Darrius Heyward-Bey: Prove Me Wrong.

Monday morning, Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review posted an article regarding the "new Steelers receivers," Lance Moore and, specifically for the sake of this, Darrius Heyward-Bey, "deep on NFL experience." 

In the piece, Kaboly wrote that "what Heyward-Bey offers (even more than his 4.2 speed)" is "experience." 

Granted, he does have experience in the way of 63 starts in 72 career games. He has 169 receptions in those games for a total of 2,380 yards, and he can play both the X- and Z-receiver roles.

“They think I am fast....If that is what they need me to do — to be the deep threat — that's what I will do. If they need me blocking, then sure. If they need me on special teams....I am a team-first guy,” said Heyward-Bey. “....I know a lot of different places to play on the field. Some guys are handcuffed to one spot, where I feel like I am intelligent.” - http://tinyurl.com/lt4lgj4

To my knowledge no one ever questioned his intelligence. For that matter, neither were his heart, his work ethic nor his speed (which, by the way, is actually 4.3/40). 

In a recent blog post, If It Ain't Steel wrote that "speed alone won't get Hermes to Mount Olympus. Nor does it get an NFL player gridiron success."

Remember Clifford Franklin? As Jimmy McGinty said about him: "Great attitude, great desire, and THE fastest son of a b**ch I've ever seen." With the reply to that being, "Yeah, but can he catch?" (Ok, that was from the movie The Replacements. But it's a damn good segue.)

Last season, Football Outsiders had Heyward-Bey with a -24.5 DVOA for the season and a -63 rating - 83 out of 90 eligible receivers - and only a 45% catch rate. - http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/wr

Comparatively, Pro Football Focus had Heyward-Bey graded at -9.4 on passing plays, worst among qualifying receivers. Heyward-Bey so bad that he was pulled at halftime of the November 14 Tennessee Titans game last season. 

Why? His hands. Or lack thereof. 

Digging deeper into Pro Football Focus showed that Heyward-Bey dropped an average of 14.18% of the catchable targets in his final three years with the Oakland Raiders. But he was even worse last year, dropping over 23.5% of catchable targets, five per game average, and ranking next to last of qualifying receivers. 

So "experience", 'intelligence' and speed are all well and good, but they mean nothing if they don't translate into catches. 

Richard Mann and the rest of the Steelers' offensive staff believe they can work with him and make Shinola out of...well, you know. 

Where Heyward-Bey has found success in the past is when he got the ball in space, targeting him on slants, curls, screens, etc...giving him the opportunity to get yards after the catch. 

Can he do that for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Yes, offensive coordinator Todd Haley can certainly design such plays, but Lance Moore and Dri Archer both can perform in those capacities. 

Can he use his speed and fill the role of the X receiver vacated by Mike Wallace? Yes, but that would be akin to breaking up with your girlfriend...and getting with her twin sister. At least in this scenario it would be. Not only that, but that was why Markus Wheaton was drafted last season. 

Can he also defy the odds and move up the depth chart to secure a spot on the final 53-man roster? Yes, it is possible - possible, but not probable. Not probable in our estimation with Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, Lance Moore, rookie Martavis Bryant, Derek Moye and Justin Brown all in front of him, with the latter of whom having impressed the coaches in OTAs thus far. 

Add Archer as de facto wide receiver and it gets harder and harder to find a spot for him. 

Can he? Yes. Will he? Likely not. The numbers say no. History says no. I say no. But, hey, prove me wrong. 

Steelers Want Roethlisberger For Life, Look To Get Him Big Target

"We've got to have Ben (Roethlisberger) retire as a Steeler. There's no doubt about that."

Those were the words of Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II last month when talking about a contract extension for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He said that he wants the franchise quarterback to finish his career where he started it.

Fast forward to Wednesday of this week and General Manager Kevin Colbert mimicked that same sentiment during an interview on 93.7 The Fan.

“We all recognize we are very fortunate to have a franchise quarterback,” Colbert said. “He still has a lot of tread on the tires. We feel great about how last season finished and we hope to build on that. It’s unanimous we all want Ben to finish his career here.” - http://tinyurl.com/lho3xsf

To win in the NFL, you need some skill as well as some luck. To win consistently in today's NFL, as in three Super Bowl appearances and two wins in 10 years type of consistently, you need great quarterback play. And the Steelers have great quarterback play.

Last season, despite his horrendous start, ended up having a very good year. He ranked among the top NFL QBs (with a minimum 290 pass attempts) in QB Rating (92.0), touchdown passes (28), passing yards (4,261), completion percentage (64.2%) and in comp. pct. when under pressure (per Pro Football Focus).

Big Ben also played every snap in throwing for those yards while setting a Steelers record for completions in a season (375). He had a 2-to-1 TD/INT ratio and becoming the franchise's career leader in TD passes (219).

Since 2004, his rookie year, Big Ben also ranks fourth among QBs in the regular season with 95 wins (T.Brady-114, P.Manning-113, and D.Brees-100), and second in Super Bowl wins.

Naturally, then, they should and do want to extend him in order to keep him in town. The question is as to when as both Rooney II and Colbert have both been confident yet non-committal.

"When both sides are able to come together on an extension," Rooney II further said. "I don't know when that will be, but there's no doubt we look at Ben as somebody who's going to be here for the long term and hopefully five or more years."

In the meantime, what is known is that, according to Beaver County Times last week, WRs Markus Wheaton, Derek Moye and Justin Brown traveled to Irvine, CA to work with Big Ben.

"It was really about (Roethlisberger) getting a feel for some of us a little bit more," said Moye. This was also done in part because Emmanuel Sanders is not expected to return. - http://tinyurl.com/mng7ntk

As far as what is known that the Steelers as an organization is doing is that they are looking to do something else that will potentially please the franchise passer.

In an interview with Adam Lefkoe of the courier-journal.com, Gerry Dulac reiterated information that If It Ain't Steel had quoted him as saying before - that the Steelers will go after a big/big-play wide receiver early in May's NFL Draft. He elaborated on what he'd formerly said.

