Steelers Sign LB Arthur Moats To Strengthen Thin Corps

"I don't want to see anybody hurting and not playing any more....But if he doesn't, and I was the guy to end the streak, all right. That's a little notable, yeah." - http://tinyurl.com/ln2592u

The notable hit in question was to now retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre when the then-Buffalo Bills' linebacker Arthur Moats hit him on the third play from scrimmage in the December 5, 2010 contest against the Minnesota Vikings. He hit him so hard that it ended Favre's streak of NFL starts at 297 consecutive games. 

Moats hit him so hard that Favre even started spelling his own name correctly. 

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Mr. Moats. 

Per Steelers beat writer Gerry Dulac, the Steelers brass had met with Moats before they headed off to Orlando, Florida. 

They have signed him to a one-year contract to strengthen a thin, especially on the outside, linebacking corps. The terms of Moats' deal are $795,000 in total - $730,000 in salary with a $65,000 signing bonus - making them almost even with the NFL Salary Cap (maybe having approximately $250,000 or so to spare) depending on the terms of the Lance Moore deal.

Moats started 12 games at weak-side linebacker for the Bills last season and also played inside at the Buck. Word is that he can play either inside or outside in all four LB positions for the Steelers’ 3-4 defense. 

That is exactly the type of player the Steelers covet: tough, yet position flexible. 

The 26-year-old Moats was selected out of James Madison in the sixth-round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He ran an official 4.64/40 at that year's combine, but his fastest time was a 4.54/40. The 6'0", 250 pounder will be a major contributor on special teams, also. 

At the NFL Meetings in Orlando over the weekend, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spoke of running back Le'Veon Bell as being "a talented player but a young player. It would be good to get a been-there, done-that type of guy in the room to maybe help him with growth and development."

The same can be said of the Steelers 2013 first-round draft pick, OLB Jarvis Jones. Jones showed flashes of real promise at the end of the season, so a "been-there, done-that" Moats can help in that maturation. 

Moats' addition likely signals the end of the 'James Harrison return' talk, and make the Steelers linebackers group one of the youngest in the league. 

Steelers Must Overcome Deficiencies Monday Night vs. Bengals

It is a bit of Pittsburgh Steelers lore that when newly hired head coach Chuck Noll addressed his team for the first time back in 1969, he told them he would be watching tapes of their play and would get back to them as to why they were mired in losing. What was the answer he was said to have given them? 

"Most of you just can't play football."

Fast forward to 2013 and we could be seeing a bit of déjà vu. - http://tinyurl.com/onyrkn2

At the close of the 2012 season, If It Ain't Steel posted several articles exploring the problems facing the Steelers as a football team and an organization. Problems that have seemed to transfer right on into 2013. 

Just one game into the season and the Steelers lose their Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, starting Buck linebacker Larry Foote and change-up running back LaRod Stephens-Howling. A bleak beginning to say the least. 

Now the Steelers have the daunting task of not only facing a division foe, but facing them with one further depleted their ranks. One who also has inside knowledge of the team. 

When the Steelers play the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, they will face former All-Pro linebacker and teammate James Harrison. Harrison and the Steelers were unable to come to a contractual agreement, causing the Silverback to eventually take less to sign with the Bengals. 

Now Harrison will be doing all he can to pay back the Steelers and help his new team get on the winning track. What are the ways in which he can help and can the Bengals win? 

Head coach Mike Tomlin said in his weekly press conference that the team was one or two “explosive” plays away from possibly winning the game. This is actually fairly true. But, it is difficult to do so when your "explosive" play guys are minimal to begin with, and too few of those types of plays are called the entire game.

The Steelers do have some talent, they aren't bereft of it as the team was in 1969, and can perform when they execute. Unfortunately, the key word there is "when."

Over the last nine games the Steelers are -10 in turnover ratio, have allowed 24 sacks and have not had a player run for more than 56 yards in a single game. So the first order of business is the OFFENSIVE LINE.

The acquisition of Fernando Velasco would seem to aid the Steelers in that department as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review stated recently from his Twitter (@MarkKaboly_Trib) account, "I haven't heard a bad word about #Steelers center Fernando Velasco yet. Makes me wonder why the Titans cut him?"

One man's (or team's) trash...

Once the OLine decides it wants to block, it is then on the RUNNING BACKS the Steelers do have to actually grind out some yards. As offensive coordinator Todd Haley said, "We need Isaac (Redman) to bounce back and play a better game."

Whomever is the primary ball carrier, he needs to put forth an above-his-pay-grade effort because 32 yards simply won't cut it against Harrison, Michael Johnson (4.5 sacks in last five games against Steelers) and the man who may have been the defensive player of the year were it not for J.J. Watt, Geno Atkins (three sacks and a forced fumble last season vs. Steelers). 

If they're able to weather that storm, then they still must TAKE CARE OF THE BALL. As Tomlin brought out at his presser, cornerback Leon Hall intercepted a pass from Ben Roethlisberger and returned it 17 yards to score the Bengals lone touchdown in their second matchup last season. 

"We can't turn the football over and expect to win," Haley said. Protecting the football has to be a priority for anybody touching it." - http://tinyurl.com/nztj4tu

The defensive side of the equation is slightly different. Though the offense largely dictates whether or not the Steelers will win, the defense has to still be able to check the Bengals two-tight end sets, wide receiver A.J. Green and the Bengals. 

"They have two really talented guys there," Dick LeBeau said. "I would rather have three real good tight ends and no A.J. Green. I'll put it that way. It gives them a good combination."

But, A.J. Green they do have, and he torched the Steelers with 10 catches for 116 yards in their last meeting with Ike Taylor sidelined. This time Cortez Allen will be the one sidelined, so the intrepid Taylor will be needed to follow Green all night. It will also assure that Shamarko Thomas will be seen in the Nickel and possibly Robert Golden as well for a Big Nickel 4-Safety look.

