Steelers Secondary Should Be Improved; June 1st Salary Cap Info

Updated: 1850 hrs, June 1st
"We have more numbers there than people realize. We may have great players in building and they haven't had chance to show us."

Those words by Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau summed up why the team did not select one of the top-level cornerback in the first round of this year's NFL Draft that many expected them to select. Especially when Darqueze Dennard, about whom we wrote as our favorite going into the draft, was sitting there as a fully-ripened fruit ready to be picked. 

The Steelers' coaches, however, simply didn't feel that their secondary was as dire a situation as it seemed on the surface. Defensive backs coach Carnell Lake agreed with LeBeau that CB wasn't as pressing a need as perceived. He specifically said that Brice McCain and Antwon Blake will help Steelers. 

Add to that, CB Deion Belue, an undrafted free agent out of Alabama that the Steelers claimed off of waivers (Dolphins), and Devin Smith and Isaiah Green and you have those who will be battling for a backup role. 

Blake, a UTEP product, falls into the "he's not small, he's short" category in which head coach Mike Tomlin placed rookie running back Dri Archer. He's 5'9", 198 LBs but did 21 repetitions of the 225-pound bench press at his 2012 Pro Day. He also ran a 4.32/40, and is the gunner on Steelers special teams. Rather than a player expected to get snaps in the Steelers' defense, that's where his greatest value is. As for McCain, we wrote about his potential when he was signed back in April. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/04/steelers-sign-brice-mccain-bring-in.html

Belue (5'11", 182 LBs) had a turf toe injury which hindered his senior season, but he played well in the 2012 National Championship game against Notre Dame. He's wiry, strong for his size and has good enough speed (4.47/40). A slot man who can occasionally line up out side, Belue has a chance at the practice squad.

Devin Smith and Isaiah Green should be familiar to Steelers fan as the two CBs who were on and off of the practice squad all of last season. 

The Steelers finally did address the need for depth at cornerback, though, by selecting Arizona's Shaquille Richardson (6'0", 194 LBs) in the fifth round. 

The former Wildcat has versatility, length and a good frame. He looks mainly to be a right CB, but also played a safety/rover position and in the slot in some subpackages. He's also fast (4.43/40), quick and agile, but not physical. He'd rather cut a runner rather than wrap him up, and also tends to squat to much which can affect his backpedal. 

Lake's familiarity with Richardson, having helped recruit Richardson to UCLA, is intriguing and he could very well be a diamond in the rough with Lake's guidance. 

“I remember Coach Lake being someone I can look up to,” said Richardson, who was also a teammate of Robert Golden at Arizona. “I'm happy to be learning from him and being a Pittsburgh Steeler. It's crazy.”

Lake praised Richardson as well.

“He's a smart, young corner who can come in and contribute,” said Lake. “He gives us good size out there and somebody that has the ability to put a lot of pressure on tall receivers that have been drafted in the last few years.”

Then there are your starters and main substitute, Cortez Allen, Ike Taylor and William Gay, with Gay receiving praise for his play last season. - http://tinyurl.com/kst23t3

Taylor's play was the expect opposite last season, rated by PFF as 107th out of 111 CBs. Something of which is keenly aware. 

“I feel after these last two years,” Taylor said, “especially after last year, that I have lot to prove. I feel like I have more to prove than ever.”

Tez Allen had a similar season to his 2012 campaign. He didn't play much of the first half of the season due to injuries, but made his presence felt late in the season. Starting the final seven games, he finished the year with 51 tackles, two interceptions and a touchdown. 

Also, one of the most important things to remember is that Taylor isn't following the opponent's best receiver. That responsibility has fallen more to Tez. That disallowed the top WRs from having career days on Taylor and saw a slight increase in coverage, causing the Steelers' pass defense to finish 9th in the NFL giving up 222.1 yards per game. 

Free agent acquisition Mike Mitchell will help complement the rest of the safeties, plus an expected improved pass rush from the front seven, as pressure on the quarterback throws off timing (routes) and helps create turnovers, will lead to improving the pass defense.

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Per OverTheCap.com, the Steelers have $357,896 under the Salary Cap as of Sunday, June 1st, a day when there is no loss of compensatory picks for free agents signed. - http://overthecap.com/nfl-rookie-salary-cap-2014.php

As of Monday, June 2nd, the $8 million freed up by the release of LaMarr Woodley will be available. Displacement dictates, though, that his release will be closer to $7.5 million in cap space. 

Still, that will be more than enough to sign the remaining four selections from the draft. Sixth-round draft pick DL Daniel McCullers and seventh rounder TE Rob Blanchflower were signed on May 19th, fifth-round draft pick Wesley Johnson and sixth-round pick Jordan Zumwalt on May 27th and fifth-round draft pick CB Shaquille Richardson on May 29th. All were signed to a four-year deals. 

None of these picks actually counted against the Cap because of said displacement and the Rule of 51. The top four picks will even displace four players currently counting against the cap out of the top 51. 

So, expect the amount used to sign those top four to be less than $3 million (at least $750,000-$1 million less than the amount first reported that we previously covered). That leaves well over $5 million to be spent on another free agent or two with plenty left afterward. 

UPDATE: I've since come across more exact numbers brought to light by fellow scribe Neal Coolong of Behind The Steel Curtain. The Cool One wrote that the exact number Woodley's release frees up after displacement is "$7.505" million and that the Steelers' Cap cost for the aforemetioned rookies is "$2,018,643." So, as The Cool One wrote, "let's call it $5.48 million in Cap space after the remainder of the rookie class is signed."

Deja Vu - Steelers Defeat Packers In Another Shootout, 38-31, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

They were able to get the ball back with barely enough time on the clock. Needing to absolutely get into the end zone to get a win, they would have to do so with the entire length of the field in front of them. If they score, it's a chance at the playoffs. If they don't, they're watching at home.

With time running out, the ball is snapped on the last play of the game and...Ben Roethlisberger connects with Mike Wallace just inside the left edge of the end zone line, lifting the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Green Bay Packers, 37-36, back in 2009.

On Sunday, history almost repeated itself, except that it was the Packers who were having to come back. But as Big Ben said in his postgame interview, "there's no quit in this team." - http://tinyurl.com/lvut6p6

Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left on the clock to put the Steelers up 38-31. Micah Hyde returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards and the Packers (7-7-1) were quickly in good position. But as it was four years ago, a touchdown was needed to win, or in this case tie, the game.

The Packers moved across the legendary tundra of Lambeau Field and found themselves at the Steelers 1-yard line. A false start penalty on Green Bay moved the ball back to the six and also incurred a :10 second runoff. With just 10 seconds on the game clock the last-ditch pass by quarterback Matt Flynn was incomplete and the Steelers would leave Wisconsin with a 38-31 victory.