"I believe that they are going to target a tall wide receiver in the first round of the draft. .... I don't think there's any question, Adam, that one of the guys they've liked all along is Mike Evans from Texas A&M. He's...a former basketball player, big guy - 6'5", 225 pounds. Goes up and gets the ball, very athletic."

ASIDE: As the NFL Combine has begun its measurements of QBs and WRs, with the actual pageantry beginning this weekend, we now know that Evans is actually 6'4 5/8" and 231 pounds.

Dulac continued with the other WR that he believes the Steelers want to possibly get for Big Ben when he said, "It's hard not to like Sammy Watkins, the kid from Clemson.

As Dulac pointed out, Colbert saw the (currently) 6'1", 205-pound Watkins in person earlier this year and he believes that one of the two is at the top of the Steelers list.

"When Kevin Colbert talks about wide receivers, tall WRs, he talks about guys who can play big. But there's no question the Steelers wants to get a receiver who was tall enough that makes it easier for Ben Roethlisberger to complete passes to."

The only foreseeable problem with this is that I can't see either of those players still around at pick No. 15 where the Steelers sit. Nor will the Steelers reach. If they aren't available, there are several other big WRs who could be gotten between their first and second (46) picks.

Kelvin Benjamin, 6'5"/240 LBs, Florida State: 1st round - A rare combination of size (4% body fat) and speed - says he hopes to run a 4.3/40 at Combine on Sunday. A physical mismatch vs. defensive backs and linebackers. Very smooth with the media at the Combine podium. Says he's "gonna come work everyday." - http://t.co/PAYxJEGbGk

Strong, will go across the middle, great at catching jump-balls at apex (ask Auburn), superb body control, fluid, good separation speed, adjusts and tracks well over his shoulder, very good YAC, and does not go down easy. (Not that I've followed him or anything...)

Allen Robinson, 6'3"/210 LBs, Penn State: 1st-2nd round - 2012 and 2013 Big 10 Receiver of the Year. Third-team AP All-American. "Fluid and flexible athlete for his larger frame with room to get stronger. Deceiving acceleration with sharp cuts to be a dangerous catch-and-go pass catcher," per CBSSports.com

Jordan Matthews, 6'3"/205 LBs, Vanderbilt: 2nd round - Good size/speed combination along with very good his hand/eye coordination and body control. Has pedigree as well: is cousin of Jerry Rice.

More in the coming weeks.

End of Steelers Season Portends Potentially Positive Future For Offense

A 2-6 start and a 6-2 finish to the season. Offense starts to really assert itself, with the defense doing what it can to assure wins. A young and dynamic player, barely 26-years old, beraks records as the team looks forward to a promising upcoming season.

But, enough about 2006.

The Pittsburgh Steelers ended another decade of home victories over their longtime rivals, the Cleveland Browns, and their 2013 season with a 20-7 win. There was still a slight chance at that point that they could've made the playoffs, with the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins having lost and the San Diego Chargers still to play, but then the referees had something to say about it. - http://tinyurl.com/kesvw6h

Instead of a playoff berth, the Steelers end the season as in 2006 with losing key games early that derailed a great second half of the season.

Mark that: the refs are not to blame for the Steelers not making the playoffs. There is an old saying in football - "Never let the officials determine the outcome of the game."

In actuality, it's the Steelers themselves who are to blame. From Art Rooney II, to GM Kevin Colbert, to head coach Mike Tomlin, to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and all the way down to Steely McBeam. (Alright, maybe not Steely.)

Early losses, starting 0-4 and 2-6, too many turnovers and too many big plays by the defense. Too many little things, too.

They say that football is a game of inches. That was never more apparently truthful than on Antonio Brown's half pitch-and-catch, half Hail Mary run up the sidelines to almost win the game against the Dolphins.

There were other little things, also. There was Isaac Redman's fumbled handoff near the goal line in their opening-day loss to the Titans. There was a key dropped pass in Cincinnati by tight end David Paulson. There were many overthrows by Big Ben that were off by inches against the Bears. And the team knows there was no sense losing against Oakland and Minnesota.

Big Ben was more inaccurate this season than people realize. Short passes and screens skew the actual completion percentage. Not to mention his plethora of turnovers - 20 and nearly half of them (nine) in the first four games alone.

Make no mistake, though, there were big plays too. A lot of them - 17 plays given up by the defense of 40 yards or more, including 11 of over 50 yards. Five of those those 17 plays, also, were runs and two of those were by quarterbacks.

Most all of this was early, though. The second half of the season was a smoother ride with only the Carolina Panthers (7-1) having a better second-half record than the Steelers (6-2):
It saw more points scored - 28.2 point average over the final nine games.
It saw a more efficient offense - 14-for-20 in the red zone in the final six games.
It saw fewer turnovers - from -11 in the first four games to +7 over the final eight.
It saw the defense tightening up on the big plays - no plays over 40 in the final six games and none over 50 in the final three.

In 2006, running back Willie Parker, who turned 26-years old during the season, broke the Steelers single-game rushing record, 218 yard by Frenchy Fuqua, when he ran for 223 yards against (guess who?) the Browns.

With his nine-reception, 87-yard effort today against the Browns, not-yet 26-year old wide receiver and team MVP Antonio Brown became the first player in NFL history to have at least five catches and 50 receiving yards in every regular season game.

Brown also broke Yancey Thigpen's single-season receiving yardage mark of 1398 by gaining a franchise-best 1499 yards. Though he finished the year with 110 receptions, that mark fell two shy of Hines Ward’s franchise-best 112 receptions. Still, Brown is just the second player in team history to break triple digits.

Tomlin referenced former outside linebacker James Harrison in his complementary acknowledgment of Brown's work ethic. Brown's season was the embodiment of consistency and something that Ben Roethlisberger has come to rely upon now. A level of trust and comfort that is somewhat unusual for a 5'10" wideout.