Getting to quarterback Andy Dalton is imperative. Containing BenJarvus Green-Ellis is also very important. Slow the running game and force them to be one-dimensional. If the defense can do that, it will go a long way toward securing a victory. 

After all, despite the overall inept play last week, the Steelers still gave up only 229 yards of total offense in Week 1 - the third fewest in the entire NFL. Plus, Big Ben is 13-5 all-time against the Bengals. Not to mention that the Steelers are 40-23 all-time on Monday night and Tomlin is 7-1 himself. 

It may sound like a reach to refer to history to find solace in the season so far, but there may not be much else to grasp onto. Much depends on the OLine growing up fast. Then we would see the offensive restraints lessened and the offense opened up. 

But this is more than a one-game fix, and the Steelers have many deficiencies to overcome. A Bengals win, therefore, is certainly in the realm of possibility. 

~

TIDBITS: Steelers injury report: CAllen, LBell, HMiller are out; Curtis Brown (illness) is doubtful.

Bengals injury report: CB Ghee, G Pollack are out; S Miles is doubtful; T Whitworth is questionable.

~

Jerricho Cotchery needs 5 receptions to reach 400 for his career and 10 receiving yards for 5,000 yards.

~

LaMarr Woodley has 53 career sacks. He needs one more to pass Greg Lloyd (53.5) for seventh-most sacks for a Steeler.

Jarvis Jones To Help Steelers Renew Monday Night Rivalry With Bengals

It was nearly 43 years ago on November 2, 1970 when the Monday Night rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers began. It was the first ever contest between the two teams on what would arguably become the NFL's second-biggest stage. 

The Steelers won the seventh-ever Monday Night Football game 21-10. 

The stars of the game were Dick Hoak, long-time Steelers running back and running backs coach, and quarterback Terry Hanratty. There was another Terry also, though, who made his Monday Night debut as rookie Terry Bradshaw went 4-12 for 40 yards. Bradshaw would go on to usurp the reins from Hanratty en route to a Hall of Fame career. 

Fast forward to this coming Monday and not only is the rivalry renewed, but another budding young star will see his time on stage. The nation's eyes will be focused on the increased snaps, and possibly even the start of rookie linebacker Jarvis Jones. 

The first-round draft pick was expected to learn the position, as played by the Steelers in their 3-4 defense coached by Dick LeBeau, behind the heir apparent Jason Worilds. As If It Ain't Steel wrote and as was generally well known, no rookie (especially no rookie linebacker) had ever started in a LeBeau-coached defense. Without going deeply into it, the complexity of the schemes dictated that it wouldn't happen. 

That may change come Monday night. 

"That's the way it is right now," Jones said Wednesday after practice where he confirmed he ran with the first-team defense after being promoted to co-starter. "As long as I continue to keep doing what I'm doing, I hope it stays like that."

Technically, LeBeau's record is still intact. Jason Worilds started the Titans' game and played the majority of the snaps, approximately 46 to Jones' 28 snaps. But, not only has Worilds done his best to move the middle of the class, Jones has done that rare thing of living up to the hype that surrounded him. 

Maybe we will still see both men on more even rotation Monday and for weeks to come. The way things look at present, though, is that Jones' machinations are radioactive whereas Worlids may have reached his half-life.

Each man had sights, starting in Training Camp, of taking over as the heir apparent for former Steelers linebacker, Defensive Player of the Year and enforcer James Harrison. A man they will see when the Bengals are on defense Monday night. 

Make no mistake, Worilds was never going to make people forget Harrison, but he at least had a chance to be a serviceable run stopper and rusher. Still, it was his job to lose.

He likely has. 

The hard-hitting turnover machine that is Jones is becoming the anti-Harrison. Where Harrison was the Silverback - so powerful and disruptive, Jones is the Black Panther - so sleek and sudden. Where Harrison was the massive Deebo from the movie Friday, Jones is stout but more angular Dillon from Predator. 

And maybe with the long dreadlocks, "the Predator" is an apt nickname. Maybe we'll also see him completely usurp the reins from Worilds en route to his own Hall of Fame career. Maybe this will begin where it all began 43 years ago - on Monday night. 

~

TIDBITS: Steelers practice report - DNP: Cortez Allen (ankle), Le'Veon Bell (foot) and Curtis Brown (illness).

LIMITED: Steve McLendon (hamstring), Heath Miller (knee) and Shaun Suisham (hamstring/plant leg). 

Neither Le'Veon Bell nor Heath Miller will play this week. Won't return until at least the Vikings' game in London. 

~

"I think a consistent running game is really important, not only to be good offensively, but to strike a balance." - Mike Tomlin

Jonathan Dwyer says the release and return changed him. He's more focused. "I definitely have a chip on my shoulder." He was told to be ready to play in whatever capacity, and ran w/ #Steelers 1st team today. Issac Redman said Dwyer's release-return "is going to help him tremendously. You'll see that chip."

~

Per Capologist Ian Whetstone (@IanWhetstone on Twitter), whom you've known us to quote many times, the "2013 adjusted {Salary} Cap for Steelers is $124,899,811, with them being $1,385,253 under the Cap. I have them with 40 players signed at about $127.2M (for the 2014 season)." (brackets ours)

~

Matt Spaeth has been without crutches since Saturday and is walking freely with boot. 

LaMarr Woodley Paramount In Returning Greatness To Steelers Defense

"Who are you to deny greatness? If you would deny it to yourself, you would deny it to all of Steeler Nation. And we will not be denied. GREATNESS AWAITS!" - Sony PlayStation ad. (Ok, but not exactly "Steeler Nation." Don't sue me, Sony!)

By the end of the 2012 season, James Harrison was playing some pretty good football. He started to resemble once again the disruptive force he used to be. He was the intimidator in a long line of intimidators. It was something the team had been lacking. It may also be the thing the Steelers will miss most next season now that Deebo is wearing Cincinnati Correctional Facility orange.

