was amazing. Think about it - he almost took down the single-season record for total (not yards per game) rushing yards.

6. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals - He was a true force in 2012 with 12 sacks from the defensive tackle spot. Very special and scary player.

7. DeMarcus Ware, OLB-DE, Dallas Cowboys - Whether a rushing down end or an outside linebacker, Ware is a true force. His sack numbers were down (11½) some last season, but it doesn't change the fear factor.

8. Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco 49ers - An athletic freak, he can run, tackle and get to a lot of plays you didn't think he would. Best middle/inside linebacker in the game.

9. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos - Great speed, intense and is a good tackler, Miller has the goods. Goods you'll see in 2013 after the first six games.

10. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints - Despite last season's results, he threw more interceptions than in 2011, he remains one of the top players in the league.

11. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks - The best cornerback in the NFL - just ask him. But he backs up his cockiness. He can cover, had eight interceptions and led the league with 32 passes defended.

12. Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins - Another guy who moved to a rushing down end spot from a 3-4 pass rusher and responded with 15 sacks. Just damn good.

13. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals - He has an incredible catch radius and brings in nearly everything he lays even a finger on. He led all receivers in 2012 with seven 40-plus-yard receptions and had nearly 100 catches total.

14. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos - The Sheriff bounced back to look like the Manning of old. His monster of Frankenstein act didn't stop him from coming back and dissecting the NFL in the regular season.

15. Duane Brown, T, Houston Texans - He simply pancakes guys. Makes lot of pass rushers look pedestrian. Simply the best in the game right now.

16. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals - The best thing we can say about him is that only bad quarterback play keeps him from being the best.

17. Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay Packers - He had 13 sacks in 12 games. 'Nuff said. Whether you call him Samson or Goldilocks, he's a beast.

18. Aldon Smith, OLB, San Francisco 49ers - One half of the Smith brothers had 19½ sacks, but he didn't get any during the absence of...

19. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers - A shoulder injury derailed what was a very good season. He demands the double team and allows other player to be great. Just ask Aldon.

20. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons - Explosive. A big-play threat. A man among men. So many superlatives can be thrown his way. He's simply the real deal.

21. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers - No. 7 with/times 3 Super Bowls = 21 on our list. He threw 26 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions in just 13 games. He was injured in week 11 and was in some MVP talks before that. Look for him to return to that form this season.

22. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots - He is the league's best pass-catching tight end and can block too. He's a true weapon for Brady.

23. Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore Ravens - He has been slowed by injuries lately, but when he's healthy he's a bruising inside player. Just ask Big Ben's nose.

24. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens - We're giving him the benefit of the doubt here, because he had didn't even complete 60% of his passes last season and he had the two worst quarterback ratings since the system was invented. But he did have a remarkable playoff and Super Bowl run.

25. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants - In some ways he's better than his brother, and he's twice better than Brady, but he does have his inconsistencies. He's still one of the better in the game.


The Next (Magnificent) Seven:

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons - Matty Ice!

Marshal Yanda, G, Baltimore Ravens - Rock at guard.

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints - 85 receptions and nine touchdowns despite time missed with injuries.

Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The anchor on the league's best run defense.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers - Great against the pass and defends almost as well as his line mate.

Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Very underrated. Second on Steelers in tackles with 106 and had six sacks, three INTs and two forced fumbles.

Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals - A cover man (7 INTs) and return man (4 TDs) and now catches passes too.

Rebuild or Reload: Steelers' Run Game Is Key Factor, part 1

As the Pittsburgh Steelers wind their way through the offseason in preparation for 2013, the problems that face them beg the question as to whether they will be able to reload or whether they'll have to rebuild.

While at present it seems that the scales are unbalanced toward the latter, there is still a long offseason to go. As new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, jr. said last week, the "foundation" of a successful team and season definitely begins with the offensive line, and, more pointedly, players "athletic enough and be able to move."

Though it won't be a one-year transformation, with Bicknell saying that more athletic offensive linemen are needed, naturally such a running back who can exploit the various blocking schemes that will be seen going forward must be found. More pointedly, a true No. 1 running back.