Brown also scored nine touchdowns (eight receptions and one punt return), answering the question as to where a loss scores would because of free agents lost. He deservedly earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl as a wide receiver this year. But he also made it this year as a punt returner, his second time doing so, making it the first time a Steelers player has been voted to the Pro Bowl at two positions since Rod Woodson (PR/RCB '89, '90).

There was talk recently about Brown's nomination as team MVP, claiming it should've gone to Big Ben who had a franchise record 375 completions, a 4,261-yard season, 2-to-1 TD/INT ratio and three more game-winning drives and/or fourth-quarter comeback.

We can see the arguments for a possible co-MVP award, but not for it clearly being Big Ben. In fact, there's no debate when considering, again, that he turned it over nine times leading almost single handedly to the team's 0-4 start.

Back to the receivers, the only issue now is a true No. 2 receiver, especially if Emmanuel Sanders leaves via free agency. Because of early offensive problems and hand injuries at two different points in the season, what the Steelers exactly have in Markus Wheaton isn't yet known. We saw flashes in preseason, but that was preseason.

The other wide receivers are Jerricho Cotchery, the Steelers leader in YAC and receiving touchdowns, and Derek Moye. Moye's size (6'5", 210lbs) is very attractive as a third down and red zone target if nothing else. Similar to that of practice squad rookie Justin Brown (6'3", 207lbs and a poor man's Keyshawn Johnson), whose chances to make the team increase if Manny does in fact leave.

With his total of 96 yards vs. the Browns (notice a trend developing here?), running back Le’Veon Bell finished his initial campaign with 1,259 yards from scrimmage - the most in Pittsburgh Steelers franchise history. He bettered the mark set by Franco Harris in 1972 when he gained 1,235 yards.

If you're saying to yourself, "But Bell had more games than Franco who did it in a 14-game season", you'd be wrong -  Bell missed the first three games of the season, meaning that he gained more yards than Franco did in one less game.

Bell rounded into a very good runner who is able to identify the open lane, and showed good hands (though, even by his own admission he dropped more than he should've) out of the backfield. His blocking was good and got better as the season went on as well - all things the Steelers saw in him and that If It Ain't Steel wrote about him coming out of college.

One of the things in particular we wrote about him was that his college career showed that he could run behind an offensive line that wasn't exactly "The Hogs." He was at home, then, in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers used nine different starters and between 12-16 different combinations of blockers this year, and it was hard for them to find stability between the injuries and ineffectiveness. But former seventh-rounder Kelvin Beachum, after second-rounder Mike Adams failed to hold him off, seemed to find himself the fixture at left tackle.

Right guard David DeCastro finally started playing up to his draft status as well, as the former first-rounder began road-running and mauling defenders. He looks to be the long-term anchor he was expected to be out of college.

The return of Pro Bowler Maurkice Pouncey and Fernando Velasco next season will present a good problem at center. Both can play center and guard and are interchangeable. Does Pouncey fit better at guard so as to concentrate on the opposing blocker and not the other assignments as well?

Even Marcus Gilbert solidified himself on the right tackle spot. He isn't exactly an All-Pro, but he holds his own in the run game and is surprisingly better in pass blocking. The opposite is the case with Ramon Foster. Don't be surprised to see the Steelers explore other options, even if only for competition and depth, in the May NFL Draft.

Regardless, their offensive line coach, Jack Bicknell, jr. - dealing with three centers and virtually countless rotations - looks like "Scotty" from Star Trek: the miracle worker. Should be a fixture in the Steel City for a long time.

But make no mistake, as we called them in a previous article, the Killa B's (Big Ben, Brown and Bell), barring contract/Salary Cap issues with Big Ben, are the key to the engine's offense moving forward and the brightest part of the immediate future.


UPDATE: Not more than 24 hours after we wrote this, Jack Bicknell, jr. was fired. The subject has since been covered in a subsequent piece.

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TIDBITS: Per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Alan Robinson, @arobinson_Trib on Twitter, the Steelers-Ravens game on "Thanksgiving night was 8th highest-rated show of fall TV season, according to NBC. Bears-Steelers was No. 11."

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Highlights from Mike Tomlin's final Press Conference:
On the season: "I'm really proud of the guys, the way they improved and the way they stuck together in the midst of adversity." Tomlin said he wouldn't "speak too soon" on potential staff or roster changes, or on "some of the natural business that needs to transpire."

On the 0-4 start: "We need to insulate ourselves a little better (from injury). I could adjust a little bit better schematically."

On the KC/SD situation: "We didn't state a strong enough case. I'm not going to lose sleep over something that went on in a stadium we weren't in." Said he saw Chargers illegal formation on TV and has received "calls, texts, emails" from NFL about it. "It doesn't change what transpired."

On NFL officiating: "There's a lot of work that needs to be done. I look forward to being part of the process of helping it improve."

Steelers Face Browns In Season-Ending Game - Will Lightning Strike Twice?

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be going into the final weekend of the 2013 NFL regular season with one goal: beat the Cleveland Browns.

Not only because they are the Steelers' longtime rivals and they always want to beat them, but it's also imperative because it is the only part of the Steelers' immediate future that they themselves can actually control. With them needing three teams - the Ravens, Dolphins and Chargers - to lose, the thing that the Steelers must do first is take care of home.

Though they did just that back in Week 12, in a 27-11 win in Cleveland, it wasn't the most impressive of showings. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for only 217 yards, they only ran for a total of 88 yards as a team and Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon torched them for 237 yards and a touchdown.

The maturation of the Steelers' offense, though, has seen scoring come more easily lately. This could bode well for the Steelers as the Browns have given up an average of 29.6 points per game over the last three weeks, with them being 0-3 in that span.

During that same period, the Browns have given up an average of 5.23 yards per rush per team. Which is something that should put a smile on the face of Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell and of those on the Steelers offensive line.

As for the defense as a whole, though, the Browns are still formidable. They rank 10th in total defense in yards against, ninth in pass defense and have collected 39 sacks. The Steelers will need all hands on deck in pass blocking and the passing game.

That means that if Steelers' WR Emmanuel Sanders, who is listed as "Questionable" for Sunday's game, isn't able to go, or if rookie WR Markus Wheaton is still limited, as he was in practice, by his fractured finger, we may see Derek Moye take the field.