That is unless someone steps up and takes over the mantle of the bad ass. Because despite impressive statistics, the Pittsburgh Steelers defense wasn't the wet-the-bed scary hoard of ruffians they had been in previous (nearly 40) years. And that needs to change.

Change that needs to be spearheaded by LaMarr Woodley.

The initial problem to that end is that Woodley doesn't have the same disposition on the field that Harrison has. Harrison earned the nicknames "Deebo" (from the movie Friday) and "Silverback" for good reason. Woodley, on the other hand, has a slightly different demeanor and comes across more as Chief Bromden from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - you know the power is there, you've even seen it, but there just isn't the same fear factor.

And while the Steelers have drafted the man whom they feel can be a replacement in Jarvis Jones, and already have what looks to be a ready player in Jason Worilds, for the Steelers to bully themselves back to the top means that Woodley truly needs to next level his game.

Greatness awaits you, Mr. Woodley. And in one sense, it's closer than one may initially have thought.

The Steelers top all-time sacks leaders (via Steelers and NFL stats) through the 2012 season are as follows:
1 - Mean Joe Greene (78.5);
2 - Jason Gildon (77);
3 - L.C. Greenwood (73.5);
4 - James Harrison (64);
5 - Joey Porter (60);
6 - Keith Willis (59);
7 - Greg Lloyd (53.5); and
8 - LaMarr Woodley (52)

Just an average 2013 season from Woodley would put him ahead of Willis and Porter and into fifth place all-time in sacks for the Steelers. In fact, there is an extremely short list of pass rushers drafted by the Steelers (playing at least 48 games) who have as high of a sacks-per-game average (.626) as Woodley. He is also the Steelers' leader in sacks-per-game average in games started (.742) with 52 in 70.

This is also all in just six seasons, which includes the missing of nine games between 2011 and 2012 because of nagging hamstring and ankle injuries. As a point of comparison, the aforementioned Porter played 122 games for the Steelers. If Woodley does pass Peazy this season, he would have done so in at least 23 fewer games.

All of this and yet there is still the lingering feeling that Woodley has underachieved. That he actually fed off of Harrison's carnage as if he were a pilot fish eating on the leftovers of the host species.

Therefore, for his sake and that of the Steelers, more than "just an average 2013 season" is needed. And there is also more to the outside linebacker position than just getting sacks. It isn't just sacks, it's power and presence. In a word: fear. The kind of power that pushes back the line of scrimmage on running plays. The kind of presence that causes offensive linemen to miss a snap count or causes a quarterback to throw too quickly. The kind of fear that we know Woodley can instill.

Woodley had been just as dominant a run-stopper over his career as he had been a sack artist. According to FootballOutsiders.com, in 2010 Woodley ranked eighth in yards against per run play, and had a stop rate of 71% for a ranking of third. Respectable, if not dominant, numbers.

However, his production dropped precipitously over the last two seasons. The same website tracked his decline for 2011, but his numbers essentially nonexistent in 2012 in those categories. In his defense, though, Woodley was asked to drop into coverage a lot last year, doing so 35% of the time. Even so, questions remain for the other 2/3 of the time.

It is that 2010 Woodley, also the last year he had double-digit sacks, that the Steelers need to see reappear in 2013. Woodley turns 29 years old in November, and is under contract through 2016. Now is the time to reestablish relentlessness and intimidation in the Steel City, Mr. Woodley.

Greatness awaits.

Will Jarvis Jones Start This Season For The Steelers?

"I think it's a daunting task for rookies to start in any system and play and perform well," Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said when speaking of first-round draft pick, outside linebacker Jarvis Jones. "Obviously it is difficult when you have established veteran players like we have with a lot of continuity. We are not going to close the door on him or anyone else on earning an opportunity, and that is what this is about -- people taking advantage of opportunities. So he'll be given that."

When linebackers coach Kevin Butler first spoke to Sean Spence at the 2012 NFL combine, he told him that “no rookie linebacker comes in and starts. They work their way in on special teams.” Butler reiterated that recently when speaking of Jones.

"He's been very productive. He's going to come in and compete, but he's not going to be given the position," Butler said.

Mainly because of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's complex system, it is true that linebackers as a rule don't start as a rookie for the Blitzburgh Steelers. But both Tomlin and Butler say that Jones will be given the opportunity to compete, which is the way it should be. If the player is ready, play him. As a for instance, it was apparent that LaMarr Woodley should've started from about midseason on in his rookie year of 2007.

That season, Woodley played in 13 games, mainly on special teams, with zero starts. Still, he managed to collect 14 solo tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. The linebacker ahead of him at the time was Clark Haggans. In over three times as many snaps, Haggans had 15 solo tackles (36 total), four sacks and no forced fumbles. So the precedent could be said to have been set that season. A precedent that would seem to be in Jones' favor.

Much has been spoken and written on this subject, whether or not Jones should start. The problem is that, as Butler further said, there's someone who might have something to say about that.

"Jason Worilds is here," Butler reaffirmed. "He's the next guy up since [James Harrison] has left, and I expect Jason to be better than he ever has been."

"Better than he ever has been" is a singular and, at the same time, bold statement. As was pointed out in a previous article where we quoted Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly, Worilds has "yet to have a true and full offseason (2010 rookie year, 2011 lockout, 2012 wrist injury)." And if we take that and run with it, it could be sound reason for not considering Butler's statement as prognostication. Reason that Kaboly backed up with another fact.

"Steelers LB Jason Worilds played 999 snaps in 3 seasons or equivalent of one full season and has 10 career sacks," Kaboly said. And as we said when we first quoted his words, "this extrapolation doesn't automatically mean that he'll produce that way next season, but it's definitely a point in the right direction."

So what does this mean for all parties involved? Can Worilds play the right side as effectively as he does the left side? If Woodley redoubles his efforts and truly dedicates himself this offseason in order to return to the form of a few years ago, that keeps Worilds on the right side. It also keeps this a two-man race. Or would Jones would simply back up both sides? Regardless, the one who has the greatest say as to whether or not Jones steps in this season is Jones.

