Art Rooney II: Steelers Will Appeal Further Punishment, Praises Tomlin; Khan Gone?

Wednesday morning, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II addressed the media regarding several matters associated with his team. Included among were support for head coach Mike Tomlin and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and various other points.

Art II said that he would expect NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league to notify the team of any additional discipline - the losing of a draft pick - before the Spring owners' meetings, and that they would appeal it.

“(We've) notified the NFL that we would appeal if there is additional discipline," said Rooney II via Steelers Digest's Bob Labriola. "(We'd) disagree strongly if that were to happen.”

As Rooney II stated further, Tomlin has paid the piper. He took full responsibility for his actions and insisted that they were not intentional. He referred to them as "embarrassing" and "inexcusable" in the subsequent Tuesday press conference.

Tomlin paid the price dearly in fact, as he was fined $100,000 by the league for stepping onto the white area of the sidelines and nearly onto the field during the long kickoff return by Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones.

Never mind that similar incidents of coaches actually stepping directly onto the playing field had occurred previously and since, meeting little to no punishment. Now Emperor Goodell wants to take away team draft picks also?

“Mike has paid the price and as far we’re concerned," Rooney II further said. "It should be behind us.”

Yes, it should.

More from Rooney II: Preparing for next year, as he put it in his interview, starts from the top down. That means an evaluation of the head coach. Have no fear (or "eat it" to the haters), Rooney II is completely fine with Mike Tomlin.

"I thought Mike did a very good job in the sense that, even though we created our own situation, our team continued to play hard through adversity," said Rooney II. "That's not always easy to do. They continued to fight, continued to believe in themselves, and most of that is a tribute to Mike and the kind of coaches and players we have here. They fought hard all the way through, and in the end, we came pretty darn close to being in the playoffs. Like I said, I believe we were playing our best football at the end, which is what you want to have happen, and I think that's obviously due to coaching."

So, he's here to stay. Thankfully.

Someone, however, may not be here to stay. The Miami Dolphins have requested permission to interview Steelers Director of Football & Business Administration Omar Khan. Though he is mainly a Salary Cap wiz, don't underestimate the possibility of his leaving. Thus the hiring of Samir Suleiman last year as their Football Administration Coordinator and Khan assistant after the Jets showed interest in Khan. Is he a personnel guy, though? Plus, the Dolphins are a mess at this point. Time will tell, but Behind The Steel Curtain gives a further breakdown here: http://tinyurl.com/l99u4jo

Deliberation Of Penalties On Tomlin, Steelers Is Credibility Issue For NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was fined "$100,000 Wednesday for his actions on the sideline last Thursday in Baltimore" and "because the conduct affected a play on the field, a modification or forfeiture of draft choices will be considered after the final order of the 2014 draft has been determined," the NFL said in a statement.

In a statement released by Tomlin, he addressed the penalty this way: "As I stated yesterday, I take full responsibility for my actions, and I apologize for causing negative attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers organization. I accept the penalty that I received. I will no longer address this issue as I am preparing for an important game this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins."

In If It Ain't Steel's last article covering Tomlin's "SidelineGate", I was very clear that I didn't believe anything would happen to the Steelers themselves, i.e. a forfeiture of draft picks. What I said was:

"To honestly believe the NFL will actually take the quantum leap from a fine (knowing their true main objective is money) to taking away a draft pick is as viable as me walking into my closet and walking through it into a land where I find myself conversing with a talking lion." - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/12/tomlin-steelers-to-be-fined-but-wont.html

So, I was just in Narnia talking with Aslan and...

So, the fact that the Steelers could potentially lose a draft pick (a late-round draft pick is what is speculated) or see their picks somehow "modified" (moved from 17th to 32nd?) in the draft isn't the main issue for me. It's the elongated deliberation of the final decision.

If NFL is going to take or modify a Steelers draft pick, why wait until a later date? Why not simply announce it now and then announce the particulars at a later time? Why does there have to be so much time taken to make this decision? Consider this.

In 2007, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spent little time before handing down "SpyGate" fines to the New England Patriots that totaled approximately $750,000 ($500,000 for Bill Belichick, $250,000 for the team) and stripping New England of their first-round draft pick, though they already had a second first rounder that year, for the premeditated and willful video taping of teams for years. How little time? All of 6 days.

For premeditated and willful actions surrounding "BountyGate," the New Orleans Saints suffered a $500,000 fine and the loss of their second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 over that scandal. Sean Payton forfeited the entire 2012 season and his entire 2012 salary. Also, DC Gregg Williams was suspended for the season, GM Mickey Loomis for eight games and assistant coach Joe Vitt for six games. It took Goodell just under three weeks to mete out all that punishment.

Yet, for an unintentional and admitted "blunder" Goodell wants to wait as much as four months to decide whether or not draft picks are affected?

Now, because of this elongation, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac has reported that the "Steelers are very upset with the NFL's threat of draft choices in the Mike Tomlin penalty, saying 'there is no precedent for it,' per team source."