It could also mean more from tight ends Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth, utilizing Miller in bunch-receiver formations and Spaeth in more of a traditional blocker-receiver tight end role, along with WR Jericho Cotchery and especially team MVP and Pro Bowler Antonio Brown.

"He's exceeded expectations," Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said of Brown. "{And} he's represented himself well as a No. 1 in this league." Haley also spoke on the situation with Manny and his "questionable" knee. - http://tinyurl.com/l28bvrg

Expect the Steelers to move Brown around in different formations to force the Browns to show their hands, allowing Big Ben to audible or check out of a pass into a run when applicable. Bell, who is recognizing his running lanes better now, runs very well out of a one-back set as it gives him a clean look at those lanes.

So, expect a lot of the Killa B's - Big Ben, Brown and Bell - early on to establish the offense, push them back on their heels and get on top allowing the defense to pin their ears back when they're on the field.

Speaking of the defense, Steelers DC Dick LeBeau says he 'expects to see Jason Campbell' at quarterback and that the Browns will likely use wildcat formations. - http://tinyurl.com/nxmct2s

Throwing for only one touchdown and four interceptions in the last two games he has played in means the Steelers will attack Campbell. The Steelers should attack with the zone blitz, confusing and hitting him causing him to press and throw when and where he doesn't want to, forcing the incompletions and turnovers of which Campbell is very capable.

One way to do this is to line up 2014 Pro Bowler Troy Polamalu in his pseudo-linebacker role to help Lawrence Timmons, Vince Williams, Jason Worilds and Jarvis Jones. They are essential in making Campbell as uncomfortable as possible because the Browns' running game has been suspect and they rely heavily on one person.

As stated earlier, Josh Gordon torched the Steelers for 237 receiving yards in their November meeting. Knowing his abilities, they don't want lightning to strike twice - "We need to stop him from catching it." - though, they may not have much say in the matter. - http://tinyurl.com/m2puepu

Gordon has been virtually scary in the last five weeks. Including the Steelers game, he has had 40 receptions for 813 yards, a 20.6 yard-per-catch clip. He is used in wildcat and/or stretch formations running the ball as the Browns are doing whatever they can to get him the ball.

Per Pro Football Focus, he is also third in the NFL in yards after the catch (YAC) with 629. To call him a formidable receiver is a gross understatement.

The key? "We need to stop him from catching it." Also, "the other team's quarterback must go down and he must go down hard." Plain and simple, hit Campbell early and often, force mistakes. 

As brought out earlier in the article, the Steelers had five sacks and a interception returned for a touchdown in the first meeting, and here, not with Gordon, is where they need lightning to strike twice.

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TIDBITS: Status report for Steelers vs Browns: LB Garvin is out; WR Sanders, OLB Worilds questionable. David DeCastro and everyone else is probable.

Worilds leads the Steelers in sacks (eight). Sanders is second on the team in targets (106), catches (65) and receiving yards (714). DDC, meanwhile, has started all but one game this season.

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Antonio Brown makes the Pro Bowl as both receiver and punt returner. Troy Polamalu makes it at strong safety.

No More Games For Steelers, Jets Are A Must-Win

In our last article, we discussed how the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been bereft of takeaways so far this season and how that this, along with a shortage of sacks (and not the taking away of ping-pong), needs to change for the team's long-term success. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/10/steelers-go-back-in-time-as-they.html

According to Elias Sports Bureau, the lack of takeaways has the Steelers on the verge of establishing an unenviable mark: no team in NFL history has failed to record a turnover five games into a season. 

That touches on one of the four things the Steelers must do to defeat the New York Jets. All of which we discuss below. 

Eliminate Turnovers - Well, not only have the Steelers not produced enough takeaways, but the offense has had too many giveaways. The offense has given the ball away 11 times in four games with the main culprit being quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. 

Big Ben has committed eight turnovers, throwing five interceptions and fumbling three times. While not every turnover was solely on him, he shoulders the majority of the blame. Steelers safety Ryan Clark even went so far as to say that the team isn't "playing well enough... (to) take sacks and have turnovers." 

Though Big Ben is well aware of this and endeavors to play a clean game, he isn't going to change his style of play.

“It is what it is. I’m just going to play the game the way that I play it and try not to turn it over,” Big Ben said. - http://tinyurl.com/ldnm95r

Offensive Line Gelling -Remember the scene in Blazing Saddles where Mongo punched the horse? Well, it's the only thing I could think of that was akin to a "beating a dead horse" analogy. Because that's what talking about this has become. Regardless, for Big Ben to have the success needed for a win, the newly shuffled offensive line must perform better than it has. 

The addition of Levi Brown and the promotion of Kelvin Beachum to left tackle needs to coagulate quickly so as to stop the bleeding. Or prevent it if Muhammad Wilkerson has his way.

Get The Ball Rolling - Part of the problem Big Ben and the Steelers have had is the lack of a sustained running game. They are currently last in the NFL in rushing, putting up just 58 yards per game on the ground, and running for just 3.2 yards per carry (28th in NFL). 

Per Pro Football Focus, Big Ben is "last of league's top 32 quarterbacks in percentage of dropbacks that are play-action passes at 12.4%."

That could all be alleviated with the emergence of Le'Veon Bell. He ran for 57 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and has generated a bit of a buzz in Steeler Nation.

Bell was used to running behind a bad OLine at Michigan State, one of the reasons why Kevin Colbert drafted him, and had consistent yards-after-contact numbers. Skills he'll definitely need against the Jets' 2nd-ranked run defense. 

Go Deep - Rookie wide receiver Markus Wheaton is the only Steelers player ruled out for Sunday because of surgery on his right pinkie finger,

The 6'5", 210-pound Derek Moye will replace Wheaton as the No. 4 wide receiver. He has not dressed the past two games, but he provides Big Ben with a tall receiver. His only catch this season accounted for the Steelers’ only touchdown in a 20-10 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals - a fade for a 1-yard touchdown.