As far as an heir apparent, Jones is the anti-Harrison. Where Harrison was the Silverback - so powerful and disruptive, Jones is the Black Panther - so sleek and sudden. Where Harrison was the massive Deebo from the movie Friday, Jones is the leaner and more angular (though not as slightly built) Williams from Enter The Dragon.

As Kaboly wrote in his minicamp observations blog, he admits that he's "used to seeing mammoths like LaMarr Woodley and Ziggy Hood, so that’s to be expected. But still, first-round pick Jarvis Jones looked tremendously undersized especially compared to Woodley and Jason Worilds."

That and the adjustment he'll need to make to the size and speed of the NFL are what will keep him from making a major impact this season. Just as NFL.com senior analyst Gil Brandt said of him, "I don't think he can be a 3-4 'backer that can drop into space and be effective," Brandt said. "When you see him come from one side and try to chase down a play, he doesn't have that speed that you really need to have to play that position when he's chasing a guy." - http://tinyurl.com/d4dnu93

Add to that, he was blocked by tight ends in college as often as he was by tackles. So, like Brandt also said further, at this point he's "a one-position player...a guy that's going to play with his hand on the ground..." The Steelers already had that. His name is Adrian Robinson.

Bottom line, to achieve and maintain the level of linebacker and overall defensive excellence they've so long been known for requires a certain level of intelligence, versatility, aptitude and, finally, communication. Therefore, all four linebackers must be able to peel and scrape, to understand their assignments in the base defenses and in the various underneath coverages in LeBeau's zone-blitzes.

Right now, all Jones has is the ability to simply pin his ears back and rush the passer or get to the running back. So while he may have given the chance to push for the starting position, he doesn't yet possess what will be needed to usurp it.

Who Will Replace James Harrison?

First off, let us be honest by stating that no one this season will actually replace James Harrison. Whomever the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting right outside linebacker will be, the idea of replacing Harrison is a stretch. He won't be replaced, only succeeded.

That said, it's a close to a foregone conclusion that the player to get the starting nod will fourth-year man, Jason Worilds. Because no rookie linebacker in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's system would start right away, he is the only viable solution. By a long shot.

Fellow Steelers linebacker Chris Carter was ineffective and unimpressive in the time he was on the field, garnering just eight tackles and no sacks. Undrafted rookie Adrian Robinson showed real promise in Training Camp and into preseason, but the raw outside linebacker rarely saw field action. Stevenson Sylvester, who was used both inside and outside during the preseason, was also ineffective. The only player who made anyone believe he was ready to take over was Worilds. Not that it has been anything close to an easy ride.

Steelers beat writer Mark Kaboly made some very salient points on Sunday regarding him when he tweeted that "Steelers LB Jason Worilds {has} yet to have a true and full offseason (2010 rookie year, 2011 lockout, 2012 wrist injury)." And if we take that and run with it, it could be sound reason for not considering Worilds as a risk. Reason that Kaboly backed up with another fact. (brackets ours)

"Steelers LB Jason Worilds played 999 snaps in 3 seasons or equivalent of one full season and has 10 career sacks," Kaboly said. Now, this extrapolation doesn't automatically mean that he'll produce that way next season, but it's definitely a point in the right direction.

As Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pointed out in a recent article: "There may be reasons why Worilds has made little impact in his three seasons, including a {previously mentioned} wrist injury last year and playing behind Pro Bowl players Harrison and LaMarr Woodley. But, in the normal course of events, the Steelers would let Harrison go and turn to Worilds, just as they let Joey Porter go in 2007 and turned to Harrison." (brackets ours)

Also, just as they turned to Porter after (another) Jason Gildon was leaving. So, this was unfortunately business as usual. Because, though the Steelers suffer a cap penalty "dead money" hit of $4.93 million dollars, the move saved $5.105 million dollars against this year's Salary Cap, and all $9.04 million against the 2014 Cap. Bill Parise, the Silverback's agent, says the 'door isn't necessarily closed.' - http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/03/11/james-harrisons-agent-steelers-havent-closed-door/

Getting back to Worilds, as Kaboly and Pro Football Focus further point out, "Worilds finished the season with five sacks despite only rushing the passer 175 times. By comparison, {LaMarr} Woodley {had} four sacks in 245 pass rushes." All encouraging statistics that seem to be the groundwork for Worilds' taking Harrison's spot. (brackets ours)

All except for two things: Worilds plays decidedly better on the left side - Woodley's side - and there is no depth behind them.

Does that mean that Worilds won't be effective at all on the right side? Does it mean that maybe Woodley could/would possibly move over to the right side to accommodate? Fellow Steelers blog site SteelBlitz.com explored this possibility and provides reasoning for an affirmative on the latter question. - http://tinyurl.com/aqecu83

As for depth, there is none. Aside from the linebackers mentioned above, the other linebackers on the roster are all inside: Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, Marshall McFadden, Brian Rolle and Kion Wilson. So, from where will eventual depth come? April's NFL Draft.

Below are a list of prospective picks for the OLB position who can be gotten approximately from rounds one through four. If It Ain't Steel has already highlighted some, so you'll recognize those names. Where applicable, we've also provided the link to the write-up where we featured them:

EZEKIEL ANSAH - BYU: 1st round -- A raw, but intelligent and impressive physical specimen. At 6’7″ 270 lbs., Ziggy can play either OLB position, as well as defensive end at the next level. He ran an an equally impressive 4.62/40 at the 2013 NFL Combine. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/01/fixing-steelers-starts-with-drafting.html

DION JORDAN - Oregon: 1st round -- Jordan ran a 3-way tie for the best 40-yard dash time among defensive linemen at the NFL Combine. A lingering shoulder injury kept him out of the weight room much of the season, but the 6'6" 245 pounder ran a 4.53/40. The surgery and rehab needed to repair the torn labrum carries with it a timetable of “three to four months,” according to Jordan. He played DE and OLB in college, rushing the passer and dropping back, and has received a lot of attention from 3-4 defensive NFL teams.