And rightly so. As Neal Coolong of Behind The Steel Curtain said recently in a conversation we had, "They haven't taken a pick, they don't have any justification for doing so, it's nothing more than precautionary talk for the rest of the league, and getting it on the record in case, in an extreme hypothetical scenario, Baltimore and Pittsburgh end up at a tie-breaker that is determined by points, they can take action."

Though Coolong is correct, the notion of waiting to see how it affects draft order based on tie-breakers is ridiculous and just as egregious as the "crime" itself. (But, it's Goodell, what else is new?) The NFL's "unforeseen ramifications" response in this case is simply absurd.

The game still could have gone any direction because I firmly believe that Cortez Allen would have caught Jones anyway. Then they say that four points (the difference between a field goal and a touchdown) is an impact on playoffs? Please!

Does anyone truly believe playoff tie-breaker factors ever go that deeply into the process? The tie-breaker factor of points is so low that the only factors following it were the colors of the teams' uniforms and whether Fireman Ed was at the last New York Jets home game. Stop it. The NFL is simply embarrassing itself.

As for those four months referenced earlier, compensatory picks are announced for every team in March and this punishment could be part of that equation. If so, it is then the NFL who is committing a premeditated and willful act.

Steelers Prepare For Redskins As Training Camp Ends

The Pittsburgh Steelers ended their latest stay in Latrobe yesterday as they took the field in shorts and without running like tackle drills. They took it easy on their last day there before heading to Heinz Field for the upcoming season.

However, it wasn't just Saturday. They won't be live tackling anymore until the season starts per head coach Mike Tomlin.

As they leave, they look to prepare for the second leg of their tour of the NFC East as they play the Washington Redskins on the kickoff to ESPN's Monday Night Football lineup. The NFL's main marquee will be missing a few names as Robert Griffin III won't be playing for the Redskins, and the Steelers could be without running backs Isaac Redman and Le'Veon Bell.

The Redskins' RGIII is still recovering from his ACL and LCL injuries. He has returned to practice, but head coach Mike Shanahan rightly won't release him to play. As for Redman and Bell, they scared everyone within a stone's throw of the three rivers and everywhere else in Steeler Nation when they went down within a half hour of one another in practice Thursday. Redman suffered a stinger, and Bell re-aggravated his left knee.

Both running backs returned to practice on Friday, but remain game-time decisions. If one or both are down, that puts Jonathan Dwyer back into the position of starter. Once again, though, it would be because of injury. But, as Behind The Steel Curtain's Neal Coolong wrote, "it may be his last chance to do so." - http://tinyurl.com/k9khge8

The Steelers have endured their share of injuries this off-season, however they aren't nearly as bad off as the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns. If the Steelers can be considered relatively healthy otherwise, what does that mean for them going into Monday night's game?

SHOW ME SOMETHING SPECIAL -
Monday night's game could ultimately reveal a lot about Danny Smith and his special teams unit's preparation. This is more than just another preseason game, it's a game that provides nine days of rest after the New York Giants game. Being new to all of the men in front of him, he needed every bit of that time.

“We're mixing and matching a lot of guys. And that's hard. It's not only hard on me, it's hard on them, to be honest with you,” Smith said. “When you start playing next to a guy, you get a feel for the other. But when you're trying to find those fits, it's difficult. It's a process.” - http://tinyurl.com/mqcgov5

It being a difficult process was proven true last Saturday when the unit made mistake after mistake. At least one of which that could be considered a game changer.

One area that isn't of concern is kicker Shaun Suisham, who was 28-of-31 on field goals last season, with only one of the three misses actually being shanked. He showed an even stronger leg during Training Camp by nailing a 60-yard attempt last week.

THE NEW AND IMPROVED -
We were told that the offense was streamlined to fit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and company. The distance between the first game of preseason and the first game of the playoffs is chasm-like, but more is still expected from them than what seen lastly. Especially from the No. 3 and No. 4 men, John Parker Wilson and Landry Jones.

They ran fairly well, blocked fairly well and the passing game looked fairly well at times. But "fairly well" is a C to C+ if you're grading. It is basically middle of the road, and middle of the road in the NFL is 8-8.

WILL THE REAL ROLB PLEASE STAND UP? -
Last week, Jarvis Jones said he wasn't happy with his performance. It was other people who said they weren't happy with Jason Worilds'. Including his coaches and the NFL. Per Ed Bouchette, linebackers coach Keith Butler was not at all happy with Worilds' two personal foul penalties in three plays and even called him "selfish."

"It's something we can't do. We can't hit the quarterback in the head, we can't hit him with the head and that's what Jason did." - http://t.co/4eMvfLZ47P

Also, on Thursday, the fourth-year linebacker was fined $15,750 for one of those penalties.

As for Jones, he has said that he just wants to get better each time he's out there, that he studies film on his own and that he wants to learn. All well and good, but there is a short window of opportunity in which to do that if he's going to start at any point this season. And as If It Ain't Steel has said many times, he won't. But he 'must unlearn what he has learned' before we see him in numerous subpackages.