The undrafted free agent is looking forward to getting an opportunity against the Jets.

“Obviously the game’s a whole different scenario," Moye said, "so I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to carry over what I’ve been doing in practice.”

He and the other wide receivers will be doing so against a defense without first-round draft choice Dee Milliner and against an Antonio Cromartie who is on one leg. Taking advantage of their depleted secondary could be a crucial element in securing a win. 

If even three of these four criteria is met, combined with the factors brought out in our article covering the defensive side of the ball, the Steelers might just creep out their first win. 

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TIDBITS: Steelers Injury Report - Out: Wheaton; Probable: Big Ben, H. Miller and R. Foster 

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Pro Football Focus credits the Steelers defense with 17 missed tackles against the Minnesota Vikings. 

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Per Aditi Kinkhabwala, Big Ben was bitter about arriving in London as late as they did which caused fatigue and jet lag. When asked why passing in 2nd half was better than in the 1st, Big Ben said, "You might have to ask the people on the next level up." 

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Steelers Roster Projection

It's time for our look at the projected Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 roster, time to project who'll maintain the standard we have come to expect. Mind you, with the surgeries in the offseason, injuries in Training Camp and in the preseason games, it hasn't been easy.

We've had to figure out ways to free up roster spots because the list of injured players makes it so that the roster that we'll see week one won't be the roster we'll see after the bye, and then week eight. I've thought of the Steelers possibly (initially) keeping just four running backs, five wide receivers or maybe just three tight ends as ways to complete a 53-man roster. Per the league, teams must reduce rosters to 75 players on the Active List prior to 4:00 p.m. EST on the 27th releasing nearly 500 players to waiver wires (which the Steelers have done) and to 53 by 6pm EST on the 31st releasing over 700 players across the NFL.

(ASIDE: Players who aren't claimed off of waivers will then be allowed to sign to a team's eight-man practice squad. A player is eligible for the PS if they haven't accrued a season or have not been on the active roster gameday roster for more than nine regular season games. The practice squad limit is three years.)

The Steelers find themselves with two injured tight ends, one running back, and two linebackers. How does that affect how many of each are initially kept on the roster? We expect the Steelers to keep nine linebackers, that one is pretty easy. But, the RB and TE situation may dictate how many wide receivers are kept. Will they only keep with a sixth being sent to the practice squad?

OFFENSE (25 players):

Quarterbacks:
Ben Roethlisberger- 7 for #7? Not this season. But, things will be better in year two of the Todd Haley era; Bruce Gradkowski- New backup in town, he needs to stop dictating his passes; Landry Jones- from Uncle Charlie's walker and hearing aid to Jones' baby bottle.

Running Backs:
Le'Veon Bell- his healing Lisfranc foot will keep him out until after the bye in week four, but the rookie has the ability to be the next signature runner in the Steel City; Isaac Redman- though he's had only two carries this preseason, the coaches know he runs with authority whenever he has the ball in his hands; Jonathan Dwyer*- going out on a shaky limb here, but we think he'll acquit himself against the Carolina Panthers; LaRod Stephens-Howling*- he has the electricity to be the lightning to the thunder of the other RBs; Will Johnson at fullback- he has the blocking ability to excel at the position and will be used in the passing game and in more of an H-Back role this season .

Wide Receivers:
Antonio Brown- The number one guy now. He has the wheels and the route-running ability. Plus, he's like the energizer bunny, he just keeps going and going and going...; Emmanuel Sanders- though he's likely gone next season, he's still the best all-around WR on the team; Jerricho Cotchery- over half of his NFL touchdowns have come in the redzone and his experience and maturity will help the younger guys; Markus Wheaton- the real MW? MW 2.0? Regardless, he's got Mitts and Wheels Justin Brown- not very fast, but the rookie is a big target with sure hands; Reggie Dunn- special teams ability and looks to have sure hands if the Steelers want to go Zero Formation. It was either him or Derek Moye, neither of whom will clear waivers. Which might open the door for JD Woods to come back to the PS.

Tight Ends:
Heath Miller- incredibly underrated TE who had career numbers in new offense and should pick up where he left off; David Paulson- better at receiving than at blocking (in fact, he is a bad blocker), but he's a big red zone target; David Johnson- but only until Matt Spaeth comes back after his eight-game IR designation which we believe the Steelers will assign him..

Offensive Line:
Mike Adams- the blindside - nothing more needs to be said - step up, young man; Ramon Foster- he could be Pro Bowl caliber if he wants to be; Maurkice Pouncey- the anchor; David DeCastro- is solid at right guard, especially in the run; Marcus Gilbert- so far, the weak link of an inconsistent (at best) line; Kelvin Beachum- has the ability to play nearly every position on the line and should be the starter at right tackle over Gilbert - C/G/T/TE - the new "Slash?"; John Malecki- coming along slowly but could be much more regular in the rotation by the end of the season if his current learning curve continues; Joe Long- Guy Whimper proved he can't play guard or tackle or any semblance of an NFL player, so it's either Long or Chris Hubbard, with Mike Golic, jr. being moved to the PS.

DEFENSE (25 players):

Defensive Line:
Evander Hood- Ziggy showed up much better in the dress rehearsal, but he has to take control of the position or he'll have signed his ticket out of time; Steve McLendon- Will have fans forgetting Big Snack by the end of the year; Brett Keisel- the Pro Bowler had another solid season last year, but will this one be his final; Cam Heyward- a real mean streak...just need to see it more often; Al Woods- Woods is veteran player who can play either side if needed and at nose tackle; Alameda Ta'amu- was supposed to be the future until Training Camp showed that the future isn't now - Hebron Fangupo may actually have surpassed him.