The Steelers' 38 points Sunday marked the fourth time in their last eight games where they have scored at least 30 points. It also marked the fifth time this season that they scored that much, including more than 35 points twice, which is the first time a Steelers team has done that in over 40 years.

Once again, the Steelers (7-8) did it in all three phases of the game, also.

Roethlisberger, wide receiver Antonio Brown and Bell led the way on offense, while the defense was led by cornerback Cortez Allen, safeties Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu, linebackers Jason Worilds and Lawrence Timmons, and defensive linemen Brett Keisel and Cameron "Candyman" Heyward.

A far cry from 2009's 503-yard performance, Big Ben put in a workman-like effort as he threw for two scores and ran for another - the 15th of his career, putting him 3rd on the Steelers all-time list.

For yet another week the offensive line protected the QB (just one sack again) and opened holes for Bell, who was the Steelers Digest Player of the Week. He rushed 26 times for a career-high 124 yards, ending the Steelers drought of no 100-yard rushers at 22 games. His 129 yards from scrimmage pushed him to 1,163 for the season and second all-time for rookies in Steelers history and just 72 yards from tying Franco Harris.

Antonio Brown had six receptions for 105 yards and almost broke another punt return for a touchdown, going 41 yards on one return in the second half. There was one thing he did break on Sunday, though, that being the Steelers' record for receiving yards in a season with 1,412.

But, despite giving up 31 points and two rushing TDs to Eddie Lacy, it was the defense that ultimately won the game for the Steelers. Mainly by way of splash plays.

Cortez Allen, as well as Ike Taylor and William Gay, provided tight coverage overall on the Packers' receivers, and Ryan Clark had 10 tackles to tie for the team lead with Timmons. But the splash plays - Tez Allen's 40-yard interception return for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, Troy Polamalu's forced fumble, his fifth of the season, and Keisel's recovery of the fumble, leading to Bell's TD run - were the difference makers, especially in the second half.

Those plays not only made it possible to win the game, but to keep their ever-so-slim playoff hopes alive. Does Polamalu acknowledge that his play could end up being key in a playoff run? Are they looking ahead like that?

"It's irrelevant, to be honest. Nothing has changed from our standpoint", Polamalu said. "Our mental approach to the game has got to be a week-by-week thing."

It would be nothing short of a miracle for the Steelers to make the playoffs. They have to beat the Browns, who'd love nothing more than to play spoiler and assure the Steelers a losing season and to be home for the holidays. They also have a bit of a Warriors-like gauntlet in front of them, needing the Dolphins, Ravens and Chargers all to lose. Can you dig it?

Back in 2009, the Packers had entered the shootout at Heinz Field as one of the NFL's most penalized teams and did commit five (out of seven total) penalties resulting in first downs for the Steelers.

Fittingly Sunday, the last few seconds were disrupted by the false start penalty mentioned near the beginning of the article. It ultimately was the dagger in the heart of the Packers that disallowed history from repeating itself in favor of the home team yet again.

But the Steelers did come off victorious. They did keep their playoff hopes alive. And they did not quit.

~

TIDBITS: Tomlin Postgame presser: http://tinyurl.com/l2kbwl9

Around the locker room: http://tinyurl.com/kn4pz4m 

Steelers Pound Bengals Early, Hold On For 30-20 Victory

Was it 2013 or 1978? 

Aided by the honoring of Hall of Famers running back Franco Harris and cornerback Mel Blount before the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked from the opening kickoff as if they were going to pound the Cincinnati Bengals like they were in the Steelers way of another Super Bowl title. 

As it stands, the Bengals (9-5) were in the way of the slimmest of playoff hopes. The pounding, though, was the same. 

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw a touchdown pass in his 27th straight game, wide receiver Antonio Brown scored twice, running back Le'Veon Bell had over 100 yards from scrimmage and the oldest defense in the NFL put a whipping on the Bengals Sunday night to gain a much-needed win, 30-20. 

Big Ben's stat line wasn’t show-stopping (he was 20-25 for 191 yards, a touchdown and an interception), but he ended the game with 340 completions which bettered his own franchise-record 337 in 2009 (he also has the Steelers three highest single-season totals).

With nine different starters and 16 different combinations of blockers this year because of injuries and ineptitude, being able to keep Big Ben virtually clean has been almost Herculean. But, due to yet another upright performance by the patchwork offensive line, he stayed mostly clean, suffering only one sack. 

Before Sunday night, the Steelers (6-8) had been 0-11 when Big Ben committed a turnover, which he did late in the second half when Adam Jones intercepted a pass that seemed to get caught up by the wind. Big Ben had gone 207 pass attempts without a pick, a span of more than four games. 

But AB gave Big Ben a bit of a cushion to be able to overcome the turnover when he caught Big Ben's lone touchdown pass - a 12-yarder with 2:16 to go in the first quarter. 

AB once again caught five passes, for 66 yards and the aforementioned touchdown, and now needs just 92 yards in the last two weeks to pass Yancey Thigpen for the most receiving yards by a Steelers player in a season.

AB also returned a punt 67 yards for the Steelers third score of the opening period. One move, aided by a crushing block by West Virginia product Terance Garvin on the Bengals punter Kevin Huber, and AB would not be caught. 

It would also be Huber's final play as the violent hit from Garvin broke his jaw. The hit appeared at first to be helmet-to-helmet, but no flag was thrown on the play. It could still lead to a fine if the NFL determines Garvin used his shoulder or helmet to hit Huber from behind or the side, violating the - wait for it - "Hines Ward Rule" born from a Ward hit against - wait for it - Keith Rivers of the Cincinnati Bengals. (Didn't see that comin', did ya?)

Bell ran aggressively for the most part, but was also a little too patient at other times, ending with just 57 yards and just a 2.4 yards per carry average. But he also caught five passes for 50 yards and again showed glimpses of what the Steelers believe he can be. 

Late in the game, he stiff armed Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson and then trucked more Bengals on one of his best runs of the night. Earlier, Bell hurdled Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, though the play was called back. 

All-in-all, Bell had 107 yards from scrimmage putting him in fairly elite atmosphere as he joined Franco Harris and Bam Morris as the only rookie running backs in franchise history to gain at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He has the chance to be tops as his 1,034 scrimmage yards are the third-highest total for a Steelers rookie behind Franco Harris' 1,235 and Bam Morris' 1,040.

As for the defense, they simply pounded the Bengals. They didn't just beat them, they beat them up. As many as seven Bengals left the game for a while or for good. And it started quickly.

First, a moment of silence for the passing of LaMarr Woodley...into oblivion. Woodley got hurt again. Will the regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns be his final home game at Heinz Field? 