Now bear in mind, we're not advocating selecting a running back in the first round. History dictates that a number one or first-round running back isn't a guarantee for success. Finding someone in the middle rounds is completely possible and feasible.

Case in point: of the top 10 rushers in the NFL in 2012, five - Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Doug Martin, C.J. Spiller and Chris Johnson - were 1st-round picks. Of the remaining five - Alfred Morris (173rd pick), Jamaal Charles (73rd), Steven Ridley (73rd) and Frank Gore (65th) - were not first rounders, with Arian Foster not being drafted at all.

So, although Steelers fans know full well that the team could also find someone after the draft (see: Willie Parker), they still won't likely take such a chance. The likeliness is that they will look to find a good running back in the middle-to-later rounds.

Who, then, fit the bill and would be available in the middle rounds?

Montee Ball (5'11", 215 ibs.) is a workhorse of a running back. He knows where the hole is and he attacks them (4.57/40). But he can also change direction quickly enough to be used in a zone-blocking offense. Further, he's as productive as he is aggressive. He lead the NCAA in rushing yards (1,923) and yards from scrimmage (2,229). - http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1665003

At the risk of going to the well once too often, the University of Florida's Mike Gillislee (5'11", 207 lbs.) has very good speed (4.56/40) and wants to make a big play every time he touches the ball. Though he has the tendency to stutter step a bit, somewhat like the soon-to-be-departed Rashard Mendenhall, GIllislee's vision had the Steelers scouting him at the Senior Bowl. - http://tinyurl.com/6ue2afd

Others worth taking note of are Ray Graham (5'9", 192 lbs.) of the University of Pittsburgh and Joseph Randle (6'0", 200 lbs.) of Oklahoma State University. Both are burners (4.54/40 and 4.50/40 respectively) who can pass protect and who are good pass catchers out of the backfield.

One source, though, believes the Steelers already have a running back on their roster who is suited for the role, and can stand pat. The website SteelBlitz.com gives an argument for the retention of Jonathan Dwyer. - http://tinyurl.com/b7djykk

That would leave the Steelers with Dwyer, fullback Will Johnson and exclusive rights free agent Baron Batch, since it's doubtful they would tender both Dwyer and Isaac Redman. At that point they could sign an undrafted free agent or retain a Futures contract player who shows enough promise.

However the Steelers approach the issue, it will affect the entire offense and the success of the team. History dictates that it will affect them greatly. And in the conclusion of this two-part series, we'll show how the running game has affected the success of the team, positively and adversely, in recent years and why parts of that history the Steelers shouldn't doom themselves to repeat.

If It Ain't Steel's 2012 NFL Awards and Super Bowl Predictions

by Jayden Matthews

The NFL regular season has now ended and the debate can truly begin as to whom will win the yearly awards as well as which teams will take the coveted ultimate prize - the Super Bowl.

We at If It Ain’t Steel wrote a piece mid-season where we made predictions for the season awards based on what we knew then. Now that the season has shown us everything, we are going to follow that up to see if it has changed any and to make our official prognostications. Then, when the awards are announced, you can refer back to this to see if we hit it on the head (or, if Jason was wrong), and also if our Super Bowl prediction holds up. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/11/nfl-mid-season-grades.html

The MVP Award: We predicted that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning would win this in our mid-season article, and that has not changed. Though, there is a candidate who ended up making a good case for himself: Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. A.P., also known as A.D. for "All Day", cemented himself in the Most Valuable Player talk with a monster year. After coming back from an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury that some thought would sideline him for some of the season, A.P. did not miss a single game and coming within nine yards of the recognized single-season NFL rushing record. - http://tinyurl.com/a6d6tro

We still believe Peyton, "The Sheriff", has the edge because, like A.P., he came back from what some considered a career-ending injury. Some, myself included, didn't think The Sheriff would make it much past the first game, let alone all season. But he did far more than that, he led the Broncos to a 13-3 season and the first seed in the AFC Playoff chase. The Sheriff played the way he always played, deadly lethal, again making household names out of ordinary receivers. For those reasons, we believe that Peyton “The Sheriff” Manning will deservedly win the MVP award.

