Steelers Road To Playoffs Goes Through Dallas

We saw stunts into the "A" gap and crossfire blitzes seemingly all day with barely a tipping of the hand as to who was actually coming. It's something that Pittsburgh Steelers fans are used to seeing when their team plays.

It's just that this time, it was the Steelers who were on the receiving end of those blitzes.

The Steelers had a taste of some of their own medicine. More than once this year, Mike Tomlin and his staff have been out-coached by the competition, as was particularly evident against the Chargers last week.

This has to stop if the Steelers are to pave a road to the playoffs. Period.

The Steelers have had problems with teams .500 and below for the last 10+ years. Per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Bob Smizik, Tomlin is .354 (11 losses) and former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher was .225 (7 losses) in his last 93 games. - http://tinyurl.com/d6blse6

At least the Dallas Cowboys have a winning record. And one of the ways the Steelers can attack them is through ball control, especially on the right side.

The Steelers tried going deep a little too often last week, whether out of design or necessity. Shortening the game with both an array short passes, including slants and screens, and effective ball control would be the beginning of getting a win Sunday and going forward.

Look at it big picture for a minute. If, IF, the Steelers are to make a long run in the playoffs, an effective run game and short passing game is the best defense against a Peyton Manning and/or a Tom Brady, i.e. keep it out of their hands. Getting back to ball control is only advantageous for the Steelers.

To start, especially on first and second downs, shorter passes will help the Steelers offensive line when dealing with the likes of DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer. Left tackle Max Starks, whom offensive coordinator Todd Haley says not to jinx, had relative success against Ware in their last meeting, holding Ware to four tackles and only one sack.

Don't misunderstand, though, a few well-thrown deep balls for the receivers to convert (ahem) will make sure to take advantage as well, even if concussed cornerback Morris Claiborne plays.

Heath Miller was having a great season before the injury to Ben Roethlisberger. Since then, he’s been missing too much, including early against San Diego. Miller creates a mismatch because it's difficult to cover him adequately while also covering the receiving corps. A few passes to him clears space for the receivers. - http://tinyurl.com/d7ubsqg

Speaking of receivers, this might be a game to use more of Plaxico Burress, who saw all of approximately seven snaps against the Chargers.

Reliability and hunger might just be a good mix for the Steelers passing game.

The Cowboys are also a team that can be run on from the middle-to-right side of the field. In their last four games, they've given up an average of 149 yards on the ground with 58% of those yards running between the center and the right end.

Hopefully, the Steelers can do that with two rookies manning the right side and center Maurkice Pouncey coming off his worst game of the season. Points which Haley addressed Thursday. - http://blog.steelers.com/2012/12/13/coordinators-corner-haley-lebeau-5/

"For several years now, he has been one of the better pass rushers in the NFL," said defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau of LaMarr Woodley. "When he is in there, you are going to pick up the rush."

The Steelers catch a break with LaMarr Woodley coming back this week. If It Ain't Steel has recounted his limitations in the past, but he is still good to have around when considering the defense's two main priorities: Tony Romo and Jason Witten.

Tony Romo is tough and elusive. If he is allowed to be mobile, he can be dangerous. Keep him in the pocket and his effectiveness is lessened. Dallas' offensive line has its issues...but so did San Diego's. Nonetheless, hitting and pressuring Romo into quick throws is key. - http://tinyurl.com/cykfpwq

The lack of pressure on Rivers allowed him to complete 18 of 31 passes for 132 yards on throws of 10 yards or less beyond the line of scrimmage. Tony Romo isn't that patient, especially not when being harassed. This will be important for a turnover-prone quarterback.

Speaking of catching a break, Blogging The Boys had some very telling things to say about the Cowboys' right tackle Doug Free's deficiencies. Something Woodley and Jason Worilds can hopefully take advantage of Sunday.

"Break is what a lot of fans probably did while watching Doug Free's blocking attempts on the Eagles Wide 9," said the article. "He was routinely beaten; relinquishing sacks, holds, embarrassment, frustration and curse words." - http://tinyurl.com/cxeccrg

The lack of pressure hurt the Steelers last week. It can't be allowed to happen vs. Dallas. That becomes even more evident when considering the tight end on the other side of the field.

Jason Witten is just as important to Dallas as Miller is to the Steelers. He’s Tony Romo’s hot read, a load to bring down and must be nullified. With a healthy Troy Polamalu back on the field, he must be used to keep Witten in check.

If Dallas' Dez Bryant is hindered, that leaves Romo to force things to Witten and Miles Austin. That is much easier to defend. The longer you make Romo go though his progressions, the easier it could be to get to him.

Being that the Steelers will be down two cornerbacks Sunday, as both Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen sidelined with injuries, the Nickel and Dime packages are up for grabs.