Back to the game... A mishandled snap by Huber led to the first score, and with the advantage of that early lead, Steelers defensive coordinator was able to say "sick 'em" to his players. They responded by harassing Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and sacking him in the first half - the first sack he'd suffered since Nov. 10 at the Ravens.  

They completely stymied the Bengals run game holding them to just 57 yards on 22 carries. Bengals receiver A.J. Green was held short of 100 yards, getting nine receptions for 93 yards at less than 11 yards a catch. 

In fact, at one point early in the game the Steelers had accumulated more plays (26) than the Bengals had accumulated yards (23). 

Remember the stat that If It Ain't Steel brought you regarding the Steelers defense allowing 17 plays of 40 yards or more (including 11 of 50 yards or more)? Sunday, the Steelers allowed exactly zero of such plays. In fact, they surrendered no explosive plays (20 yards or more) at all against the Bengals.

The only explosions were the hits the Steelers - on offense and defense - were administering to the Bengals. It was just a good old fashioned beat down led by Lawrence Timmons, Jason Worilds, Cameron Heyward, Vince Williams, Cortez Allen and even Jarvis Jones who batted down a two-point conversion pass in the fourth quarter showing the kind of play he’s capable of making. 

It may not have been a means to Super Bowl berth, but it was still a beat down that should've made Franco and Blount proud. 

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TIDBITS: INJURIES - Aside from Woodley, the Steelers offensive line took another blow when right tackle Marcus Gilbert left late in the first quarter with another right ankle injury. Left tackle Kelvin Beachum, who returned to the starting lineup after missing last week with a knee injury, left the game briefly with what seemed to be an aggravation of the injury. He returned. Ike Taylor had bruised ribs, but the rest were, as HC Mike Tomlin would say, the normal bump and bruises associated with life in the NFL. -  http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Coach-Tomlin-post-game-vs-Bengals/82ea60a8-aa3b-44b3-860d-902079739102

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

The Steelers Find No Safety At Home, Lose 16-9 To Titans

The Pittsburgh Steelers got off to a great start Sunday when Darius Reynaud of the Tennessee Titans took the opening kickoff back a step into the end zone to kneel the ball which resulted in a safety. The Steelers led 2-0 with just three seconds off of the clock. The fastest score in the history of the NFL. 

Squeamish and/or bandwagon pom-pom waving fans should stop reading now. 

When the ensuing kickoff was taken by Antonio Brown for 16 yards to the 41-yard line, it officially ended the highlights on the day for the Steelers as they, aside from a garbage-time touchdown, did little else en route to a 16-9 loss. 

What happened next was a comedy of errors rivaling anything ever written by Shakespeare. They're the 2012 Steelers in a form of déjà vu. - http://tinyurl.com/ooyboco

All the problems that plagued the team last season reared their ugly heads again on Sunday. The offensive line was porous (five sacks, 32 yards and zero first down rushing), offense stalled from dropped passes, turnovers (fumbles and an interception), lack of its own pass rush (one sack and minimal pressure), lack of forced turnovers and too many injuries. 

The last one being in the forms of Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey (ACL & MCL) and Larry Foote being done for the season. The Steelers had several other injuries as well. LaRod Stephens-Howling (knee) needing surgery and likely gone for the season also, Cortez Allen (ankle), Shaun Suisham (toe/hamstring and could be out 2-3 weeks) and Ryan Clark (knee?) all went down at one point in the game.

At some point it has to be considered more than just being "snake bit." But, ultimately the team has no one to blame but themselves. -

“That was the problem, we did it late and we couldn’t do it early enough,’’ Ben Roethlisberger said. “It was just little things here and little things there.’’ - http://tinyurl.com/pj52uu9

Big Ben connected on 21 of 33 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and an interception for the Steelers, who came in with 10 straight victories in home openers, the longest active streak in the league. 

Last season Big Ben headed into the Titans' game poised to surpass Steelers Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw as the team's all-time leading passer. He went into Sunday's game ready to pass 30,000 yards for his career. Neither milestone was accompanied by a win. Both losses were because of lack of execution and mistakes.

"The first [fumble] was a [bad] quarterback-to-running back exchange. I never had it. Ben said he got it out slow because he was working with a new center," said Isaac Redman per Ken Laird. "We were supposed to have two tailbacks in the game. I looked up to see if we could flag Felix (Jones) on the field. They put DJ (David Johnson) at tailback." - http://tinyurl.com/puozazr

While it is true that that the exchange wasn't clean, this sounds more like an excuse than a reason. Absent is the "it's my fault and I'll make it right next time" tone. He would fumble again only to recover the second one. Was the running game affected by Pouncey going out?

"We didn't execute. They did. They had a nice plan. Our plan could've been better under the circumstances." - http://tinyurl.com/oxbf3r8

The loss of Pouncey, which Marcus Gilbert referred to as "freak play" and "no one's fault", is unmistakably a major one. He was one of the team captains and a three-time Pro bowl center. This loss is dangerous to a team who's offensive line is already held together with spit and chicken wire. 

It doesn’t get any easier for the Steelers, either, as they travel to Cincinnati Monday Night Football. Some pick the Bengals the best team in the AFC North, and if the Steelers struggled at home against Tennessee, how will they fair against a motivated James Harrison, Geno Atkins and the rest of the Bengals?

Regardless, regardless of how utterly pathetic, inept and putrid they looked, it is human nature to still try and find bright spots. 

Bad week one to be certain, but there were some positives: Troy looked like Troy, Jarvis Jones and LaMarr Woodley made some plays and the rest of AFC North lost. 

Also, the 1989 Steelers lost to the Cleveland Browns (51-0) and Bengals (41-10) by a combined 92-10. They came back to finish 9-7 and make the playoffs. They even won their wild card playoff game. Who'd they defeat? The Houston Oilers - what the Titans used to be known as. 

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

Steelers Training Camp: 10 Days, 10 Takeaways (Offense)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has never shied away from the fact that he loves Training Camp set the tone with his favorite drill—backs on backers—in addition to the offensive linemen battling the defensive linemen in one-on-one drills.

Despite being "football in shorts", the Steelers made a positive first impression as they came out a focused, but relaxed, team that is poised to bounce back from a disappointing 8-8 record last season.

They then got into pads and the cracks could be heard all the way in Allentown. Tomlin has actually been praised for the physicality of his 2013 Training Camp. Why has it been so physical?

"It’s just appropriate in today’s NFL. We have off days. We only get a chance to practice once a day," Tomlin declared. "There are fewer and fewer opportunities to sort themselves out. We’ve got some young guys. We’ve got to sort through a lot of young guys and we’ve got to take advantage of opportunities to show improvement. That is what it is about."

Add practices running nearly two-and-a-half hours to live contact drills and you have the tone set for a physical season. What else are we seeing as tones being set? And what players play important roles? Part one focused on the defense, and here we'll discuss the offense.