BARKEVIOUS MINGO - LSU: 1st round -- The 6'5" 240-pound DE/OLB had 15 quarterback hurries and five sacks last season. He also was the second part of the three-way tie at the Combine with a 4.53/40.

JAMIE COLLINS - Southern Mississippi: 2-3 round -- With an 11'7" broad jump at the Combine, Collins literally leaped onto this list as a potential prospect. The 6-3, 250-pound OLB also had a 41.5-inch vertical. And per CBSSports.com, "an NFL source {they} talked to said it's hard to find guys who are 6-2-plus and 240 who can really play, adding that "the size paradigm for NFL LBs is changing because it forces the personnel folks and coaches to project college DEs to be stand-up off the ball LBs." Collins, though, sure looked like he could be one of those guys.

COREY LEMONIER (pronounced Lemon-wah) - Auburn: 3-4 round -- The 6'3" 255-pound DE/OLB was the third in the tie to run a 4.53/40 at his position. He was visited at the Auburn Pro Day on March 5th by Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler. Butler offered encouraging feedback, saying that Lemonier "could play some linebacker." - http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/auburns-lemonier-prepping-nfl-position-move

GERALD HODGES - PENN STATE: 4th round -- Per CBSSports.com, the 6'1" 243 pounder was "a starter in all 25 games the past two years," and "was No. 4 in the Big Ten with 109 tackles....he led the team with seven pass breakups and was tied for second on the squad with two interceptions. He also ranked third with 8.5 tackles for loss, while adding one forced fumble and one sack."

SIO MOORE - UCONN: 5-6 round -- Per NFL.com, "Moore notched 72 tackles (15.5 for loss), 7.5 sacks, and 11 pass breakups....Disciplined linebacker who follows through on his assignments and maintains his gap responsibilities prevent cutbacks. Also a solid tackler, able to break down and securely wrap the ballcarrier’s torso or leg for minimal yards after the catch." Also, with a 4.62/40 at the Combine for Moore, keep this 6'1" 245-pound stud on your radar.

One good thing about all of these players is that either "athletic," "nasty," or "mean" is used to describe each of them. Which are qualities that Harrison possessed in spades and therefore something else that the Steelers will have to replace.

James Harrison Says Goodbye To Steelers, Fans

~ "How do I say goodbye to what we had?
The good times that made us laugh
Outweigh the bad." ~

That tweet was sent out by one Mr. James Harrison this morning as he wanted to be the first to say goodbye to his fans in Steelers Nation. It's the end of an era. One that Pittsburgh Steelers fans are mourning. One that comes all too often in this business.

But the business side will wait for now. Let's first reflect on the all-too-brief career of the man who went by many epithets. He was Deebo. As in, "(Red!) You got knocked the fu** out!" He was 'one of the scariest men in the NFL' in a poll taken one year. He was also 'one of the dirtiest players in the NFL' according to another poll.

To me, though, he will always be the Silverback. The man who made his debut when Joey Porter, another in a long line of scary Steelers linebackers, was ejected from a November, 2004 Cleveland Browns game an hour prior to its start. In that game, Harrison recorded his first career sack and had six tackles. After the game, one of the Browns' coaches went up to then-coach Bill Cowher and asked him who 'that No. 92 was,' saying that they 'couldn't do anything against him.' It was a sign of things to come and they and the rest of the NFL would soon find out who No. 92 was.

Harrison first signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2002 out of Kent State. He played one game that season while wearing No. 93, as No. 92 was still worn by outside linebacker Jason Gildon. He was cut after that season and spent time with the Baltimore Ravens and also with NFL Europe.

Once back with the team in 2004 he would fight to get playing time behind Porter and Clark Haggans. 2007 is when he finally did, as it was first year as a full-time starter with Porter being cut. His coming out party came on Monday Night Football against the Ravens, when he had nine tackles, three and a half sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovered, and one interception. The Silverback was born.

Harrison has been quoted as saying that, if he had not gotten signed, he would have retired from the game to pursue his dream of becoming a veterinarian. Instead of healing animals, he would go on to hurt and make sick dawgs, tigers and ravens for years to come.

Harrison would start for six years (2007-2012) and would record 64 sacks in the regular season, 29 forced fumbles and enjoyed a 62-33 record. All told, Deebo started 95 of 131 games. He also played in 12 postseason games, notching 23 tackles and six and a half sacks, including three Super Bowls and two victories. He mainly played special teams in Super Bowl XL, but had a slightly bigger impact in Super Bowl XLIII: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1iXHY8s9o

That 100-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. the Arizona Cardinals was the longest play from scrimmage in Super Bowl history. And it is a play no Steelers fan ever gets tired of seeing.

~ "I thought we'd get to see forever
But forever's gone away...
I don't know where this road
Is going to lead
All I know is where we've been
And what we've been through." ~

Harrison was a workout warrior, was fearless and was truly fearsome. As ESPN's Jamison Hensley wrote, "let's be honest: No one is going to replace Harrison's toughness, mean streak and steely-eyed stare that struck fear into anyone lining up across from him. Harrison was more than a pass-rusher. He was a quarterback crusher." The Silverback, despite what many tried to purport, was not a dirty player, either. He just played as it was meant to be played: hard and viciously, yet within the rules (except when a certain commissioner decided to change interpretations of rules in mid-season). Playing the game the way another Kent State linebacker said it should be played.

"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." - Jack Lambert.

No one hit harder than Deebo. He made no apologies for being who he was, which was a block of granite-like freak of nature. If I were to use a movie reference, I'd paraphrase the Terminator: "He doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And he absolutely will not stop!"

Well, there was one time when he felt remorse. He expressed remorse over the plight of the opposing team's player and quarterback.