Nonetheless, both may possibly have their pass coverage skills tested as Redskins' tight end Fred Davis will play more of a role Monday night.

IS IT ALL GOOD WITH HOOD AND WOODS? -
Was last week Al Woods' coming out party? Will Ziggy Hood ever have one? Is Cameron Heyward ready to take over? Is Brett Keisel ready to bow out?

Only one of those questions will actually be answered Monday night. If Woods can play as well as he did against the G-Men, then he'll move higher on the depth chart, or at least in the rotation. As for the other men, those questions will be asked (by us) and answered as the season itself goes on. For now, Woods, Alameda Ta'amu, Hebron Fangupo and possibly Brian Arnfelt will continue their fight over the two remaining defensive line spots.

UPDATE: Mike Prisuta of the DVE Morning News tweeted from his Twitter (@DVEMike) account: "Le'Veon Bell scheduled to get the start at RB for the Steelers tonight against the Redskins”

~

TIDBITS: Terry Hawthorne and other defensive backs made their way back to the practice field this week, which helps them get back into contention for the final roster spots. Another defensive back whose spot was already set is coming along more slowly.

Cortez Allen, who has been out for nearly all of Training Camp, was recently asked if he feels like he's made the progress he'd hoped to make.

"Yeah, I feel good," said Allen. "The rehab has been going good and I'm just out there testing it out to see where I'm at."

He went on to say "it's still a day-to-day thing, but I do feel that I've made a lot of progress from when it first happened, and I'm positive about the future of it and getting back on the field."

~

Steelers NT Alameda Ta'amu is on the road to redemption, wants to prove the Steelers were right to give him a second chance. - http://t.co/peEzxF6HBS

Projecting The Steelers Receiving Corps In 2013

photo courtesy of ESPN's David Todd (@DavidMTodd)

There's no doubt that today's NFL is pass oriented to say the least. To have payed any attention over the past nine or ten years is to have witnessed the ascent of the passing game. Passing records are falling, history is being rewritten and modern day quarterbacks are greatly eclipsing the production of their predecessors from as little as two decades ago.

The ratio of runs to passes has fallen over the past decade from approximately 45% to around 42.5% and, as proof of the proclivity of the pass, the offense that passed the most in 2012 ran the ball just over 33.5% of the time.

That fact isn't lost on the Pittsburgh Steelers by any means. They have one of the better tight ends in the NFL and a very good-to-great wide receiver corps. They have also have a two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, and have drafted offensive linemen to help protect him.

But Heath Miller, the aforementioned tight end, won't be available to start the season. He is still recovering from a terrible knee injury suffered in week 16 last season. But the Steelers recently announced that they would be removing him from the Active PUP list before the season starts. Miller himself has said he doesn't quite know when he'll be ready, but he's "hoping sooner rather than later."

“I think in any rehab process, there are ups and downs,” said Miller, the Pro Bowl tight end who was the Steelers' leading receiver last season. “But I definitely think we've had more positives than negatives, and I feel good.” - http://tinyurl.com/m2pf4x4

The best educated guess is week six. The Steelers have a bye in week five after facing the Minnesota Vikings in London, so October 13 against the New York Jets is a very viable return date for him. If they left Miller on the Reserve PUP list to start the regular season, he wouldn't then be able to return until at least week seven.

With Matt Spaeth and David Johnson also both injured and returning at various points this season, the Steelers will start 2013 with pass-catching TE David Paulson as their No. 1 guy and recent signees Michael Palmer and Nathan Overbay in more of blocking roles. At least until Miller and Spaeth return. Also look for the Steelers, as If It Ain't Steel has written before, to use fullback Will Johnson in more passing situations. Gerry Dulac of rhe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette supports this by writing that they will not be signing anyone else. - http://tinyurl.com/kf8vjvc

The wide receivers that the Steelers have drafted in the last few years comprise a very talented, very potent and very fast unit that is ready to tax secondaries this season. Whether or not they nickel and dime them or take a pocketful of change at a time.

The key, though, isn't the passing game unto itself, it's how productive they are with those passes.

"Antonio Brown, I think, is going to one of the most feared receivers in the league this year," Plaxico Burress told the Associated Press. "And I'm going to do everything in my power to help him get to the level where he can be an elite receiver."

Now that he's on IR, Plax can't help on the field, but he can still mentor him. Nonetheless, the point here is that Brown is expected to do big things this season. He may not quite have the dearly departed Mike Wallace's speed, but deep touchdowns like the 58-yard score against the Baltimore Ravens in 2010 and the 60 yarder he had against the Cincinnati Bengals last year show he can stretch the field.

Keep in mind also that he missed three games after going down during the week nine win over the New York Giants with a high ankle sprain. If he hadn't missed that time, he would've been on pace for approximately 80 catches and over 960 yards - both numbers would have led the team.