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben has been taking on much more of a leadership role this offseason and Training Camp. He's had great practices, aside from a couple of interceptions, last Thursday through Monday. He seems so much more serious with teammates and their roles, their routes, their blocks, etc... Basically, he sees his window and doesn't want it to close. If It Ain't Steel is glad to see Big Ben is stepping up as a true leader.

In doing so he is being rewarded with a couple of things that he has been wanting in the form of more deep routes. After some tinkering to the offense, Big Ben is much happier as he is able to air the ball out often. Both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders have been getting plenty of looks and the passes have been very successful so far. As has someone else.

Markus Wheaton: Wheaton missed OTAs because of NCAA graduation rules, so he came into Training Camp already behind. He has quickly caught up and moved up the depth chart, though, and got time as the slot receiver during the first week of camp.

A terrific route-runner, Wheaton has the speed and quickness to get deep to make the big play, and he has shown it by being very dangerous all over the field.

As long as his development continues, it won’t be very long until Wheaton is a regular on offense.

Le’Veon Bell: Bell has had a terrific Camp so far, and it should not be very long before he is a major part of the offense. He has been the star of the backfield so far, and is making a real push for the starting job.

He also has exceptional hands and has been one of the focal points of the passing game. He continually makes plays in the open field.

His bread and butter will be carrying the rock. And though he doesn't possess world-class speed, he has been running with speed and authority and has been the best back during team drills. He has even been receiving time with the first team offense. Bell is light on his feet and is able to get to the outside and cut back also.

Speaking of getting outside and cutting back, the outside zone-blocking scheme has been a focus under new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, jr. They've run it all Camp in some form and the players are adjusting well to it. Plus, athletic offensive linemen like Ramon Foster, David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey, make it more viable scheme.

The other starting OLinemen, Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams, also have a bit of a competition going on. According to WDVE’s Mike Prisuta, Adams lined up at left tackle for three days straight. But, since the Steelers run to the right more often than any other direction, they'll most likely move Adams back to that side knowing that he is the better run blocker.

That does bring us nicely to the next point into the light also, that being the lack of depth. Kelvin Beachum may play three positions Saturday night against the New York Giants, and guard Justin Cheadle figures to get time against the Giants also. That's pretty much it. The injuries have brought that to light better than anything.

While there haven't been any significant injuries to star players, there have been several dinged up.

The most significant injury was to Cortez Allen who had minor knee surgery last week. Another semi-major injury occured when Nik Embernate went down with a torn ACL and MCL.

Then you have DeMarcus Van Dyke and Terry Hawthorne have both missed time, and Curtis Brown is on crutches, making for a very thin secondary.

Embernate reminds us how fragile the front line is. Who'll back up Gilbert? What happens if Beachum goes down? D'Anthony Batiste nor Guy Whimper will remind anyone of Jonathan Ogden or even Jonathan Scott. It is, therefore, an issue that needs to be resolved.

Soon.

~

TIDBITS: Matt Spaeth, who came back to the Steelers from the Chicago Bears this last offseason, was hurt in Wednesday’s practice in Latrobe. He was seen later with ice taped to his foot.

~

Via Steelers Digest's Bob Labriola, @BobLabriola on Twitter, "2 roster moves. ‪#‎Steelers‬ signed RB Alvester Alexander & CB Devin Smith; waived RB Curtis McNeal & DE Cordian Hagans."

Steelers 2013 Training Camp: 10 Days, 10 Takeaways (Defense)

Without a doubt, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the best franchise in all of American football over the last 40+ years. Since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970, they have made the playoffs 26 times for a total of 33 wins - more than any other team.

There’s no argument about whether or not the Steelers and their fans have reason to be proud of their accomplishments. Since the merger, they’ve competed for an NFL title nearly 20% of the time, having gone to the final game an average of once every five years in that time span.

In all, the Steelers lead or are tied for the lead in all of the most important categories: total wins (437), season wins (404), All-Pros (67), playoff wins (33), playoff berths (26), division titles (20), winning seasons (31), Super Bowl berths (8) and Super Bowl wins (6).

It is, therefore, that very success that makes last season's results that much less bearable. It was a team loaded with potential, potential never achieved. Now it is a team that goes into the 2013 Training Camp and season loaded with questions. Though a team of veterans, rookies and yet-unproven players will play a big part into how this season turns out.

The Steelers are resting and relaxing following some of the toughest Training Camp practices seen in ages. Practices that included tackling, live 11-on-11 drills and a little bit of history with live tackling in a non-goal line drill. According to inside linebacker Larry Foote, "First time we ever did that."

(photo courtesy of Jennifer L. Westbrooks)
As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette examined recently, this "is old-old-school," but it has been needed with the Steelers being "young in a lot of areas, particularly in the lines," head coach Mike Tomlin said in explaining the increased hitting.

In that case, now is a good time to review everything that has been disseminated over the course of the first 10 days of practice. We'll look at the things and players seen so far that are worthy of continued attention and that could have an impact on the season.

LaMarr Woodley: Woodley came into Camp looking great, really responding, though he won't admit to it, to the prods from his position coach prior to last year. One of the things we've suggested since the departure of James Harrison, though, is that, especially since Jason Worilds has played so much better of the left, that maybe Woodley might be moved to the weak side. But linebackers coach Keith Butler addressed the issue and gave the reasoning for his decision.

“Sure, for a little bit,” Butler responded when asked if he had considered doing so. But he left Woodley on the strong side because, as he put it, "You want a big-bodied guy over there on the left side because offenses are notoriously right-handed. Most people run to the right, some people try to run to the left, but most run to the right, and we want a big body over there.”

Um...no. Not true. In actuality, the numbers indicate that teams run to the left, opposite Woodley's side, about 15% more than they run to the right. Which means teams will be running primarily away from Woodley.

Curtis Brown: I have Brown as a high roster possibility for a while, and did nothing in Camp to cause one to go against that. However, with Mark Kaboly reporting that Brown went down when defending on a play and Steel City Insider's Jim Wexell reporting that he is on crutches after practice, his chances would seem to be damaged. But the Steelers are already down starter Cortez Allen (knee), who needed minor surgery last Friday, DeMarcus Van Dyke (who also needs all the help he can get) and Terry Hawthorne, all being sidelined for an unknown amount of time with training camp injuries. That, then, re-edifies Brown's chances of maintaining a roster spot.

Al Woods: Last year, Woods made the roster as the sixth defensive lineman and should make it again this year. But defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and the Steelers are trying to make the defensive linemen more versatile by upping the pressure on the quarterback.

"We definitely need to get more pressure up front," said Brett Keisel, who led the Steelers last season with 40 quarterback pressures. "There's been an emphasis more on [ends] getting on the edge rather than just pushing the pocket, getting on the edge and trying to make something happen."