As for A.P., we still believe that, though this and the MVP awards could ultimately be flipped, "Purple Jesus" has the Comeback Player of the Year award...all day.

Defensive Player of the Year: We predicted the Houston Texans J.J. Watt at the mid-season and that, like our MVP, hasn’t changed. San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith was building a good resume, but in the end we still believe it will be Watt. He led the league with 20.5 sacks, had 81 tackles, 16 passes defensed (which is more than some defensive backs), four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a partridge in a pear tree. Though the Texans Defense struggled down the stretch, the AFC's Defensive Player of the Month for December didn’t. He may even be more feared right now than Clay Matthews...no quarterback wants to see No. 99 coming for them right now.

Coach of the Year: We really didn’t make a choice on this one because there seemed to be a lot of good choices at the time. Arguably, one could say that Indianapolis Colts "interim-head coach" Bruce Arians deserves consideration, naturally, though, he won’t get it because he is still just an offensive coordinator. If he could be, though, he would be my (Jayden's) clear cut choice. What Arians was able to do with the Colts, to keep them winning in the absence of their head coach Chuck Pagano as he battled cancer, is nothing short of amazing. No one really give the Colts a chance once Pagano went out, but Arians took the bull by the horns and led them to a winning season and a playoff spot. Even his former team's (former) players admit he's a good coach. Way to go Brucey!!! - http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post/_/id/4681828/spaeth-arians-helps-qbs-succeed

So, while there are only a few truly viable choices, this even put my partner-in-crime and I in a quandary of as to who should get the nod. So, we are each going to make our individual cases for who we think will win.

Jayden: John Fox I believe John Fox is the best choice for Coach of the Year. He took the Broncos from 8-8 last year to 13-3 this year and in the playoffs again. Yes, my partner argues that it was because of Peyton, and we both do say that Peyton makes any coach look great. While that is true, I still just think that he deserves the nod. Even though he has Peyton now, he still had to provide Peyton a dominant defense as a compliment in order to have a chance at the last dance. To his credit, he has done that. He has slowly built a great team in Denver that keeps a smile on John Elway’s face. Therefore, I believe he deserves that nod and should get it. Peyton doesn’t may not need coaching, but the rest of the players do.

Jason: My choice for the coaching award is, once again, Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons. But, I admit that his winning it in 2008 may put a damper on this prediction. Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, there have been only been six repeat winners (Chuck Knox{3x}, Joe Gibbs, Mike Ditka, Bill Parcells, Dan Reeves and Bill Belichick {3x}), but I believe his team's consistant performance all season, pulling them up from an average 2011, gets "Smitty" the trophy this season.

Rookie of the Year: Andrew Griffith 1.5 - No, we didn’t have a clear cut choice then and we still don’t now that the season is over. RGIII and Luck are arguably the best rookies to come into the NFL at the same time in a long time. At the quarterback position at the very least. Both are playing very well and both will be in the playoffs this year as the 4th and 5th seeds in their respective conferences. So, we still are at a quandry over coming to a clear choice because an entire article could be written making a case for either of them. Not to mention the fact that another emerged as a solid choice, the rookie playing for the Seattle Seahawks: Russell Wilson.

Wilson has also played well enough to be in consideration for this honor. And oh, yeah, he has his team in the playoffs as well. So, with that being said, we're going to go out on a limb and say that the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year will be Russell Luck III. We know it's a bit of a cop out, but we have no idea which one of these guys will win it.

That now brings us to our Super Bowl prediction, which naturally will not involve a repeat champion considering the Giants missed the playoffs. With the Pittsburgh Steelers also on early vacation, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger cannot participate in helping keep the streak alive of one of only three teams representing the AFC in the big show. However, while the Colts and the New England Patriots are in the playoffs, Manning is with Denver now. There is still a chance that either he or the Patriots Tom Brady, the other two QBs in this streak, could be in the Super Bowl and we believe the streak will remain intact.