Following AB is Emmanuel Sanders, the faster of the two young wideouts. He also has a little more polish to his game and can be interchanged on the outside and in the slot. He is a very good route runner and very good blocker. We used to refer to him as "the future Hines Ward." Let's just hope he stays in Black and Gold in order to have that come to fruition.

With Plax gone, the Steelers lone, true veteran receiver is Jerricho Cotchery. Cotch has great hands and knows how to get open. He's very good at using his body to fend off the defender so as to get the needed yards. His presence on the field, on the sidelines and in the locker room could be invaluable.

That value is exactly why we have to disagree with NFL.com's Jason La Canfora who says that he "could see the Steelers shopping Jerricho Cotchery, for instance, and finding a better market than they may have anticipated."

Neal Coolong of Behind The Steel Curtain contends, however, that La Canfora has a point, saying that the Steelers have "needs all across the roster and will have some awfully tough decisions to make. Perhaps trading Cotch would prevent the Steelers from losing a young prospect they believe could be a future star with time to develop; especially if they believe Sanders will leave in free agency following this season."

Among those "prospects" is Markus Wheaton, because it is Wheaton who can and will contribute significantly this season. In fact, according to Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor, he already "looks like a veteran."

"He's not playing like a rookie, he doesn't act like a rookie. He looks like a veteran,” Taylor said. “Of course he's going to make rookie mistakes because he's a rookie. But watching him over the course of weeks, the guys is smart, polished. I can't wait to see him during the season.” - http://tinyurl.com/mmdf2ff

Neither can we. Which is exactly why the Steelers shouldn't play (read: risk) him on special teams. Wheaton will still have to fight for playing time, but Cotch will push Wheaton in his first season. If he can stay consistent and focused, there’s no reason to think that Wheaton won’t make 35-40 catches in 2013. So, don't risk it, even more so considering those behind him.

Bringing up the rear in the fifth and possibly sixth positions are Justin Brown, Derek Moye, David Gilreath and Reggie Dunn. All have specific skills that they bring to the table and that could benefit the team. All can make their bones on special teams as well. Some more so than others.

The final roster's makeup is yet to be determined, but it could be speculated that the Steelers could keep four running backs (Bell, Redman, Stephens-Howling and Johnson), thereby allowing them to keep WRs (AB, Manny, Cotch, Wheaton and Brown 2.0, who has had a very good Training Camp), allowing them to hold the extra TE spot for Miller and Spaeth.

If they do work the numbers to open up an extra spot, it could just as easily be for an extra RB (Redman) for the purpose of safety, or a sixth WR spot (Dunn) for the extra special teams specialist.

And the next two preseason games will determine if that rings true or not.

Training Camp Battles On Offense Take On Different Look

"History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats." - B. C. Forbes (Yes, that Forbes.)

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 season ended abruptly at home at the hands of one of their division rivals, the Cincinnati Bengals. Something that absolutely chafed the Steelers leaders, one in particular speaking out about it.

“It‘s amazing to me how much little things really matter, the personnel and the personality of the team, how much all that matters in camp and what you put in in the offseason,” Polamalu said, adding, “(It‘s) how you treat your teammates in the offseason, how you prepare them.”

Fast forward to the 2013 post-draft offseason and, according to another Steelers veteran leader, inside linebacker Larry Foote, in an interview with GoBlueWolverine.com on Wednesday, the Steelers are still a chafed bunch who are now chomping at the bit.

“We’re pissed off we didn’t make the playoffs. On top of that, our rival won the Super Bowl. I know guys are taking it personally. It’s just a whole different mindset to the off-season. I know guys are ready to get back where we need to be.”

That "whole different mindset" likely also reflects Polamalu's calling it "a humbling process" for many players on the team. However, Polamalu and Foote were by no means the only players who were unhappy. Wide receiver Antonio Brown has also spoken up about leadership and responsibility this offseason and what it will take in Training Camp and beyond to make this a winning team again.

“We gotta do what we gotta do,” Brown told KDKA-TV Sports back before the NFL Draft. “Guys like myself gotta step up.”

The point of convergence here, though, is how the other players, principally the other receivers and running backs, will "step up" in Camp and after to make up the five or six WRs, the three or four tight ends (depending on Heath Miller's status) and the four or five running backs (including a fullback).

In the battle for the available WRs spots, the chance for there to be six this season may begin higher than some think. The WRs currently on the Steelers' roster, after Brown, are Emmanuel Sanders, Jerricho Cotchery, Plaxico Burress, Markus Wheaton, Justin Brown, Reggie Dunn, David Gilreath, Derek Moye and Kashif Moore. So, assuming the first four spots are set, the last two could easily be Wheaton and, not Justin Brown but, Dunn.

First off, let's just forward the résumé's of Moore and Moye to MetLife Insurance and the Cedar Rapids Titans respectively, and then concentrate on those who actually have a chance at making the team. With that done, we then face the fact that Gilreath has little chance of making the list of 53. Unless Justin Brown falls flat on his face, Gilreath is headed for the practice squad. If that.