As the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review explains, when the defensive tackle or end "pushes a guard or tackle back, forcing the quarterback to scramble out of the pocket, they will earn a 'pressure' from their coaches."

For Woods, considering the pass-rush ability he showed when on the (limited time on the) field in both Pittsburgh and New Orleans, that would mean working him at nose tackle in addition to defensive end to increase his value and versatility up front, making him a viable candidate once again for a roster spot.

Cameron Heyward: “I think it’s not more of assignment things anymore, its more of now I can read and dissect the offense, so I can see tendencies and see what they’re favoring and formations,” Heyward said.

Along with reading and dissecting the offense, Heyward brought the body to be able to bring the hammer when he arrives at the play.

"He’s heavier than he’s been, but his body fat is down,” said Tomlin. “So you’re talking about lean muscle mass....He’s probably up three or four pounds, but his body-fat percentage is down, so he’s doing the right thing.”

Marshall McFadden: McFadden is making it as hard as possible to cut him, and is turning heads after the first half of Training Camp. The Steelers will be keeping either four or five inside players, so his making the roster depends on the play of sixth-round draft pick Vince Williams and Stevenson Sylvester. Unless something drastic changes what we've seen thus far, expect McFadden to make the team.

~

TIDBITS: Remember the name "Alan Baxter."

~

New Steelers starting cornerback Cortez Allen feels he should be in good shape and ready to go when the Steelers line up to face the Tennessee Titans, despite having surgery last week on his knee. Tez said he is getting better, but will stay off the practice field until at least the end of Training Camp nears.

“I’m just trying to be smart about it. I can’t really give a timetable on it, but I just have to follow the instructions of the training staff," Tez told the Tribune-Review. Of course it’s disappointing when you can’t do what you love. I pride myself on staying in good spirits. I’m doing my best to get back on the field."

~

The Steelers signed veteran offensive tackle D'Anthony Batiste and Nik Embernate cleared waivers and is now on the Steelers Injured Reserve list.

Batiste ranked second worst out of 80 graded tackles on Pro Football Focus. Pray that someone else steps up and/or that Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams stay healthy...for Ben's sake.

~

Alameda Ta'amu released from PUP list. He will participate in the Steelers' Camp for the first time this season, after sitting out the first half of it with a hamstring injury.

~

Maurkice Pouncey said he is at a natural 300 pounds. Up from 285 previous years.

Ben Roethlisberger Weathers The Storm, Forecasts Good Season

"There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. By doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you will still get the same soaking. This misunderstanding extends to all things." - Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

The 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers had their share of frustrations. From a new and unfamiliar offense, to injuries to inconsistent play, they certainly saw little sun shine down onto Heinz field, resulting in an 8-8 season. And for this organization, that may as well be a losing season.

The field general of this group of men, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, recently spoke on those frustrations and admitted to being perplexed at times. His 'frustration' with then-new offensive coordinator Todd Haley was one of the well-publicized issues, one that he says, while overblown by the media, has worked itself out.

"He brought it in and (said) 'Here's my stuff, here's what we're going to do.' So it was hard for us....So there was a lot of frustration with that," Big Ben said. "(But) people blew up the hatred thing or the butting heads, there was none of that."

He also talked about the changes that he, Haley and the other coaches made to the offense to streamline it for Big Ben and the rest of the offense. In so doing, he feels "really good" about where they are as a team and predicts good things for this offense.

"This offense is a new toy," Big Ben said. "I can't wait to see what's coming out of this thing." - http://tinyurl.com/mpdyb7p

"New toy" is different from the "dink and dunk" moniker he used last season, but it's said with the same admiration. When explaining his comments last season, Big Ben said that it "wasn't meant in a negative way" at all." That dinking and dunking the ball up the field is "moving the chains, and it will open up big plays. The {New England} Patriots dink and dunk too."

In order for that to be an apt comparison, though, the Steelers must either run the ball better or incorporate more splash plays also. Both would be nice.

The first of those was addressed at the NFL Draft with the selecting of running back Le'Veon Bell, which was juxtaposed with the attempted trade of Jonathan Dwyer. The starting job was veritably handed to Bell, or so we thought. Dwyer has something to say about it, saying that he aims to win the job.

“I want to prove to people that I can be one of the best,” Dwyer told 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh.

As the photo of the tweet shows, he lost 25-30 pounds by watching his diet and working hard. He said he feels like he has more energy, and that he’s more explosive and quicker in Training Camp.

It's a good problem to have, such healthy competition in Camp, because the better the running game, the better the team record. It aids the splash plays too, because as If It Ain't Steel brought out in March, Big Ben's passing statistics when going deep declined as the rushing averages dropped. His numbers in 2012 for passes 21 yards and longer were 8-37 (21.6%) for 317 yards, down from 16-55 (29.1%) for 530 yards.

Comparatively, the Steelers' average per carry dropped from 4.4 yards in 2011 to 3.7 in 2012, the fourth-lowest average since the NFL merger, and they also fell from 14th in rushing in 2011 to 26th last season.

Big Ben himself is 40-12 when the Steelers rush for 4.5 or more yards per carry in a game - a 77% win percentage. When they rush for 4.0 YPC or more in a game, Big Ben and the Steelers are 55-15 - winning at a 79% clip.

So getting Big Ben a running game is very important. Just as important, though, is keeping his uniform clean. Take the numbers presented above and factor in sack numbers and the results are better still.

When he is sacked three or fewer times and the average YPC is at least 3.6, the Steelers are 54-9 - an 86% winning percentage - in games Big Ben started.

Bottom line: get Big Ben a running game and keep him upright. Especially with him readily offering up how good he feels since his knee surgery, make it a team effort and priority.

"I hate missing games," quipped Big Ben. "I probably could have and should have missed more games throughout my career. We play a very violent sport. Knock on wood, I feel I've been lucky to not have a, quote, 'real serious injury.'" - http://tinyurl.com/mjwup53

If he truly wants "to pass Terry Bradshaw by getting more Super Bowl wins" then he must be resolved from the beginning and must not be perplexed, because he will still get the same soaking whether he gets those rings or not.

"I hope everybody out there in the real world has questions all year for us, because we'll get answers."

Especially with thunder and lightning interrupting the first practice of Training Camp, it sounds as if he is ready to weather yet another storm.

~

TIDBITS: Cornerback Cortez Allen out of Steelers practice again with knee injury.

Cornerback Terry Hawthorne was seen favoring his knee after being a gunner on special teams.

Nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu is on the active Physically Unable to Perform list with hamstring injury. Should be back soon.

Coach Tomlin says not to read too much into running back Le'Veon Bell finishing 1st pads practice with the starters.