Both Curtis Brown and Josh Victorian are should see time in Taylor's spot, and undrafted rookie safety Robert Golden is expected to line up in the Nickel.

But Golden, a good tackler and ball hawk, has only been in on two plays this season. So, as LeBeau pointed out Thursday, the Steelers will need all hands on deck.

The Steelers best defense going forward may just be a good, ball-control offense. If they can do that and also generate enough pressure on Romo, they can circumvent their first roadblock to the playoffs.

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TIDBITS: INJURY/PRACTICE REPORT: Steelers - Mike Adams, Willie Colon and Ike Taylor are out; Cortez Allen is doubtful; Everybody else is probable.

Dallas - NT Ratliff is out. WR Bryant, CB Claiborne, G Livings, OLB Ware all questionable. Ware (elbow) didn't practice all week.

Josh Victorian, DeMarcus VanDyke and Robert Golden all saw reps in Nickel.

Per Bob Labriola: "Flu bug hitting the Steelers. This week, Harrison, ABrown, Sylvester, Warren all miss practice because of illness."

LS Greg Warren, LB Stevenon Sylvester, WR Antonio Brown all missed Friday's practice due to the virus.

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With the debut of David DeCastro, the Steelers will start their 22nd different offensive line configuration in Sean Kugler's 46 regular-season games on Sunday.

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The Steelers defense has played so softly, the NFL doesn't even fine them anymore. Ed Bouchette explains why: http://sulia.com/channel/pittsburgh-steelers-vs-dallas-cowboys/f/c949bb7f-7d92-4888-af74-5372fdc1d4c1/?source=twitter

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Is the Steelers offense part of the reason the defense isn't getting turnovers? ESPN's David Todd says it might be one of them: http://www.970espn.com/pages/970_david_todd.html?article=10641486

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Mike Tomlin's statement on Rashard Mendenhall:
"Obviously, last Sunday he was not at the game and I deem those actions a detriment to our efforts. I stated as such when I met with him and that there were going to be repercussions of it. He accepted it. He looks forward to coming back and re-joining this team and being a positive contribution to our efforts the rest of the way. Obviously there is frustration with this situation, understandably, but we all have a job to do. I require all guys to remain professional regardless of personal circumstances. He didn't meet the standard in that regard and accepted the consequences of it. So hopefully this will be a lesson learned not only for him but for everyone and we will be able to move on from it. Right now, our focus is the guys who are here and their preparation in an effort to pursue victory this weekend."

Steelers vs. Cowboys - Historic Rivalry Renewed

The Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Does anymore really need to be said? This is NFL history. This is NFL greatness.

Big D. Cowboys Stadium and the Ring of Honor.
The Confluence of Three Rivers. Heinz Field. The Blast Furnace.

The star on the helmet.
The hypocycloid symbol of steel on the helmet.

The Hat. The Hair. Jerry Jones.
Noll. Cowher Power. The Coolest Coach in the NFL. The Rooneys.

Eight Super Bowls. Five wins.
Eight Super Bowls. Six wins.

Team of the 90's.
Team of the 70's.

15-15 in all-time head-to-head meetings.

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
...ok, ya got us there.

Sunday will see two of the most storied NFL franchises butt heads again when the Steelers travel to Arlington, Texas to face the Cowboys.

The teams that boast 35 (primary) Hall of Famers and 11 Super Bowl rings renew what is quite possibly the best rivalry in the NFL. All respect due to the Bears and Packers, the Raiders and Chargers, the Cowboys and Redskins and the Steelers and Browns, this is as good as it gets because three of those meeting have been for NFL supremacy.

Each Super Bowl battle was historic unto itself. Each had all the pomp and circumstance befitting royalty and all the bad blood befitting the Hatfields and the McCoys.

In Steelers-Cowboys I, there was the 64-yard touchdown pass by Terry Bradshaw, a split-second before Cowboys defensive tackle Larry Cole buried him, to wide receiver Lynn Swann that sealed the win. It is still considered one of the greatest passes in NFL playoffs history. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9s-EFNz0i4

There was Jack Lambert treating Cliff Harris like his son. I will never get tired of watching that. Never. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=q3RQ_xhLK-4&feature=endscreen

They had their share of comedy too.

Before Super Bowl XIII, Steelers-Cowboys II, who could forget Cowboys linebacker Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson famously calling Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw so dumb that he couldn't "spell 'cat' if you spotted him the C and the T?" I know our dearly departed friend Michele couldn't.

Bradshaw got his revenge by torching the Cowboys, going 17 for 30 for a then-record 318 yards, his first 300-passing game, and four touchdowns in a 35-31 win. Bradshaw, Michele's favorite player, won the Most Valuable Player award. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68SoIhJ-pSY

After the game when Henderson was asked about his comments, he said that he said Bradshaw was dumb, not that he couldn't play.