We chose the Texans and the Chicago Bears as our early picks, and that has definitely changed. The Bears took a turn for the worse and missed the playoffs, and while the Texans at the time were arguably the best team in the AFC, they are not anymore. The Texans were sitting pretty in the No. 1 spot for a long time, but fell down to the third seed in the AFC and now may have to take their act on the road. We believe the Denver Broncos will come out of the AFC and that The Sheriff will fire his six-gun all the way to New Orleans and could walk away with another piece of jewelry in the process. On that, we agreed. The NFC, not so much.

As stated earlier, there will be a new team emblem on the NFC side of the Super Bowl ensign. My partner and I have once again disagreed on who that will be. Shocking, I know. So we are going to again make our case just like with coach of the year.

Jayden: I think the Seattle Seahawks will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. They are playing lights out right now and have a very good defense. They have been on a tear as of late with Wilson and Marshawn Lynch going all "Beast Mode" on defenses. The though that they could not win on the road has been laid to rest with wins over Buffalo and Chicago. They have a ball-hawking secondary that can pick you off or force a team to fumble and are poised to make a strong run and make it to the big show. I know I may be wrong on this, but I like the Seahawks chances.

Jason: As long as Justin Smith is on the field, the defense of the San Francisco 49ers and the Colin Kaepernick-led offense will take them to The Big Easy. Linebackers Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith get more of the publicity, but defensive tackle Justin Smith is the glue to their front seven that solidifies a bruising and stingy unit. Add to that a running game led by Frank Gore, and the 49ers should see their first NFC Championship and Super Bowl berth since 1994.

There you have it, If It Ain't Steel's final 2012 season award and Super Bowl predictions. Come February 4th, we'll see how many of our prophecies came true.

Steelers Begin Offseason On "Positive Note"; Adrian Peterson Never Close To Record

There was talk all week about the firing of a coach after Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. It turns out to be true.

That talk, however, was amongst Steelers fans who want heads on a platter. The real head to be served up will be the head coach of the Browns as they will reportedly will fire Pat Shurmur as well as general manager Tom Heckert, come Black Monday. http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/62223/video-many-firings-expected-monday

As for the Steelers, there are definite uncertainties as the offseason is now upon us. Questions abound regarding who'll stay and who'll be gone when the 2013 version of the Steelers steps on the field. - http://tinyurl.com/an7wmy4

The Steelers 24-10 win, preventing their first losing season since 2003, was led by linebacker Lawrence Timmons' two sacks, cornerback Cortez Allen's two forced turnovers and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's three touchdown passes. - http://tinyurl.com/ayzntg2

Allen's forced fumbles, against Josh Gordon and Travis Benjamin, set up two of Big Ben's three touchdown passes. The first being a 1-yarder to Leonard Pope and the second being a 12-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress. Timmons' two sacks sealed the game and earned him the Steelers Digest Player of the Week honors. - http://tinyurl.com/a4n9cpg

Speaking of Burress, Plax is one of the ones who could be back next season. When Mike Wallace leaves there will be need of another receiver for the Steelers anyway, principally one who stretches the field. They'll also do well to have a true veteran presence. Could that be Plax? "We'll see how it goes. I'm pretty sure I'll sit down with Kevin [Colbert] and Coach [Tomlin], and we'll see what happens," he said. "I'm going to keep working hard and preparing as if I'll be back." - http://sulia.com/channel/pittsburgh-steelers/f/aa5497ff-eb9c-4fd1-9183-76c05fd5fe86/?source=twitter

The other star of the game, though, was linebacker James Harrison. The Silverback had 11 tackles, one sack and a Roughing the Passer penalty. Sounds like the old Deebo. The problem is that it may have been his last performance in Black and Gold.

There has been talk, including from If It Ain't Steel before the season started, that Deebo might be knockin' fools the fu** out somewhere else next season. Because of his knee and back issues, he wasn't the same player for most of the season, and he'll be 35 next season. Those two things don't add up.

Then there is the fact that he is due to make $6.57 million next season and will count just over $10 million against the salary cap. The Steelers don't put money into an aging player whose best years may be past him. See Gregg Lloyd, Jason Gildon and Joey Porter (though he had good years left) for references.