The 5 Key Players To Returning Dominance To Steelers Defense

The late Al Davis famously once said about his defense, "Don’t adjust. Just dominate."

The 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers were once again tops in total defense, in yards per game and in passing yards. They were the No. 2 rushing defense, including being top three in allowing fewest runs of 20 yards or more (and even one of those was a fake punt). The problem was that they neither 'dominated,' nor did they get to the quarterback enough.

To help quantify the 'lack of dominance factor' and how numbers can be deceiving, consider this: the Steelers defense, when compared to the rest of the NFL's top five defenses, faced the fewest scrimmage plays with only 951. That's 70 fewer, essentially equivalent to a full game, than the team with the most in the top five, the Denver Broncos, at 1,021. Conversely, though, the Steelers allowed more points per game (1.5 more) than any defense in the top five at 19.6 PPG.

The defense didn't take the ball away enough, either, though. Only 20 turnovers were recorded, which was the eighth fewest in the NFL. That included only 10 interceptions. To put that in perspective, according to Steelers Digest, the Steelers picked an historic-low nine passes in the 11-game 1940 season. Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount himself had 11 in the 1975 season alone. Get the picture?

If the Steelers truly expect to get back into the playoffs next season, those are the two things that have to be reversed. Like the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Dejan Kovacevic recently wrote, "let's face this, too: The NFL's No. 1-ranked defense could be better, mathematically daunting as that sounds....And if you ask me, nothing will mean more to the Steelers than resetting some snarl to that defense, than regaining their intimidating identity." - http://tinyurl.com/l2uyw5l

To that end, there are five defensive players who are key to this and to potential success of the team:

1) STEVE MCLENDON - While some may argue that the most important aspect of the 3-4 defense is being able to get the outside linebackers to pressure the quarterback, we contend that it is a nose tackle who is as hard to move as Excalibur. Therefore, the core of a successful Steelers defense is its defensive line with Steve McLendon being the cornerstone. The Steelers expect to use him in at least 60% of the snaps this season, but McLendon expects even more.

“I am going towards greatness and there is only one way to get there," said the 6'4", 320-pound McLendon, "through hard work and dedication....It's all about discipline." - http://tinyurl.com/n9xvm8j

McLendon is backing up those words by working hard to fill the gargantuan shoes of Casey Hampton who had held down the position since 2001. But even Hampton has given him his stamp of approval, at one point calling McLendon a "beast" and saying he is ready to take the position as his own.

2) ZIGGY HOOD - In a defensive scheme where the linemen are asked to play a two-gap style in which they engage the guard or tackle and keep blockers off the linebackers, Ziggy Hood has not exactly been stellar. He hasn't been a washout, either, though. In fact, he has suited up for every game since being drafted, made 39 starts, including 30 in a row, is the strongest player on the team and is very durable.

The problem is that, with all his strength, Hood plays with more finesse than power. Add to that, he has erratic technique and footwork. He may need to use his strength to develop a bull-rush move to overpower tackles. Nevertheless, both are things that he is working on. And rightly so, because the clock is ticking. - http://tinyurl.com/meokwww

Hood won't just be playing for a big contract next season, but a contract, period. To that end, Hood is once again also working with Outer Limits Athletic Performance in Pittsburgh. He has been working on multi-directional training for practical use on the field. Because jumping 50" from a seated position is very impressive, but...when would he need to do that during a game? - http://youtu.be/P_Iz40cqCJE

3) LAMARR WOODLEY - Anonymous teammates criticized LaMarr Woodley's weight and work ethic earlier this offseason. His response?

“It doesn’t bother me at all. They’re coming at the wrong person when they try coming at me. I don’t listen to nothing,” Woodley said.

To ask Woodley, it wasn't his weight at all, rather his injuries (hamstring and ankle) that kept him from performing. Injuries, in particular his ankle, which he says are healing fine.

But, while Woodley may be distancing himself from the anonymous pyroclastic comments for now, he will need a strong year to make them go away completely. He began process by training in Arizona at Performance Enhancement Professionals at the urging of his teammate Ryan Clark, who has himself been training there for years. Woodley won't say how much he weighs, but his position coach, Keith Butler, approves.

"Whatever he did, it appears to be right," Butler said. "The biggest thing is we've got to (do is) keep him on the field....He's working on it."

On the field and upright...save when he is laying on top of QBs. Sacks are important, but not just sacks alone, it's also when you get them. You have to put teams in bad down-and-distances early (1st & 2nd downs) consistently to get sacks. Those sacks then lead to mistakes and turnovers. Speaking of which...

4) CORTEZ ALLEN - "I think I've shown an ability to make plays in the defensive system," Cortez Allen said.

Ya think???

Tez Allen was a turnover machine at right cornerback when he replaced the injured Ike Taylor late last year. In the final two games, Tez had two interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, making him a breakout player to watch next season. - http://tinyurl.com/nxwfxhp

That kind of play from him is going to be paramount to a Steelers defense that simply hasn't been getting turnovers like they had in the past. Especially with a still very capable but aging Taylor on the other side. He and the other youth in the Steelers defensive backfield know this all too well, though, as the coaches had them working on it feverishly at OTAs and minicamp.

"We're working on it everyday, doing more ball drills, more emphasis on attacking the ball so we can do better in that category," Tez said.

5) TROY POLAMALU - The Tasmanian Devil. The Flyin' Hawaiian. The Elder Statesman. For several years now Troy Polamalu has been the face, well, maybe the hair, of the Steelers organization. When he is healthy and his body is in perfect union with his instincts, he has no equal.

So often over the years, where he went is where the Steelers defense went. We could easily throw out the stats that show the win-loss record when he isn't available, the statistical drop-off that occurs when he isn't in the lineup, etc... But we've already done that several times. The bottom line is that a healthy Polamalu means a greater chance at W's for the Steelers.

In order to assure he is healthy and can help generate those W's, he added a new physical therapist aimed at working out the scar tissue in his often-injured calf, the one that caused him so much trouble in the 2012 season. He feels good now, but he wants that to continue. - http://tinyurl.com/mj9wfgf

We're coming upon the twilight of Polamalu's career and it won't be long before he takes his Head & Shoulders and gets the follicle outta Dodge. But if one more healthy season can be squeezed out of out beloved Polamalu, he just might help take the Steelers somewhere they haven't been lately - January.