Linebackers:
Lamarr Woodley- I expect bigger things this year from Woodley, he stepped up in preseason and now needs to be the leader of the linebackers; Larry Foote- the Buck stops here; Lawrence Timmons- finally being left in his natural Mack position last season, he should have been a Pro Bowler; Jason Worilds- make or break season for Worilds who is being nipped at the heels by...; Jarvis Jones- the black cat will be starting by season's end; Marshall McFadden- will backup the Buck and Mack positions; Vince Williams- The Destroyer, 'nuff said; Alan Baxter- the first step of Mr. Baxter is so fast that QBs barely have time to let out a scream before he can get there; Chris Carter- Yeah, but he might relinquish his spot to Brian Rolle or to...; Sean Spence- once he comes off of PUP. Spence had the hybrid quickness, speed and ability to stay with TEs - will he still have it?.

Defensive Backs:
Ike Taylor- Face me, Ike!; Cortez Allen- has earned a starting spot and has the coverage ability and ballhawking ability that Keenan Lewis didn't have (though we think they should have tried to keep him and use Tez in the nickel instead of bringing back...; William Gay- nickel specialist who ain't worth a dime otherwise; Curtis Brown- will see the field more this year between special teams and Dime and select nickel packages; Josh Victorian- Young and still wet behind the ears, but he has a great attitude and aptitude which should start to show on the field; Terry Hawthorne- the rookie is fast and will mainly show that speed on special teams initially; Ryan Clark- led the Steelers in knockout tackles last year as well as quotable quotes; Troy Polamalu- I hear this guy's good; Robert Golden- has real potential, flashes big-play ability at times; Shamarko Thomas- The Shark!

Special Teams (3 players):
Shaun Suisham (K)- SUSHI! (I still wanna see ID); Drew Butler(P)- he beat out Brian Moorman mainly because of his youth; Greg Warren(LS)- he wears no. 60 and you'd be surprised at how many down-field plays he actually makes.

Practice Squad:
LB Kion Wilson- These are the Pittsburgh Steelers, aka "Linebacker, Inc", so he benefits by learning here.
G Mike Golic, jr.- A guard who is very smart but needs to build his strength.
WR Derek Moye or JD Woods- Maybe.
DE Brian Arnfelt- Had too many other DEs in front of him, but worth watching.
CB Isaiah Green- Showed himself well in Training Camp, is a good cover guy and is fast.
RB Alvester Alexander- Good runner who was picked up halfway through TC.
G Chris Hubbard- He should circle back around to the PS if he clears waivers.
NT Hebron Fangupo- If he doesn't actually make the 53.

*Despite their abilities, either LSH or Dwyer may be expendable once players come off the PUP and IR lists. Room will need to be made and it likely would come from one of these two if the roster falls the way we have projected here.

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TIDBITS: DeMarcus Van Dyke and Justin Cheadle have reverted back to the Steelers IR after clearing waivers.

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Below is the blog written post-game and that chronicled the roster cuts. Blogger.com was giving us serious problems, so it wasn't able to be posted. So, here it is:

"Steelers Lose To Chiefs, Trim Roster To 75"
It wasn't good enough. We've got a lot of work to do." - Antonio Brown after the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs 

The Pittsburgh Steelers played light years better than they had in the previous two exhibition games, but, like the Steelers wide receiver said, they still have work to do. 

Certain parts of the Steelers offense showed definite improvement. After previously doing their best to establish the run, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger aired it out to positive results. The running game had mixed results with Jonathan Dwyer and Felix Jones being the two main runners. The offensive line wasn't nearly the revolving door it was last Monday. And the first-team defense spent about 25 minutes knocking around Alex Smith.

Not exactly the 2008 Steelers, but it is progression. 

Big Ben, the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, completed 13-19 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown (almost two), with no interceptions for a 113 passer rating. Big Ben connected with Brown for a 49-yard gain on their first passing play of the evening. He also barely missed connecting with Emmanuel Sanders on a touchdown pass, but Manny wasn't able to pull it in.

The big-play ability wasn't left to just the first team, though. We also saw Markus Wheaton have a long reception of 34 yards, Sanders for 24 yards and Jerricho Cotchery for 21 yards. Tight end Michael Palmer also had one for 25 yards.

Dwyer played well overall as he actually blocked well when in the game, carried the ball eight times for 25 yards and caught Big Ben's lone touchdown pass. Jones, without any chance to even practice, was thrown into the mix rushing for 29 yards on eight carries and returning two kickoffs for 51 yards.

The offensive line continued to have its issues, as was evident by the five sacks allowed, but acquitted themselves better overall. Steelers Maurkice Pouncey believes they can be even better still.

"This is probably the best I’ve ever felt," Pouncey said of his confidence in the line. Knowing that they slipped up in pass protection, Pouncey further said, "It’s small things that we can fix so easily, man, and that’s what we’ve been doing in practice, working our butts off to get everything squared away."

Time is ticking, Pouncey.

The defense played like they are ready for prime time, sacking the quarterback and stonewalling on 4th-and-inches. Cortez Allen hit and stymied his assignments and showed why the coaching staff put their faith in him by not retaining Keenan Lewis. Brett Keisel and Troy Polamalu played like they were completely healthy, and Steve McLendon, Al Woods, Ziggy Hood, Jarvis Jones, who received a scare with a bruised sternum after his interception, and Alan Baxter, who had two sacks, were beautifully disruptive. 

The biggest problems were once again the same thing - penalties and special teams. 

Of the nine penalties, one of which proved costly, we'll simply quote HC Mike Tomlin: "Some of those calls were suspect."

As for the other, somewhere Danny Smith is screaming as he watches tape of his not-so-special teams. The squad endured two more gaffes in a sloppy exhibition season. In addition to a 109-yard return, Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham saw his 52-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter get swatted to the turf. 

Being completely new, Smith has yet to find the right combination of players in order to get them to practice together and gel as a unit. But, part of that dilemma may have been alleviated approximately 24 hours after the game. 

Sunday evening, the Steelers announced the first list of men who wouldn't make the roster. Though one or two of them could feasibly circle back around to the practice squad. The list is as follows:

Tackle D’Anthony Batiste, running back Baron Batch, tackle Mike Farrell, wide receiver David Gilreath, wide receiver Tyler Shaw, cornerback Ryan Steed, linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, tight end Peter Tuitupou, quarterback John Parker Wilson, receiver J.D. Woods, and running back Jeremy Wright.