"I don't want to hurt nobody. I don't want to step on nobody's foot or hurt their toe," Harrison said at Media Day of Super Bowl XLV. "I don't want to have no dirt or none of this rubber on this field fly into their eye and make their eye hurt. I just want to tackle them softly on the ground, and if you all can, we'll lay a pillow down where I'm going to tackle them, so they don't hit the ground too hard....Mr. Goodell."

That bit of tongue-in-cheekery was in response to all of the attention he'd gotten from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to the tune of four fines for illegal hits against quarterbacks, fined twice for unnecessary roughness and was suspended once for basically being a 'repeat offender.' Most of which was undeserved. (BREAKING NEWS: Goodell fines Harrison for hitting free agency!)

Now, though, we're having to accept that the much-maligned linebacker won't any longer be around. The Silverback will wear Black and Gold no more.


- courtesy of Matt Vargo

~ "If we get to see tomorrow
I hope it's worth all the wait..." ~

In six years of being a starter, Harrison missed nine starts - four games for a broken orbital bone, three games because of knee surgery, one game because of suspension, and he sat a Week 17 game in 2008. Unfortunately, seven of those that were due to injury or surgery have come in the last two seasons.

The business of the NFL has reared it's unforgiving head once again, causing the Steelers and Harrison to part ways. Harrison didn't feel he should take a pay cut, and the Steelers didn't feel he was quite the same player anymore, at least not one warranting the $10.035 million Salary Cap hit. To be exact, the Steelers just couldn't afford the combination of salary, injury and age. If It Ain't Steel said last summer that this would most likely happen. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-this-james-harrisons-final-year.html

Per Pro Football Talk, the Steelers offered Harrison a reduction of approximately 30% of his $6.57 million base salary and an opportunity to earn it back via incentives. - http://tinyurl.com/aa6fayj

Per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Harrison told Bob Pompeani, KDKA TV Sports Director, that "he has 2-3-4 more years left in him.” So with Harrison believing that and deciding to wade out into the free agent waters, Steelers fans are left with their memories. Memories of his two 1st-team All-Pro selections, of his five Pro Bowls and of his countless bone-jarring hits.

It's hard to let go of the players that mean that much to us. We get emotionally involved, making it hard to say goodbye. And, to finish the lyrics that were the running theme of this piece, "it's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday" ... and to the Silverback.

Steelers Restructure Lawrence Timmons To Help Get Under Salary Cap, Roethlisberger Next

That was the tweet that Albert Breer of NFL Network sent out Tuesday morning. Lawrence Timmons' contract was the first to be restructured as Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers work to get under the 2013 NFL Salary Cap. Per Breer: "The move will free up approximately $5 million in salary-cap space for the Steelers" of the six-year, $50 million deal Timmons signed in 2011. - http://tinyurl.com/aclwuvj

Breer and others have pointed out that it was Timmons' roster bonus and another $4 million of his base salary that were combined and turned into a signing bonus in order to add up to the $5 million in Salary Cap savings. His, therefore was easy and, for lack of a better word, safe. The same may not necessarily be said for Ben Roethlisberger's deal.

Big Ben's base salary this seaaon is $11.6 million. The Steelers could convert over $10.6 million into a guarantee which would create $7.1 million in Salary Cap space reduction. But, as Pro Football Talk establishes, it may mortgage the future because "with a base salary of $12.1 million due in 2014, it converts to a minimum cap number of $18.325 million next year." - http://tinyurl.com/anptys7

With no extension, this wouldn't seem like a good thing when looking at the bigger picture. It would seem like more Salary Cap hell yet again next season. But, again as Breer speculates, that's just what the Steelers may look to do with their franchise quarterback.

"The Steelers' precedent has been to extend quarterbacks with two years left on their contracts," Breer commented, "and that would mean Roethlisberger could get a new deal next offseason."

That would be much easier on the Steelers and their needs to sign needed players, and it aids Big Ben in that he gets a really big check now (which is basically all a restructure is) and assures his future as a Steeler.

Maybe of even greater note Tuesday, though, was Steelers beat writer Ed Bouchette reporting that the team met with James Harrison's agent, Bill Parise, at the NFL combine. Harrison, who will count $10.035 million against the Cap in 2013, so the meeting would seem to have been about that and a possible restructure.

The only viable way, however, to keep him is to ask him to take a pay cut. Parise had previously said that Harrison wouldn't take a reduction, but that the option wasn't discussed and the sides plan to meet again.

One can only hope that something gives, because there will be a degree of instability at the position next season with no real successor being groomed.

Harrison, Woodley and Spence: Troubling Times With Linebacker, Inc.

The linebackers of the Pittsburgh Steelers received a lot of attention this past weekend. Normally, the team we've referred to before as "Linebacker, Inc." is used to receiving praise for it's traditionally stellar play at the position. Unfortunately, not all of the attention received this weekend was 'normal.'

The positive news of the last few days was regarding the coaches wanting outside linebacker James Harrison back next year. The upside of the recommendation being Harrison's getting better as the season wound down and healing to the point where he once again resembled the Silverback. The downside of it is what Ed Bouchette pointed out in his article on Sunday.

"Harrison was held back by knee surgery that was curiously delayed until training camp after the issue kept him from participating in most of the spring drills," Bouchette wrote. "He missed the first three games and took at least half the season before he returned to form. He started the rest of the 13 games and tied for the sack lead with six.

Bouchette continued by saying that "the coaching staff is counting on Harrison and {LaMarr} Woodley for 2013. Harrison's salary could be an issue as the team tries to get under the cap, but the coaches would like him back at right outside linebacker." - http://tinyurl.com/agk6olq

Harrison, will be 35 next season and scheduled to make $6.57 million. Recently through his agent, Deebo said that he's not interested in taking a pay cut. The problem is all that would be saved by a restructure is an approximate $1 million. For a team that is approximately $13.8 million over the $121.1 million Salary Cap, it's a very tough choice to make as to whether to find a way to keep him or to part ways.

As Bouchette also said, though, the coaching staff is depending upon someone else for next season as well.