~

TIDBITS: There are two whom we felt, for one reason or another, reasons which we will illuminate, didn't quite fit into this particular mold. Those receive honorable mention, and they are:

Cameron Heyward - As the third-year defensive end continues progressing, many feel he is doing so more slowly than he should. Heyward had similar stats to fellow DE Ziggy Hood in getting 1.5 sacks and five QB hurries - but he did it in 1/3 the snaps (only 267). So while Hood will be playing for a contract, Heyward will still be trying to establish for the first time that he is an every-down player. That said, and as Ralph Paulk of the Trib points out, Heyward "finds himself in the unenviable position of being labeled a bust if he doesn't improve on the rather pedestrian numbers he put up the past two seasons." - http://tinyurl.com/mm2r2pc

Lawrence Timmons - For the exact opposite reasons, Timmons is among the honorable mentions: he's a straight up BEAST. Arguably among the top three inside linebackers in the NFL. We expect him to wreak havoc. So he has to there regardless. Whether he was in coverage, stuffing the run or rushing the QB, "Juan" is coming off a very strong season of 106 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions. Timmons is poised to become a cornerstone of the team and, as just as the team expects, he expects to be a "game-changer." - http://tinyurl.com/lvmfvbd

Steelers Secondary Is Of Primary Concern

Once again this NFL offseason, the focus for the Pittsburgh Steelers' top-ranked defense has been to generate more turnovers. And both defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and defensive backs coach Carnell Lake have emphasized the need for them to do just that.

The paltry numbers they’ve generated the past two seasons have been embarrassingly low. Bottom-half-of-the-NFL low. The defense took the ball away 20 times, which was the eighth fewest in the NFL. In 2011, there were even worse with only 15 takeaways.

In 2012, the Steelers ranked 24th in the NFL in turnover differential at a -10, and 28th in TO differential in 2011 at a -13. Those defenses may have been No. 1, but the only numbers that truly mattered were 8-8.

This is trend that must desist if the team is serious about contending for the playoffs and the possibly Super Bowl again this season. Not that they can just flip a switch to make that happen, but Art Rooney II made a salient point in his State of the Steelers postseason interview back in January as to what a remedy may be.

"We need to get more pressure on the quarterback," Rooney II said, "because as everyone will tell you that creates turnovers."

He's correct. If It Ain't Steel covered that interview and quoted some telling statistics regarding the subject. In the 2008 Super Bowl season, the Steelers posted 51 sacks and 29 takeaways, and in the 2010 Super Bowl season, they had 48 sacks and 35 takeaways. Compare that to the previous 2011 and 2012 stats, and the turnover stats of the teams that made the playoffs, and the point is well-made. - http://tinyurl.com/lahlacl

The front seven side of those stats will be covered in an upcoming piece. As for the secondary itself, it allowed the fewest passing yards in the NFL for the second consecutive season. And as the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly brought to light in a recent article, they also have something very important: experience.

"This will be the eighth consecutive season (Ike) Taylor, (Ryan) Clark and (Troy) Polamalu have played together — the most consecutive seasons of any trio in the league — and with the potential of Cortez Allen, the Steelers' defensive backfield could rival some of the best of the past decade." - http://tinyurl.com/kavmvcz

The experience advantage presented by the triumvirate Kaboly mentioned and the youth and "potential" of Cortez Allen brings to mind the knock against them made the NFL Network's version of Champ Kind, Warren Sapp.

Sapp once again called the Steelers "old and slow" and said that "three of the four secondary guys there are 32 years old or older." While that's true, what is being ignored is the youth being infused into the Steelers defense, including the secondary. Tez Allen is especially exciting because of the potential impact he could have. Tez went on a turnover surge at the end of last season, and the hope is that he can make 2013 his own.

"I'm not that type to make predictions or boast about myself....I just come to work every day and try to get better and better so I can help my team the best I can," said Tez. "I think I've shown an ability to make plays in the defensive system." - http://t.co/RX7JvMEw06

He isn't the only one who has a golden opportunity to shine for the Steelers. Nor is he the only one who actually does have speed. Contrary to the Sapp's comment, all three of the aforementioned triad have sub 4.5/40 speed (with Polamalu and Taylor still being 4.4 in the 40). Add to that some young blood that could make an impact this season.

Second-year man Robert Golden has potential at safety, so much potential that the Steelers forwent drafting a second one, but nonetheless had an inauspicious beginning last season.

“It was a surreal feeling,” Golden said of the Dallas Cowboys game where he was victimized. “Then we had a little blown coverage. We didn’t get the stretch call. They had two verticals up the seam and we were in a cover 3 and kind of back playing between both and couldn’t make that play.”

But the young safety has the requisite skills and speed to prove he isn't simple pyrite. The golden ticket is in his mentally picking up the defensive stratagems. (I've got lots of these for him.) Fellow safety Clark said as much about him.

"He’s a guy who jumps off the film talent-wise, speed-wise," said Clark. "What Rob has to do is show the jump as far as knowledge, dependability, durability. - http://t.co/6BzEtGnSY7

Curtis Brown, was picked ahead of Tez in the 2011, but has fallen behind him on the depth chart. Brown will not only have to beat out young teammates Isaiah Green, Josh Victorian and DeMarcus Van Dyke (all of whom are sub 4.45/40) for defensive snaps, but also veteran William Gay. Behind The Steel Curtain broke down what awaits the young cornerback who's heading into his third year. - http://tinyurl.com/bxdgymo

Terry Hawthorne was listed among Steel City Insider's 'Players to Watch' list written by Jim Wexell. Hawthorne is very fast, but very raw. Still, Carnell Lake really likes what sees.

"What I like about Terry is that he has a lot of upside potential that I see in him," Lake said. "He is big. He is fast. He doesn't mind tackling, and he can play press coverage well, kind of in the same way as an Ike Taylor."

At 6'0", 195 lbs., Hawthorne has starting potential, but his biggest impact this season will likely come on special teams. But Lake, who has former teammate and Steeler great Rod Woodson coaching with him via an internship throughout Camps, likes his 4.44/40 speed, his fluidity in the hips, his ability to hit and other tools to contribute down the line.

All-in-all, that "old and slow" Steelers defense finished atop the NFL defensive rankings. Then, just for good measure, they went out and became the top-rated unit again last season. Now they've added youth and speed to make sure to, not only lock down that No. 1 spot again, but to turnover their recent misfortunes and make it mean something in January.

Youth Being Infused Into Steelers Defense

As the 2013 offseason progresses and more information about the Pittsburgh Steelers and their draft class is disseminated, two things come into focus fairly quickly: the defense will be younger and the draft class has, well, class.

Despite many fans being up in arms over the re-signing of Buck linebacker Larry Foote to a three-year contract (only two of which he'll see), or the keeping of oft-injured Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly pointed out that the age of the Steelers defense is steadily dropping.

"[T]he Steelers have progressively gotten younger while keeping the core of their No. 1-ranked defense intact," Kaboly wrote, "which isn’t very easy to do."