The only surprises were Sylvester, who many considered still having the possibility of making the team as the ninth linebacker, and Woods who had reportedly played well in Training Camp and had two circus catches when he was in the game against the Giants. 

Also, injured inebacker Sean Spence was placed on the reserve PUP list. He’ll be eligible to return to practice after week six and through week 11. He then has another week to actually be placed on the roster. 

The Steelers also placed guard Justin Cheadle and cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke on the waived/injured list. If they go unclaimed by another team, they’ll revert to the injured reserve list. Rookie defensive end Nick Williams has been placed on the injured reserve list.

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According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Steelers reportedly think Jarvis Jones suffered a bruised sternum or chest when he was tackled from behind following an interception Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Jones was taken to an area hospital via an ambulance and strapped to a gurney  following the game. He was kept for observation, but was released Sunday after their battery of tests came up negative. 

Florio speculates Jones wouldn't be "accepting the diagnosis as conclusive," which is his right per the collective bargaining agreement. Why he speculates this is anyone's guess. 

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I am not surprised Mike Golic, jr. didn't get cut. They need OLine bodies, so he has another chance to make an impression. But, I also think Chris Hubbard has a chance to battle Golic, jr. for a PS spot. 

We told you that Hebron Fangupo had the edge on Alameda Ta'amu going into the third game. While Fangupo was playing in the fiurth quarter, Ta'amu was standing with coaches on the sidelines. This suggests Ta'amu may soon say aloha.  

Saturday Night Live and the Not Ready For Prime Time Steelers

"Obviously" neither the Pittsburgh Steelers nor the New York Giants looked ready for February 2nd Saturday night. With the Giants scoring on both of Eli Manning's drives, though, it was clear which team has more to work before the regular season begins.

The Steelers and their pseudo Saturday night live season opener were definitely not ready for prime time. Some of the same issues as last season still seem to be there. Or we could say it as a colleague paraphrased it in a recent conversation when referencing Dennis Green's post-game meltdown after his Arizona Cardinals gave up a 20 point lead and lost to the Chicago Bears 24-23.

In essence, "they are who we thought they were!"

As the aforementioned colleague pointed out, there were "breakdowns in pass protection (they are who we thought they were!), breakdowns in coverage (they are who we thought they were!), breakdowns on special teams (they are who we thought they were!)" and breakdowns in the mental aspect of the game. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said as much in his press conference, saying that they are "obviously" a work in progress. - http://tinyurl.com/mpxpzqk

When If It Ain't Steel presented the things to look for in our pre-game piece, we pointed out that certain things needed to happen and certain people needed to make themselves seen.

Virtually none of them did.

We said the secondary, mainly the young cornerbacks who will be providing depth, needed to step up to show who would be there if the starters went down. None really did. Unfortunately, one of the veterans did the most damage. Slot defensive back William Gay was burned by Victor Cruz for a 57-yard touchdown catch from Manning near the end of the first quarter.

None of the young defensive backs really stood out. Isaiah Green didn't play, so he'll have to wait to be evaluated in a gameday situation. Robert Golden missed a, well, golden opportunity when he barely missed intercepting a pass. Since there was nothing in front of him but grass, he would've scored. Josh Victorian played well, though, having four solo tackles which includes his work on special teams.

The secondary did stiffen at times, veteran Ike Taylor even had a pass defensed to prevent a touchdown in the first quarter. Overall, though, the secondary gave up 221 yards (191 when subtracting sack yards) on 15 pass completions. The NFL's No. 1 pass defense gave up six yards a completion last season.

The quagmire of the fifth and sixth wide receiver spots was cleared at all. In a good way, though. The main candidates for the positions - Derek Moye, Justin Brown, Kashif Moore, Reggie Dunn and throw in JD Woods for good measure - had 10 receptions for 89 yards. Woods had a particularly great pair of catches when jumping out of Heinz Field on one and walked a tight rope to catch another. The only WR without a reception was David Gilreath.

The young linebackers played well for the most part. First-round draft pick Jarvis Jones had a very good open-field tackle, a fumble recovery and, maybe most importantly, didn't look lost. - http://tinyurl.com/moj2fuo

Veteran Jason Worilds had a sack and three tackles, but he also made stupid mistakes. Twice in a three-play span, he was flagged for major penalties, including a "roughing the passer" penalty. Now, we'd rather say "Whoa, Trigger!" than have to dangle a carrot in front of him, but aggression needs to be tempered. Hopefully he learned that by the tongue lashing he received from Mike Tomlin and Dick LeBeau. Hopefully.

The rest of those looking to make the team looked fairly good, with Alan Baxter, Brian Rolle, Marshall McFadden and Vince Williams all making plays to have the announcers call their names. Adrian Robinson scored the team's lone touchdown off of Williams' sack late in the game.

Aside from a couple of good kickoff returns and Dunn almost creating a vapor trail on a punt return, special teams was bad. Damontre Moore lived up to his college nickname of "DaMonster" when he blocked punt with 11:27 to go in the first quarter. It set up first-and-goal at the five-yard line, but Taylor and the defense forced a field goal.

Outside of blocking, the tight ends weren't a big part of the game Saturday. More will be seen as practice and the preseason continues.

The player of the game, as well as the Steelers Digest Player of the Week, was Al Woods. Playing defensive end instead of nose tackle, he had nine tackles, two for losses, a quarterback hurry and a sack.

The running game was a nice surprise, thanks mainly to LaRod Stephens-Howling. LSH rushed the ball seven times for 40 yards, leading a group of rushers who ran for 91 yards total. But, one thing is for sure, all the zone blocking system talk was somewhat anticlimactic. If we counted properly, they ran it five times total in first half, and eight times the entire game.

Isaac Redman, the designated starter in the game, backed that up.

"People make a big deal of it, it's not that big as everyone's making it. It's just one play," Redman said as dictated by Ken Laird. "Not like we're going to shy away from all the other runs we've had. Plenty of different runs, [zone blocking] is just an added run."