That leaves Markus Wheaton to battle for the fifth spot in the rotation. In truth, he has the requisite talent, speed and "position flexibility" to move quickly up the depth chart with a strong Camp. If he's as good as we believe him to be, he could even challenge Cotchery for the third spot. With Cotch and Plax being on the wrong side of 30, Wheaton could eventually be used interchangeably this season with Sanders in the slot and outside positions.

Then Dunn gets our nod for a sixth spot courtesy of a correspondence between Behind The Steel Curtain. Dunn was a brilliant, if not scary, kick returner at Utah. We wrote recently about his prowess, but acknowledged that his chances were affected by only excelling at one thing. That's now changed.

In an article written last week, BTSC caught up with Utah University's Block U website on the attributes of one Reggie Dunn, and whether he can be used at WR also. The answers were very encouraging. - http://tinyurl.com/c84s245

"Dunn is a talent and, with a competent offense and quarterback, I anticipate he can be utilized." Considering the sixth WR spot would mainly just be special teams anyway, the chances for him making the roster just jumped.

Plus, considering the speed of the other WRs - AB: 4.5; Manny: 4.41; MW: a "disappointing" 4.44; and Dunn: 4.22 - a 4.62 Justin Brown is probably headed for the practice squad his first season, only to take over the spot of the red zone target next season from a then-retired Plax.

The tight end position rests upon the rehabilitation of Miller. If he's ready at season's beginning, he would lead David Paulson and Matt Spaeth as the three ends. If he isn't ready and is PUP Listed, the Steelers might keep David Johnson as effectively the fourth tight end until Miller is removed from the PUP.

The other possibility is to combine his worth with the fullback spot as the H-Back. That move is not popular with If It Ain't Steel as we're not overly fond of DJ and it would mean losing Will Johnson who proved to be a very good fullback. It would also, though, mean having keeping just four running backs. Outside of Le'Veon Bell, the next three are uncertain considering that one, likely Jonathan Dwyer, might be traded before the season begins.

If so, your four RBs would then be Bell, Isaac Redman, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Baron Batch. It would be a sensible stable of RBs with Bell being the feature back, Redman being the short-yardage and red zone option, LSH being the receiver out of the backfield and third-down option and Baron Batch receiving a hat on game day to carry out the latter two sets of duties.

And since last season's running game SNAFU begs to be remedied, that, along with the other ills of the offense, would seemingly be enough of 'history demonstrating heartbreaking obstacles'. Now, triumph, in position battles and into the season, must come by 'refusing to become discouraged by those defeats'.

Le'Veon Bell Could Be A Running And Receiving Threat For Steelers

A quarterback's best friend is a good running game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers only ranked 26th in the NFL in rushing last season, while running the ball on only 40.3% of their plays. That was the lowest in franchise history. They only averaged only 3.83 yards per carry from their main three running backs (Jonathan Dwyer, Isaac Redman and Rashard Mendenhall), and only 3.7 YPC as a team. It's a far cry from the likes of John Henry Johnson, Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis or even Willie Parker.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is like any other NFL QB in that he would benefit from a solid and productive running game. To put a fine point on it, when the Steelers rush for 4.5 or more yards per rush in a game, Big Ben and the Steelers have a record of 40-12. Running the ball efficiently is what offensive coordinator Todd Haley would like to see the Steelers return to doing, as well as throwing to them out of the backfield.

"I like to have the running backs involved in the passing game other than just blocking," Haley said recently on ESPN 970. "So I think going into last year, the way that you looked at the backs around here was, can they pick up the blitz, period, when it came to passing situations. Now we're starting to make a movement more to getting them out, free releasing them, keeping other people in at times for protection, and letting the backs get out and create matchups on linebackers, which are ideal matchups a lot of times if you get the right ones."

Enter Le'Veon Bell.

"He's a big back, No. 1, and a three-down back, which is a big thing for us," Haley said of Bell after the draft. "He has very good hands and catches the ball very well out of the backfield."

The 6'1", 230-pound Bell is the product of a Michigan State Spartans' system that will help his transition to the next level, a point which Haley verified.

"He's coming from a pro-style offense," Haley said. "A lot of the (Steelers’) runs will be very similar to the runs that he was running."

Bell is more than capable of winning the Steelers’ No. 1 spot at running back and toting/catching the rock 20-25 times per game. The recent release of the Steelers depth chart shows him already listed ahead of Dwyer and Redman, though that means about as much in May as a preseason Top 25 college football ranking does. But, according to Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, who joined Ken Laird and Guy Junker on TribLive.com, from the very start they saw Bell as "an NFL back."

"He had 1,700 yards last year, and close to 900 of those yards were yards after contact, which indicates an ability to make NFL runs, because the holes in the NFL aren't going to be the same as they are in college. You saw him make a lot of what we thought were NFL-type runs. Even if he only had a one-yard hole that was blocked, once he made contact, he always seemed to fall forward for four more." - http://tinyurl.com/d3znwhl

Whether falling "forward for four more" or catching the ball and running for several, the Steelers are obviously hoping Bell can bring life back to what was an abysmal running attack last season. Remember the 3.7 YPC the Steelers had last season? Bell ran for 4.7 YPC his senior year - also more than the 4.5 YPC needed to attain the 77% winning percentage spoken of earlier.