Play he did, saving his best performances for the big games. Bradshaw passed for more than 300 yards in a game only seven times, but three of those came in the post-season, and two of those in Super Bowls.

In four career Super Bowl appearances, he passed for 932 yards and 9 touchdowns, both Super Bowl records at the time of his retirement. In 19 postseason games, he completed 261 passes for 3,833 yards.

His counterpart during that time was Roger Staubach. An All-American and Heisman Trophy winner (1963), Roger the Dodger was a true leader, guiding the Cowboys to four Super Bowls and nine consecutive winning seasons. Also known as "Captain Comeback," he was once described by long-time Cowboys head coach Tom Landry as "possibly the best combination of a passer, an athlete and a leader to ever play in the NFL."

Both teams were known just as much for their defenses, though. The "Doomsday Defense" in Dallas and the "Steel Curtain" in Pittsburgh terrorized offenses.

Men like Bob Lilly, Ed "Too Tall" Jones and the only two defensive players to win Super Bowl co-MVP honors: defensive tackle Randy "Manster" White and defensive end Harvey Martin.

Names like "Mean" Joe Greene, "Captain" Jack Lambert, and NFL-rules changer, Mel Blount. The only three men to win consecutive NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards (1974-1976).

While each team took a step back in the 1980s, only two conference championship games between them, each saw a resurgence of their prominence and their rivalry in the 1990s.

The Cowboys became dominant first when oil magnate Jerry Jones purchased the Cowboys from H.R. Bright. Soon after, Jones fired the legendary Landry, to that point the only coach in the team's history, in favor of his former Arkansas Razorback teammate, Jimmy Johnson. He then forced out longtime general manager Tex Schramm, and assumed complete control.

Johnson had an ability to find talent in the draft and to make savvy trades. Specifically, he orchestrated maybe the greatest (or worst, depending on which side you were on) trade ever with the trade of Herschel Walker. The trade yielded six high draft picks and a number of players, 11 players in all, from the Minnesota Vikings.

That trade gave birth to "triplets", quarterback Troy Aikman, running back Emmitt Smith and a reunion with Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Michael Irvin. The boys were back.

The Steelers resurrection wasn't the hostile takeover that was seen in Dallas. The Rooneys never lost control of the Steelers and Chuck Noll bowed out gracefully. In came "The Chin," Bill Cowher.

Cowher started to win right away. He still had Noll's players, but he infused new life into the team and into the franchise.

In his first four years, Cowher went 43-21 and captained his '95 team to a spot in Super Bowl XXX against (who else?) the Cowboys. Steelers-Cowboys III was a loss, but it had it's moments as well.

Steelers linebacker and resident enforcer Greg Lloyd announced on national television that he and his teammates needed to go down to Arizona and get...well, listen for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvxLbYrX4Pg

Then, there was Cowboy's gun-for-hire Deion "Primetime" Sanders who said that he wouldn't be shown up by Steelers wide receiver/quarterback/half back Kordell Stewart. He jokingly said that he wanted to do everything "Slash" did. "If he punts," Primetime said, "I want to punt."

After falling behind early in what looked to be another NFC Super Bowl blowout, the Steelers started to establish their ground game and come back.

Rod Woodson had already informed Michael Irvin that he was there to play, and Emmitt Smith had half of his 49 rushing yards on one play. Now Bam Morris was starting to run roughshod over them, pulling the Steelers to 20-17.

Then the unthinkable happened, providing the most lasting memory by a certain quarterback who inexplicably...he...I'm sorry, I just can't. Watch for yourself what happened for SECOND time in the game in the SAME way in the SAME area of the field to the SAME player: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FMFYttADU

After that "MVP" performance, Larry Brown left the Cowboys and went into the NFL's version of the Witness Protection Program at the time, the Oakland Raiders. As alluded to, he was never heard from again.

I'm over it, though. Mainly because I killed the quarterback in question in January of 2006 to memorialize the event.

The rivalry was renewed after seven years apart in 2004 with the Steelers completing that comeback, 24-20.

Though the names have changed, the mystique and pomp haven't. Nor has the bad blood...or the desire for bragging rights.

Steelers quarterback Big Ben Roethlisberger, who is re-writing the Steelers record book, said Wednesday that "if the Cowboys are 'America's Team' then the Steelers are 'The World's Team'."

Then James Harrison, Steelers latest scary linebacker, accused Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who's done some erasing of his own to Dallas' record book, of mocking the Steelers four years ago in the Steelers 20-13 win in 2008. - http://tinyurl.com/bfwthe7

Yes, it's still the Cowboys and Steelers. 'Nuff said.