After the season Woodley had, he's been questioned by some and castigated by (us) others. His production dropped off dramatically and was even outplayed by Jason Worilds who only started three games. Some even think he needs to stop with the photo shoots and commercials and to focus on football. Remember this one?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuKjpXcyXnM

Did that commercial scare you? If not, then you're probably a quarterback, because he didn't scare any signal callers this season. Woodley impotently squeaked out a total of 38 tackles and four sacks in 13 starts.

Worilds, who filled in when Woodley pulled a hamstring running to Krispy Kreme or sprained an ankle jumping for joy over a BOGO Whopper coupon, had 27 tackles and five sacks despite starting just three times. Yes, he saw action all season, but his snaps were still fewer than Woodley's...he just did more with them.

On Sunday, Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that the Steelers coaches and teammates want Woodley to focus on more of an actual training/workout routine in the offseason to get ready for football. Also, in the article, an undisclosed teammate was quoted as calling Woodley "awful."

"He tells us he works out, but we didn't see it," said the teammate. "He wasn't in shape. That has to be a reason why he was always hurt." - http://tinyurl.com/awgd9ud

This caused a backlash that Steelers veteran free safety Ryan Clark said was evident of a "fractured" team and that whichever teammate said those words anonymously was "cowardly." - http://tinyurl.com/bzbwcjk

There's no doubt that Woodley underperformed last season. And as even his position coach said last preseason, his weight has been an issue. In the Bouchette article quoted earlier, the Steelers beat writer even said that Woodley "needs to specifically work on his hamstring issues because those can linger -- as they have for him -- if not strengthened."

Also, if I may here imbue this article with a bit of my anatomy and physiology training and knowledge, it isn't just a matter of strengthening the hamstring, but also of lengthening the fascia that covers the muscle in question.

Fascia is a colloid, a gel-like, fibrous connective tissue, that surrounds all of the body's muscles like stockings. If the fascia is "shortened," the muscle's ability to perform is hindered. Just as a muscle needs to be kept stretched and hydrated for maximum efficiency, so also the length and the pliability of the fascia needs to be maintained from origin to insertion.

This could be playing into Woodley's continual hamstrings issues. Something that hopefully his trainer, whomever that is (considering he turned down Tom Shaw's offer), explores as a part of his kinesiological regimen.

Regardless of how this eventually plays out, Harrison and Woodley are an integral part of the Steelers' offseason and season to come. The outside linebacker position is and always has been at center stage of the Steelers defensive attack. Being the subject of attack is definitely rare and uncomfortable.

Let's go inside for a minute and look at what the Steelers have and what they may need. It will be easier to approach it initially by going with what we know.

Lawrence Timmons arguably should have been in the Pro Bowl and is under contract, and Larry Foote led the team in tackles with 113 total. Foote is an unrestricted free agent has said he'd like to return and would take a pay cut to do so.

Inside linebacker Stevenson Sylvester is a restricted free agent and will likely be tendered at the original round level. That leaves Marshall McFadden (practice squad), Brian Rolle and Kion Wilson (Futures/Reserves contract players) as the only other ILBs who are under contract for the 2013 season.

Which brings us to Sean Spence. Though he is under contract, it isn't known whether he'll be ready for Training Camp or whether he'll be put on the Reserve PUP List to start the season. And even if he is back in time, will he be that same "see-to-do" player that head coach Mike Tomlin praised in last season's Camp?

Last preseason Spence tore his ACL, his LCL and dislocated his knee cap. A very serious to his left knee that begs the question of whether or not to move forward regardless.

If Kevin Colbert and Tomlin err on the side of caution and select an ILB fairly early in April's NFL Draft, there are several viable candidates from which to choose. NFL.com listed the top five pre-Combine ILBs, which can used as a reference point. Those men are Alec Ogletree (Georgia), Manti Te'o (Notre Dame), Kevin Minter (LSU), Kevin Reddick (N. Carolina) and Kiko Alonso (Oregon). - http://tinyurl.com/aal5qf4

Since I don't expect them to take one in the first round, I would consider Te'o out of the equation. Add to that Ogletree's recent DUI and you can probably scratch him off of the list.

That leaves Minter, which is a plausible choice, Reddick and Alonso. As the NFL Combine takes place, also look for what Alabama's Nico Johnson does.

Whomever they choose, the need to return to Steel Curtain or Blitzburgh dominance is imperative. It doesn't require a ton of research to know the level of play has dropped off. Is Linebacker, Inc in danger of shutting down its assembly line? The plant may not shut down, but the products coming out aren't top of the line right now, either.

Will Harrison, Polamalu and Clark be Steelers in 2013?

Math isn't my strong suit, but even I can tell that $24,922,500 is more than -$12,000,000.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are facing some tough decisions as they delve deeper into the offseason. Yet again, first among those decisions is the Salary Cap and Rule of 51 dilemmas that have them more upside down than the typical Fannie Mae home.

The reason that's said is because the $24.9M amount above is the Cap hit that would be taken from linebacker James Harrison and safeties Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark alone. The negative $12 million is (most of) the amount that the Steelers are over the Cap. And as was stated in the previous "Salary Cap Update" article, those monies include the exclusive rights free agents, DeMarcus Van Dyke and Baron Batch. Then add to that the six restricted free agents, assuming all will be re-signed, and you have an approximate $8-$10 million more in contracts.

It doesn't take a math wiz at that point to figure out that not all three will be back. Harrison, though, may have made the decision as to which one that will be an easier one.

Harrison’s agent, Bill Parise, told John Harris of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that they’re "certainly willing to do (restructure). Do we need to take less money? I don’t think so. Personally, I think he’s a bargain.”

An aging linebacker who has started/played in just 24 of a possible 32 regular season games in the last two years, who is coming off of multiple surgeries to his back and knee, who subsequently saw his production suffer and who will count $10,035,000 against the Cap is "a bargain?"