Bell's ability to be a pass catcher is one of the things the Steelers brass loves about him. In 2012, Dwyer and Redman combined 37 receptions. His senior year in college, Bell had 32 himself. Behind The Steel Curtain further breaks down the ways in which Bell can help in the passing game based on formations in their piece on the subject: http://tinyurl.com/d485296

One of the best ways to help get the ball out of Big Ben's hands quicker next season is to have a running back with soft hands who is used to making something out if nothing.

Also, as alluded to at the outset, Bell could end up being Big Ben's best friend.

(Addendum: The Steelers depth chart has since changed and Bell nor, for some reason, Gilbert are any longer even mentioned.)

Does The Steelers Signing Of William Gay Mean The End Of Keenan Lewis?

William Gay has officially signed with the Steelers again. According to the tweet from beat writer Gerry Dulac above, it is a three-year deal, though the exact terms were not disclosed. It has been intimated, however, that the terms do benefit the team. Gay will be no more than a Nickel/Dime defensive back and will probably see special teams duty, so there's no need to question the team's ardor toward signing free agent Keenan Lewis. Or is there?

ESPN brought out today that, though he started fewer than half of the 80 games he played while in Black and Gold, Gay has played in 96 consecutive regular-season games since being drafted, the longest active streak among cornerbacks. And when Gay left before last season, we expressed the fact that Gay's leaving was a loss:

"Make no mistake, William Gay's departure is a loss. Not only is there now the possible need to replace a cornerback, but the Nickel position as well. He started at the left cornerback spot for the Steelers last year from week two on after Bryant McFadden was benched following the week one loss to the Ravens. Then, when the Steelers would switch to Nickel and Dime packages, Gay would move inside to the slot and Keenan Lewis would come in as the left corner.

Gay made more plays last year than people choose to remember. He's not a starting NFL by any means, no, but the Steelers will still feel the loss, especially at the Nickel.

That said, he was only beaten in a game-changing way twice all regular season, one of which arguably was caused by Ryan Clark being late over the top, and his 2011 regular season stats were on par with Ike Taylor's. The loss is real: he provided experience and depth, he was very good in the Nickel and he knows LeBeau's system.

At the same time, though, this is far from a major loss. There is good young talent at the position behind him in Pittsburgh. Even if he had stayed on a veteran minimum or qualifying contract offer, he still would have been the third or fourth defensive back in Pittsburgh next season." - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-loss-of-william-gay-means-for.html

Now that he's been brought back, one would think he's still in the position of the third or fourth option, putting Curtis Brown, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Josh Victorian on notice. Unfortunately, though, two sources say that it may be the end for Keenan Lewis after all. As Steelers beat writer Dale Lolley put it in his post regarding the signing: "Gay was solid in the slot for the Steelers in 2011 before leaving for Arizona, and that's likely where he'll be asked to play in 2013. That means Cortez Allen will move into the starting lineup on the outside opposite Ike Taylor, though the Steelers will likely call it an open battle between Allen, Gay and Curtis Brown heading to training camp....It also means that the Steelers will now likely let Keenan Lewis walk..." - http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com/2013/03/gay-signing-means-lewis-likely-gone.html

The general consensus of those covering the team is that this sounds Lewis' death knell, as Jim Wexell tweeted here:



It's the classic "cognoscenti vs. Intelligentsia" debate, because If It Ain't Steel believes that all efforts to keep Lewis should be made. If he leaves of his own volition, so be it. It's his decision. Do, however, make any and all attempts to retain the man who was one of the two best defensive players on the team last season. A secondary of he and Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen in the slot, and then having Tez take over for Ike after he leaves next season, would seem to be ideal. Silly me, I thought depth was a good thing. Gay said that Taylor personally called general manager Kevin Colbert urging him to bring Gay back. Hopefully someone else will call Colbert and urge him to find a way to keep Lewis.

UPDATE: Behind The Steel Curtain is reporting the deal Gay signed is supposedly around $4.5 million with an approximate $500,000 signing bonus.

Third's The Charm For Steelers Special Teams?; Bicknell jr. Wants "Guys Who Can Move"

Brad Miller-US Presswire

Three special teams coaches in three seasons. Amos Jones took over after Al Everest was fired immediately prior to the start of the 2012 season, and now former Washington Redskins special teams coach Danny Smith has taken over for Jones after his contract wasn't renewed. Is the third a charm?

If It Ain't Steel laid out the Steelers special teams' rankings under the guidance of Jones and Everest in part three of All the King's Horses, showing that both the kickoff and the punt return units were average, and that defending kickoffs and punts in 2012 were just bad. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-2012-steelers-all-kings-horses-pt-3.html

At first glance, it would seem that Smith, a Pittsburgh native, is a wonderful choice to reinvigorate the special teams unit and rein in a discombobulated bunch. According to Redskins.com, "in 2011, Smith's special teams unit ranked first in the NFC in kick return average allowed (20.8 yards) for the second consecutive season. Additionally, the unit ranked fifth in the NFC in opponents' average starting position (21.8-yard line on kickoffs).