If this is the end, all in Steeler Nation owe a lot of thanks for great memories, especially ones in/against Cleveland, the Silverback has provided.

Another defensive player who may not be back is defensive end Brett Keisel. He spoke to Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reporter Ken Laird about upcoming changes in the roster saying, "There's always changes....We'll have a new team next year. Who knows if I'll even be here."

Other current Steelers who may not be back with the team next season will be discussed in future articles. However, two more men, Casey Hampton and Larry Foote, spoke to Laird also that possibility. - http://sulia.com/channel/pittsburgh-steelers/f/b3b45df2-53ea-4f9d-8263-6030c665ebac/?source=twitter

With all of this in front of the team, head coach Mike Tomlin said that for some individuals, hopefully this game is something on which to build, saying it's good to finish on "positive note." - http://tinyurl.com/bg5aeoj

As a friend of the site, Marc Uhlmann (@SteelDad on Twitter) said, every team has ifs and buts after an incomplete season. These are the Steelers', many if which will be tackled soon enough: http://www.steelcityblitz.com/2012/12/31/steelers-season-of-what-ifs-comes-to-an-end/

It may have ended on a "positive note," but it still ended sooner than many expected and that many more would have liked. So much of Sunday's game could be considered a microcosm of the Steelers this season, other parts of could be bullet points for other topics and reasons.

Bottom line: the Steelers underachieved and missed the playoffs - an actual three-year rotation of not making the playoffs since 2000 (2003, 2006, 2009 and 2012). Steelers fans must now suffer the 'what ifs' of a playoffs where they aren't represented. Then? The April NFL Draft have the Steelers will be picking at No. 17 where they'll select...

UPDATE: Pat Shurmur was indeed fired Monday.
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"Just want to say that Adrian [Peterson] is a Great player & if my record had to fall. I would like it to go to a player like AP!" - Eric Dickerson from his personal Twitter (@EricDickerson) account.

Adrian Peterson came within nine yards of the "NFL all-time rushing record" held by Eric Dickerson. There's one problem: it isn't really the record. Hear me out.

When the 2,000 yard mark was originally crossed in 1973, the NFL schedule was 14 games. That means that Simpson's 2,003 mark was accomplished by his rushing for 143 yards (143.071429 yards to be exact) per game. That being the case, the record wasn't truly broken back in 1984.

For the record to actually have been broken, Dickerson, and anyone else who had designs on the record in a 16-game season, would have to have gained 2,004 yards by the 14th game or 2,289 yards by season's end.

And don't come back with the same old tired 'O.J.'s more concerned with his criminal record' jokes. This is purely about when he was "The Juice."

So, as much as we love ALL DAY, all that he accomplished, especially after a coming back from devastating knee injury, and believe he should be the 2012 NFL MVP (though, The Sheriff will have a say in that and/or the Comeback Player of the Year award), AP wasn't even close to the true record.

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TIDBITS: The full NFL playoff schedule is now set. Pro Football Talk has it right here: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/30/nfl-announces-playoff-schedule/

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As initially reported by Bob Labriola, Kelvin Beachum was evaluated for symptoms of a concussion caused by a blindside hit from DT Phil Taylor. A play that raised the ire of a former Steelers player.

Chris Hoke tweeted from his personal Twitter (@hokiebro76) account how he felt about it: "I have never seen a cheaper hit than the one Phil Taylor just put on Kelvin Beachum. Fine him a game check. #nfl #nflcommissioner"

Are you listening, Roger?

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Ryan Clark let us know after the game that he's down for a while. From his personal Twitter (@RealRClark25) account he tweeted this: "Figures [I'd] put myself in the hospital after the last game! Poor @WriteHereYONKee (his wife) but she rides with me!”

He then followed that up and posted a photo for us: "Told y'all!! My outfit game stays on point! http://instagram.com/p/T4OG9vvWAb/"

Reports from the Tomlin season-endind press conference was that it was a deep-thigh bruise. Feel better soon, brotha. #SteelerFam

If It Ain't Steel's NFL Mid-Season Reports And Predictions

The NFL season is at the midway point and we at If It Ain’t Steel are going to throw our predictions out there at the midway point along with some others. Week nine is in the books and we're now at a crucial point for a lot teams. This is the time of year when the cream rises to the top and the men separate themselves from the boys.