Still, Stephens-Howling liked what he is seeing overall.

"I like it here a lot. Feel real comfortable," he said. [Todd Haley] gets the ball to the backs out in the flats." - http://tinyurl.com/lpuzv38

All-in-all, the offensive line, wide receivers, linebackers and defensive line played well and gave Steelers fans something to which to look forward. The rest of the not ready for prime time Steelers players have more rehearsal to do before their next performance Monday at the Washington Redskins.

The Steelers War of Attrition Begins vs. Giants; Injury Report

The wait is over. Finally, a glimpse. The football gods once again have seen fit to bless us with their favorite sons. And Saturday night, those belonging to the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their preseason journey to Mount Lombardi against the New York Giants.

In preparation for this game and for the season, the Steelers have met with some debilitating injuries that have caused roster adjustments, a waiver claim and more reasons to declare "next man up!"

To date, the total injuries that have befallen the Steelers total as many as a baker's dozen, and they now have almost as many injured tight ends as healthy ones. Those tights ends and the rest of the MASH unit will be covered in the TIDBITS section.

So, with a pile of bodies to sift through, will the Steelers be able to field a team for Saturday? Naturally, yes. But that presents some specific things to look for in this first preseason game. Here are six players and things to watch for as two of the NFL's oldest franchises do battle.

SECONDARY(DEPTH):
With four defensive backs, including one starter sidelined, certain players will have to step up and state their case. Does the world class speed of DeMarcus Van Dyke and Isaiah Green make up for their lack of the typical build of the strong, run-defending Steelers cornerbacks? While one of them may make the team because of their speed, they would have to show special teams abilities. Playing principally as the punt gunner, think of sub 4.35/40 speed coupled with being able to break off a block at the line and race down the field to force a fair catch. That is a very valuable ability.

Unfortunately for Van Dyke, though, he likely won't play as he hasn't practiced this week. That affords more of a chance for the much-traveled Josh Victorian. - http://tinyurl.com/m56mpae

WIDE RECEIVERS (5 & 6 SPOTS):
Unfortunately, veteran wide receiver Plaxico Burress tore his rotator cuff during practice. It likely ends his season, and career, leaving the door open for Justin Brown and David Gilreath to do battle for the fifth wide receiver spot on the roster, unless another veteran is signed.

But the one who may now have the best chance at the number five spot is Derek Moye. His 6-5, 215-pound frame combined with 4.4/40 speed is hard to ignore. He has shown consistent hands catching everything thrown at him. He is a very good route runner and has been making big plays in Training Camp, already working his way up to third in line behind Antonio Brown and Jerricho Cotchery on one side of the offensive depth chart.

Because of the Burress injury, even return specialist Reggie Dunn has a greater chance to make the squad as a sixth wide receiver/special teams ace. As Mark Kaboly said on his Twitter, @MarkKaboly_Trib, account: "(The) wild card is Reggie Dunn. A kickoff return or two in preseason and now he's in mix...”

LINEBACKERS (PASS RUSH/YOUTH):
Last year's darling makes way for this year's. Alan Baxter is very explosive off the edge, is about the same height as former Training Camp darling Alan Robinson. He doesn't have the same lower body strength as Robinson or Woodley, his speed off the snap has at times been scary.

First-round pick Jarvis Jones is starting to make his case. Per Kaboly, "After the show the rookie put on against the third-team offense at the end of practice Wednesday, it might be time for the Steelers to reward Jones with a promotion. Within a span of five plays, Jones plowed over would-be blocker David Gilreath; recognized a screen pass while rushing the quarterback, peeled off into the flat and knocked the ball away from Baron Batch; knocked the ball away from tight end Peter Tuitupou coming across the middle; and knocked down another pass in the middle of the field while playing zone."

Who hasn't been heard from much is Jason Worilds, and that's because of a big toe injury he suffered causing him to miss last Friday's practice. He returned to practice early this week, but he hasn't been playing like a man with someone nipping at his heals.

Marshall McFadden, as we've written before, has a real chance at the backup Buck position. His performance in the early stages of Camp has been inspiring as he is showing he wants a spot on this team. So have some of his competitors, though, such as Stevenson Sylvester. It's imperative, therefore, that McFadden has a good performance Saturday.


JAMIE MCCOY:
Because of the Steelers now being bereft at tight end, McCoy's performance is crucial. He and David Paulson should see more playing time than most other starters. Along with tight end, Tomlin has stated that McCoy will also see time at fullback behind Will Johnson. So, he's going to be busy. If he wants to take advantage of the injuries at the tight end position, he needs to prove he's ready for the bright lights.

MIKE GOLIC, JR.:
Passion for the game gets you so far. Being a student of the game will help get you further. Even having name and pedigree can be a real boon to your career. But you can only go so far if you don't have the big boy strength required for the offensive line positions in the NFL. And that's where Golic, jr. has his issues.

One of those who was major competition for him was Nik Embernate who is now on Injured Reserve. Now Golic's major competition is Joe Long, another young player with NFL pedigree - he is the brother of the St. Louis Rams' Jake Long. But, if he can hold his own Saturday, he can build his case for being the last lineman kept.

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TIDBITS: Heath Miller (with no timetable for his return) and David Johnson are on the Active PUP list with knee injuries, and now they won't have Matt Spaeth until at least the 6th week of the regular season, if his Lisfranc injury does in fact have an 8-10 week turnaround.

Add to those four, Nik Embernate is on injured reserve after being waived/injured, Cortez Allen (knee) is sidelined for all of preseason, and defensive backs Curtis Brown (ankle), Terry Hawthorne (knee) and DeMarcus Van Dyke (hamstring) are down without definite timetables. Offensive tackle Guy Whimper was carted off the field Thursday with an undisclosed injury, although it isn't thought to be serious, and Nick Williams, Cameron Heyward and Emmanuel Sanders all missed at least some practice Thursday and/or Friday.

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Tomlin on rookie WR Markus Wheaton: "I've really been impressed with his above-the-neck game."

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Steelers have re-signed OT Mike Farrell and released CB Buddy Jackson.