"In fact," he continued, "the 'old' Steelers defense has been able to knock off a year every season and, if projections hold true for this year and into next, the Steelers will have gone from 31.1 years of age to 28.2 within a span of three offseasons without any glaring holes in the lineup and reduce their 30-year-olds on defense to as few as two in 2014 … or even less." - http://tinyurl.com/d9xs8kh

One of the younger members of the defense who has been vilified by many over the last year or so because of his weight issues and work ethic is LaMarr Woodley. After being injured and out of shape much of the last two seasons, he has been called out by his position coach -- "Don’t come to camp weighing 290" -- and by an anonymous teammate -- "He was awful. He tells us he works out, but we didn't see it. He wasn't in shape. That has to be a reason why he was always hurt."

But just a few weeks ago, Woodley let his critics know that he is ready to "get after it," saying that his "offseason is going great."

"I'm looking forward to getting back with the team in a few weeks," Woodley said per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I've been training since the middle of February ...It was a disappointing season being 8-8 and not making the playoffs. It was disappointing at the end of the day....I said this offseason I'd be determined to get after it."

Others who look to be determined are cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen who, as If It Ain't Steel related a couple of weeks ago, are working together with To Shaw down at Wide World of Sports complex in Florida. Per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Allen has had some praiseworthy words for Taylor who is becoming a mentor.

"Ike is one of the hardest workers I've met," said Allen. "Seeing the way he does things is something that I would one day like to model. I'm getting a close-up view of what it takes to play 10 years in this league."

"We know what's required in the scheme of what we do," he continued. "We know how to push one another. We have to coach each other. We're making one another and the team better as a whole."

With Allen slated to get his chance to start next season opposite Taylor, joining him in this training and mentoring is ideal for 'making one another...better.'

Another who is actually in battle for a roster spot is inside linebacker Marshall McFadden, about whom Mark Kaboly effervesced when speaking of his "power and potential." Because of some CBA technicality, 2012 wasn't an accrued season for McFadden, so he was given with an opportunity to participate in the team's rookie Minicamp, which he called a "refresher."

"When I came in last year during rookie minicamp I was struggling to understand things because it was all so new to me," said McFadden. "Coming in this year and taking that step again, it was an introduction again. It was great for me because I got a better understanding because I had a year to develop. My mind is clear enough to understand it this year. It was a great refresher for me."

"I am classified as someone that has to take a big step this year," McFadden continued. "Once the OTAs start, it can do nothing but help me by knowing what to do, playing faster, knowing where to be, where to go. This was perfect for it."

McFadden, who led the Steelers last preseason in total tackles, spent most of the 2012 on the practice squad, although he did see time on the active roster late in the year due to injuries. Don't count him out for 2013.

Then there is 23-year old, 5'10", 180-pound cornerback Isaiah Green, the second-year man out of Fresno State. Per Behind The Steel Curtain, he wants to be more than just a Training Camp body. In the article they wrote about him, and according to his Fresno State bio, Green has a "nose for the ball" all the requisite physical skills, making him another to watch in Latrobe:

"...a fast and athletic player who will is expected to see action in the secondary and on special teams ... penciled in as a starting cornerback heading into fall camp ... one of the fastest players on the team with a 4.29 40-yard dash." - http://tinyurl.com/d795cnq

Last but not least there is outside linebacker Adrian Robinson, the speed rusher from last season. We'll be focising on him in an upcoming piece.

As for the rookies, it's easy to get excited about this year's draft class. Not only because of what they will bring to the field, but also because they seem to exude what the 2012 class was bereft of: common sense and maturity.

First, there is Jarvis Jones, the southern gentleman. Shamarko Thomas, as we told you recently, will 'work hard until his hands and his feet fall off.' Plus, two others who could end up being steals and contributors this season: the Black Cat and The Destroyer.

When Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake speaks of rookie Terry Hawthorne, he tends to mention one thing fairly often: "He is fast." 4.31/40 fast.

"What I like about Terry," Lake said, "is that he has a lot of upside potential that I see in him. I think he has all the physical tools. He is big. He is fast. He doesn't mind tackling, and he can play press coverage well, kind of in the same way as an Ike Taylor."

Hawthorne himself is saying all the right things, such as his proclamation that he'll 'do whatever he can to help the team' and to turn the corner.

"I'm just trying to get my technique down," Hawthorne said. "They've been correcting me on my technique. I had bad technique. As I'm getting my technique better, they're starting to get a little more comfortable with me....It gives me a great advantage for them to correct my technique now." - http://t.co/goD1wdnudG

Another to keep your eye on is inside linebacker Vince Williams. When Steelers Digest's Bob Labriola was on the Steelers Live show this past Tuesday and was asked if any other player had caught his eye over the minicamp weekend, Williams was his focus.

"The one guy that I kind of noticed was Vince Williams," Labriola said. "He would be the second pick in the sixth round, an inside linebacker from Florida State. Vince Williams, a couple of the things that I liked about him, were first of all, it wasn't very long into the on field sessions when Vince Williams was instructing teammates about where they needed to be, and shifting and those kind of things.

"Vince Williams did a lot of the defensive play calling during his college career and it seems like he has a very high football IQ and it seemed to me," he continued, "watching from the side, that that was a little bit on display right from the beginning."

Labriola continued by expounding on the main factor that's going to get him a spot on this roster, that "he's going to make special teams coordinator Danny Smith a very happy person."

"One of the main concepts, basic concepts of playing special teams, covering kicks, is find the guy with the ball, get the guy with the ball on the ground....This is a guy who will be able to find the guy with the ball and get him on the ground on special teams plays, and that alone could make him a very valuable part of the 2013 Steelers."

Despite head coach Mike Tomlin's disputing linebacker coach Keith Butler regarding Sean Spence as to whether he'll ever return or not, between McFadden and Williams, the question as to Spence's replacement may have been answered.

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TIDBITS: This doesn't feel right as a "tidbit," but Jack Butler, the great NFL Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Steeler, died Saturday morning. He was 85. Here is the statement by the Steelers: http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Steelers-statement-on-passing-of-Jack-Butler/93753b20-7311-4cb8-ad60-9f339e6e6bd8

Butler was just inducted into the Hall of Fame back in August and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette said that he had never seen him so happy. About a year before he was finally recognized by the Hall, If It Ain't Steel had written about the travesty of not having this great man donning a mustard-colored jacket. We leave you with the piece written at that time as it chronicles all of his accomplishments. RIP, Mr. Butler. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2011/08/jack-butler-should-be-in-hall-of-fame.html

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Steelers hire two in the family as scouts -- Dan Colbert, Kevin's son, and Mike Butler, son of deceased HOFer Jack Butler.
The Steelers also promote Phil Kreidler to college scouting coordinator to replace Ron Highes, who stays as an adviser. Mark Bruener was also promoted and had been a BLESTO scout for a couple of years.