Starting off, we are going to talk mid-season MVP. The clear cut winner right now has to be Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. Matty Ice, or the “Matural” as he has been called as of late, has the Falcons sitting at 8-0 and has been playing rather well a fifth year starter. Do we think that he will win the MVP hands down, if it was decided today? Yes, but it's not being decided today, so time will tell. There are some very viable candidates out there who could make a case for having their names mentioned in this discussion.

One who could emerge from the rubble as the 2012 NFL MVP is "The Sheriff”, Peyton Manning. He is playing extremely well coming of a neck injury (and four neck surgeries) that sidelined him for all of 2011, so I would not stick the fork in him just yet. There is also his little brother Eli who is having a very good season as well. Then there are also ones like Drew Brees, Percy Harvin, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger who are leading for their teams in the right direction. So, as of right now there is no clear cut winner.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Peyton Manning

As of right now, the Defensive Player of the Year is clearly J.J. Watt's to lose. He is playing lights out on defense and leads the league in sacks (10.5) and has been batting down passes like a wild man (10...as a DEFENSIVE END). He is helping this Texans defense show why they are to be feared and one of the most complete defenses in the league. Bears cornerback Tim Jennings is making a good case for consideration as well with a league-leading six interceptions, one for a touchdown, and 15 passes defended. Clay Matthews is making a good case, as is Demarcus Ware, but I again say it is Watt's to lose.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: J.J. Watt

Comeback Player of the Year is also Peyton Manning’s to lose. He came back this season under the cloud of “can he play like the Peyton that we are all used to?” It turns out that the answer is a resounding "yes!" He sat out all last season and a lot of people, including myself, thought he would never be the Peyton of old. But, he proved me and a lot of others wrong. He is playing very well and, just like always, is making no-name receivers household names. Adrian Peterson is also a consideration as he leads the NFL in rushing (957 yards) through eight games after missing most of last season with a devastating knee injury. Matt Schaub’s name could also be put into this mix, coming off a foot injury last season and having the Texans poised to take the first seed in the AFC. Time will tell.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Peyton Manning

Rookie of the Year is still up for grabs in my opinion. Yes, right now Robert Griffin III is the front runner, but don’t count Andrew Luck out of this race just yet. Luck has been impressive so far in his rookie campaign as well, including setting a single-game rookie record Sunday for passing with 433 yards. He does not have the running yards that RGIII has, but he is playing well and has the Indianapolis Colts already at a better record than they had at this point in the season last year and is slowly making the people of Indy forget about that other guy. Russell Wilson is also playing well, but I believe this one will be a tight two-man race until the end.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: Andrew Griffin 1.5

Coach of the Year is a tough one in my opinion. These guys are responsible for what goes on with their teams. If their team is having a bad season, then it is their name that gets tossed around as being on the proverbial hot seat. If the award was given today it would go to Mike Smith. The Falcons are playing perfect ball right now, but won't go undefeated.

Another coach that sticks out to me who should be in the conversation is Gary Kubiak of the Texans. The Texans are 7-1 and playing almost as well as the Falcons. They had one bad game against the Green Bay Packers, but that happens to teams. How did they respond? They came back and knocked the feathers off of the Baltimore Ravens, a team they had never beaten. They scored the most points in a single game in their franchise history and controlled the game almost from start to finish.

Another that could be in this conversation soon is John Harbaugh of the Ravens. If the Ravens manage to take the North and the second seed in the AFC with the injuries they have piled up, then he very well should be. He probably won’t be, however, because Mike Tomlin was not named coach of the year when he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 3-1 record without their starting quarterback, to a 12-4 overall record and to the Super Bowl again in 2010. But, I do not personally see the Ravens keeping the second seed, but just some food for thought.

If It Ain’t Steel's Prediction: None yet. It can still be any one of several coaches.