"He also helped Brandon Banks become one of the league's most consistent return specialists. Banks finished the season with career highs in kick returns and kick return yards with 51 kick returns for 1,174 yards, which led the NFL in both categories....

"In 2010, Smith's unit ranked first in the NFC in kick return average allowed (19.0 yards) and second in the NFC in opponents' average starting position (23.7-yard line on kickoffs)."

You excited yet, Steeler Nation? Well, slow your roll. The team's website should be expected to paint a flowery picture of its personnel. We're not saying that it's sophistry, but what's presented isn't the entire picture.

Behind The Steel Curtain interviewed Kevin Ewoldt, managing editor of HogsHaven.com, and he 'mentioned how much the players like Smith,' but suggested that the fans "generally are not too fond of Danny Smith."

As HogsHaven.com further pointed out, 'Football Outsiders' rankings of the Redskins special teams units has them ranked 27th last season.' In fact, they were ranked '25th, 6th, 11th, 16th, 18th, 27th, 26th, 22nd and 30th in the NFL since 2004.' - http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamst

So don't start the parade just yet. There are pros and cons to Mr. Smith. There were definitely highly-rates individual numbers to hang his hat on, and there may be "talent" issues involved in some of the lower rankings. But there is still the consistency of those lower rankings - a matter that would be up to him directly to solve.

BTSC, in our link posted above, did also bring out how "much respect there is for Danny Smith around the league," expressing the fact that "a few years ago, at least five teams (including Pittsburgh) sought permission to interview Smith, but all were denied because the Redskins were intent on keeping him."

As Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Thursday, he wanted "a guy who can inspire a large group of men," and we've noted that his players like him. We see that his bosses obviously did too. That smacks at character. - http://tinyurl.com/ahzu3l8

So, a little new blood and fresh outlook could still be a positive thing, and he doesn't exactly come into a bare cabinet personnel-wise. Then there's the fact that he is a local boy. Let's hope the third's a charm...and that Thomas Wolfe was wrong.

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On Tuesday, Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest tweeted some comments from the Steelers new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, jr.

Labriola tweeted these tasty morsels from his Twitter (@BobLabriola) account regarding what Bicknell said of his priorities: "I always talk about how important the run game is, but protecting that QB is our No. 1 job."

Bicknell stated an obvious fact: "I believe the offensive line is the foundation for the football team."

He provided a saliva-inducing statement for any true Steelers fan: "If you can walk off the field and know we dominated the opponent physically, that's the most important stat."

He offered plaudits for the offensive line's anchor: "All you need to do is look at Maurkice Pouncey and figure out what you want in a center."

And, being a zone-blocking teacher and coach, he revealed the importance of athleticism on the line: "(O-linemen) can get too big. Then again, it's not about being too big, it's about not being able to move....I want to be able to have guys who can move, run, and have some quickness off the ball to be able to get into people."

Sounds good, but of course you know that, using that criteria, this means that certain OLinemen won't be back.

The 2012 Steelers - All The King's Horses..., pt. 3: Special Teams

by Jayden and Jason

They had a great fall...
It's fitting that this final piece covering the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 season begins with an ending. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on Saturday that Amos Jones, the Steelers now-former special teams coach, accepted the same position with Pittsburgh West, formerly known as the Arizona Cardinals. - http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-assistant-coach-amos-jones-heads-to-cardinals-672084/

In part one of the All the King's Horses series, we addressed where quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and even team president Art Rooney II all had a hand in the demise of the offense. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-2012-steelers-all-kings-horses-pt-1.html

In part two we took on the defense and how numbers can be misleading. Yes, they were ranked No. 1, but there were key components missing that prevented the unit from being truly dominant. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-2012-steelers-all-kings-horses-pt-2.html

Now, the third installment covers the final field unit: special teams.

The lone bright spot for the special teams unit this season was the Wunderkind himself, Shaun "Sushi" Suisham. Sushi was 34-34 in extra points and 28-31 in field goals, with two of those missing kicks being from 53 and 54 yards, which was good for 90.3% and seventh in the league. That's basically where the good news ends.

Drew Butler, the son of former NFL kicker Kevin Butler, was an undrafted free agent rookie signed by the Steelers who beat out Jeremy Kapinos for the starting punter position. But he was inconsistent and ranked 18th overall among NFL punters, and his 43.8 yard average landed him all the way down at 26th among his brethren. While punt coverage, or lack thereof, can affect averages, it ultimately still falls on the punter.

Speaking of "coverage," it almost seems a bad word to use in this case considering that's something the Steelers' special teams did so little of this season. They were ranked 12th and 23rd in opponents kick and punt returns in 2012, allowing 24.0 and 10.2 yards respectively.