OK, now that we have those predictions out of the way, we want to touch on another prediction that everyone will start making now: which team will go to the Super Bowl and win it all. The NFC is not as much of the jumbled mess right now that the AFC is. There are several teams right at or above .500 that could very well make a late season push, so things are not completely written in stone yet in the AFC. I think the only team that is close to set in stone is the Texans. They're currently the #1 seed, are the most complete team in the AFC and I just do not see them going into any sort of spiral.

So, this is what I like to call my spin on this, or what my partner-in-writing calls “Jaydenisms." We do this a lot when coming up with ideas for our blog, we bounce off each other ideas and then the pieces take life. This one was no different. So, here goes some food for thought, so to speak.

There has not been a team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since the New England Patriots did it in '03 and '04, to find the next team to do it goes back to '97, '98 Broncos. So, to be a repeat champ is even harder than taking it all the first time. There have only been three teams since the 2003 season to represent the AFC and those were the Patriots ('03, '04, '07, and '11), the Colts ('06 and '09) and the Steelers ('05, '08 and '10). We predict that will change this year, but we will touch on that a little later.

The NFC on the other hand has only had one team to make a repeat appearance in that time frame - the New York Giants. Every year since '04 there has been a different NFC team represent the conference. So, the Giants being the current SB champs and representatives of the NFC does not assure them of going to the big dance.

For instance, in 2010 the New Orleans Saints went marching in to Seattle as the reigning champions. They were to play a team that was 7-9 and had won their conference. I'm sure they were thinking that this would be an easy win considering they were 11-5 and, again, the reigning champs. They thought wrong. Marshawn Lynch went Beast Mode on them with a 67-yard touchdown run by mowing down a supposedly good Saints defense. He made them look like a high school defense. Junior varsity. Similarly, last year the Packers, coming off a SB win and a 15-1 record got sent packing despite hosting a 9-7 Giants team on the (in my best John Facenda voice) frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.

Recently, though, the team that gets hot at the right time seems to be the team to take the championship regardless of the conference. Don’t believe me? Look back at who has gone to the SB six of the past seven seasons (Steelers, Colts, Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Packers and Giants). Those teams came from the wildcard rounds and all except one went on to win it all.

So, it really doesn't matter what your record is going in to the playoffs, it matters how you are playing when you get there. Right now, the Falcons are the best team in the NFC right now, but history has shown that it may not matter who has the best record. It is more of one of those “who wants it more” kind of things. Note the examples above.

That gets me to another point: just because a team looks good right now, and has a great record, does not mean they are going to be the team to beat. History has shown that a team with a sub-par early record can get hot late and win it all. Just because a team is sitting at or below .500 does not mean that they are done by any means.

Anything can happen. There are still a lot of games to be played and some of these teams sitting with winning records right now can see that change in a hurry. There are several teams that start out hot and falter second half of the season. Maybe they benefitted from an easy early schedule and then face better opponents late. Maybe they lose key players for the season. Maybe rivals want to play spoiler because they have nothing else left for which to play.

For teams that surge at the end of the season, the reverse could have been the case. Once early-season injuries that had initially set them back are behind them, they suddenly are true contenders. There are lots of things that factor into why.

The teams that stand out to me that are in that boat in the AFC are the San Diego Chargers, Broncos, Steelers and Colts. Those four teams could very well make the playoffs or end another teams playoff dreams, depending on the scenario. All four of these teams have the ability to turn their seasons around they are already on that path and could be spoilers for the ones sitting on top right now. Time will tell, because, again, there is a lot of season left.

So, to end this we are going to make our prediction of who we think will make the Super Bowl this year. It may surprise some people. But, hey, we aren’t known to think inside of the box, now are we?

If It Ain’t Steel's Super Bowl Prediction: Texans vs. Bears

I know, we don't have our Steelers in the big dance. We have a lot of work to do, even after the Giants win. And let’s face it, we're not delusional, we are realistic. The Texans are the best team in the AFC and are going to be hard to put out of the playoffs if they play at home. The Bears are getting it together and quietly demolishing teams. Jay Cutler and crew will be hard to beat the second half of the season.

Trust us, we hope our Steelers prove us wrong, we would love nothing more. And if they do, that is one big helping of crow we will be more than glad to eat.