The punt unit also allowed a touchdown, which was the straw breaking the Steelers' back in the first Baltimore Ravens game, and committed costly penalties in several other games that altered field position as well as outcomes.

The Steelers ranked 12th and 23rd in returning kicks and punts also, averaging 25.3 and 7.3 yards in each category, with Antonio Brown averaging only 6.8 yards on 27 punt returns.

Days before the season, head coach Mike Tomlin fired then-special teams coordinator Al Everest and Jones was promoted to the head position. They were no better in 2011 under Everest.

The Steelers ranked 19th in the NFL in opponents' kick returns and 25th in punt returns. They ranked 25th and 14th in their own kick and punt returns.

It is unclear why Everest was ever let go in the first place, but 'philosophical differences' seemed to be the reasoning. One feather in Everest's cap was that there were no returns for touchdowns, something that had plagued the previous regime.

And now Jones is gone too. Who'll replace him? We don't know, but it couldn't be difficult to make a lateral shift. Based on his team's performance, Jones comes off as if he could go bobbing in a barrel of boobs and still come out sucking his thumb.

Since the Steelers organization hasn't said much of anything about it, we believe that he simply didn't have his contract renewed.

The Steelers special teams unit this season often seemed disjointed, out of position, overly aggressive and overly penalized at different times. Fumbles and missed tackles also plagued them. It's an ugly, ongoing trend that all the Rooney's horses and men must rectify in order to put this back together again.

UPDATE: After the posting of this blog, Ed Bouchette reported that the Steelers were granted permission to interview Washington Redskins special teams coach and Pittsburgh native Danny Smith. Rather than write another piece on this, we'll let Behind The Steel Curtain do the talking for us: http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/1/28/3925028/pittsburgh-steelers-special-teams-coach-coordinator-interview-danny-smith-washington-redskins

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TIDBITS: Two-time Super Bowl champ "Big Play" Deshea Townsend will lead Mississippi State's cornerbacks. - http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/20567462/mississippi-st-hires-2-defensive-assistants

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Mike Tomlin has to replace more than one position coach, including the offensive line coach. Russ Grimm won't be on the short list. Per Ed Bouchette, Grimm thought he had the Steelers head coaching job when Bill Cowher quit. Instead, the Rooneys gave it to Tomlin, and Grimm bitterly left with Ken Whisenhunt to Arizona. To quote Bouchette, "there is no way he would come back for the same job as line coach."

Steelers OL Coach Sean Kugler Leaves For Alma Mater

According to Asher Wildman of the ABC affiliate KVIA7 in El Paso, who first broke the story, Sean Kugler has been hired as UTEP's head coach: http://tinyurl.com/afygstq

MacGyver is moving to Texas.

Kugler, the Pittsburgh Steelers outstanding offensive line coach, will finish out the season, but has indeed accepted the UTEP job. Losing Kugler is a serious blow.

Kugler was liked by his players and coaches. You never heard the players speak of him in any way but with respect, and he wasn't reticent about his love for coaching the OLine or his players.

"The reason I like coaching offensive line is I like coaching all five guys collectively," Kugler said in a 2011 interview with 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh. "It's a challenge to get all five guys to play together as a unit, and I enjoy coaching the entire group. There's not a better position on the field to coach. The offensive linemen, those are usually the guys that are your most fun to be around, your must humble, and your hardest working guys. And I love my group here in Pittsburgh."

Kugler attended the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 1984 to 1988, where he earned letterman honors in football all four years. His 1988 team played in the Independence Bowl. His position coach at UTEP at the time was Andy Reid, future head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kugler signed with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 1989, but after sustaining a concussion in training camp, he was released.

He joined the Steelers as OLine coach in 2010 following the firing of Larry Zierlein. He had also previously replaced Zierlein as assistant line coach for the Bills in 2007.

In his first coaching season with the Steelers, they made it to the Super Bowl despite season-ending injuries to both starting offensive tackles, Max Starks and Willie Colon, and the presence of a rookie starting center, Maurkice Pouncey, who ended up not playing in the NFL's final game because of his own injury.

The Steelers would go on to lose that Super Bowl, only their second loss in eight appearances, 31-25 to the Green Bay Packers.

Kugler has been credited with holding together the OLine with duct tape, chicken wire or any way he could. Because of that, he earned the nickname "MacGyver" from many Steelers fans in Steeler Nation.

Each position on the line had an injury during his tenure, but, "the standard is the standard." The team's "next man up" philosophy has applied to the OLine as much as any other positions on the team. Maybe more. MacGyver will be missed.

The question now naturally is whether the Steelers will look in-house or not for his replacement. The Steelers have gone outside lately when looking for replacements at their coaching positions, but Behind The Steel Curtain has already suggested that another "Shaun" may be the inside choice. - http://tinyurl.com/abr4cef

The article also suggests that two former Steelers currently coaching elsewhere may be candidates. Whomever it may be will soon enough be disseminated. Until then, we have MacGyver through the end of the season, however long that lasts. As long as he has a fair amount of glue and bobby pins, that could still be awhile.