No, my finding a Franco Harris throwback jersey for a quarter the price because the never-saw-a-football-game-in-her-life salesgirl got the tags mixed up was a bargain. This is no bargain.

It isn't fiscally responsible, either. The problem that the Steelers face is that it might be cheaper to roll the dice and restructure (though, they would only save about $1 million in doing so). - http://triblive.com/sports/johnharris/3462343-74/harrison-steelers-dejankovacevic#axzz2KhrZmykX

If the Cap casualty is Polamalu, though, his departure would clear $10,137,500. This is another player whose age and health could possibly mean that he won't be in a Steelers jersey next season. After all, the Steelers secondary did attain its number one status without him.

Don't worry, though. I'm not asking for his head on a pike, either. While defensive end Brett Keisel (who himself will count about $4,500,000 against the Cap and realizes he could also be gone next season) did say that the Steelers do "need some splash plays by those young guys" to bring the defense back to the level it had been before, that wasn't to mean that the veterans are just to be tossed aside.

The presence of a healthy Polamalu provides an almost unquantifiable comfort level and stability for the defense. At the same time, his presence often causes a great air of uncertainty for an offense and signal caller. Because of Polamalu's being able to be at the line of scrimmage to stuff runs or rush the quarterback, to play underneath given the pass play or to play deep on long passes, he must be accounted for when on the field.

That explosive play, splash-play ability, is what was often missing from the defense in 2012. They were solid to say the least, but lacked the triple threat. A threat that he showed signs of again in the final two games of the season. He is still, even with his absenteeism of late, a player the Steelers are better with than without.

But this game is still ultimately a business, and business is dictated by the bottom line. Saying that, it may be a 50/50 as to whether they cut losses and go younger or keep the veteran and chance that he can be healthy for the majority of the year.

A difficult decision to say the least. After all, this game is no country for old men, and I must ask, "What's the most you ever lost on a coin toss," Kevin Colbert?

The last being focused on here is free safety Ryan Clark. Clark left Twitter back on January 28, 2013 because he is, as his wife (@WriteHereYONKee) tweeted "Focusing on rehab & training."

The minor controversy it caused aside, Clark is scheduled for a Cap hit of around $4.75 million in 2013, the final year of his contract. Should he be released, the Steelers would also save the $3.5 million base salary he's due.

That said, he was arguably the Steelers defensive MVP of the first of 2012. He finished the season with 102 tackles, nine passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He was the vocal leader of the defense and the Yin to Polamalu's Yang.

However, his other stats were two concussions and a deep thigh bruise to end the season, Add that to the fact he'll be 33 years old next year and it can be understood why his is a name considered for a possible release. A dilemma that surely has Omar Khan hanging this sign on his office door:


If It Ain't Steel's guess is that, of the three and despite proven backups at any of the positions discussed, Harrison is one most likely to be gone.

Still, whomever leaves, I don't need to need to be a math wiz to know that something has to give this offseason or the next numbers we could be considering are 8-8 x 2 = 2013.

Steelers Coach Montgomery Leaves Staff; Salary Cap Updates

Another has left the roost. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery served three seasons as wide receivers coach at Duke University, his alma mater.

These are the facts: Montgomery is the third Steelers' assistant to leave since the end of the 2012 season. The others were offensive line coach Sean Kugler, who left for the head coaching job at UTEP, and special teams coach Amos Jones, who made a lateral move to the Arizona Cardinals.

The 34-year old Montgomery played at Duke University from 1996-99, and ranks second on their all-time list receptions list and is fourth on all-time receiving yards with 171 catches and 2,378 yards respectively. He was the Blue Devils' Most Valuable Player 1998 and 1999. - http://tinyurl.com/ah9fg35

What is just as important, however, is how this affects the team continuity and preparations for next season. There are enough issues at hand with regard to the actual players, let alone the ones in charge of guiding them. And, as alluded to before, Jones and now Montgomery, who, according to many, were supposed to be Tomlin's guys, only took lateral transfers?

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

So now, per Ed Bouchette, Tomlin now has two openings on his staff to fill. As he tweeted from his Twitter (@EdBouchette) account on Friday: ".... Unfilled ST asst he may use elsewhere."

Who will it be, though, to fill the WR coach position? Some have suggested Hines Ward might fill it. Well, allow me to address that as elaborately and eloquently as I can.

Nope.

Ward has said that coaching may be in his future, but in so many words said that it would be 'no time soon,' and that if and when he did it would probably be at his "alma mater."

Mark Kaboly suggested this with respects the opening: "Steelers might not have to go far to find Scottie Montgomery's replacement. Bobby Engram is only right next door at #Pitt."

Whomever it shall be remains to be seen. What we have already seen, however, is that, either Tomlin is cleaning house and is dead set on presenting the best possible product for 2013 and forward, or the coaches under Tomlin are chafing badly under his headship. Let's hope, for continuity's sake that it's the former.

~

As we presented in our last blog, Pro Football Talk reported that the Steelers have a credit of $758,000 which is a carry-over of unused cap space from 2012. It's also more than originally expected or known.

In light of the extra monies provided the Steelers and to break down the Cap situation of the Steelers, we thought we'd turn to Ian Whetstone of Steel City Insider again as last season.

In part, he said "the Steelers currently have 44 players signed for 2013...and when including the Exclusive Rights Free Agents -
$555,000 CB Van Dyke, DeMarcus
$480,000 RB Batch, Baron -

{and} Dead Money {hits} -
$344,824 DT Ta'amu, Alameda
$37,368 WR Clemons, Toney
$34,422 CB Frederick, Terrence
$23,256 RB Batch, Baron
$3,334 CB Carter, Terry
$3,334 DE Igbinosun, Ikponmwosa
$3,334 OL Lee, Ryan
$3,334 WR Maze, Marquis
$2,667 LB Lindsey, Brandon
$2,667 DE Stoller, Jake
$1,667 WR Dixon, Connor
$1,334 TE Saunders, Weslye -
there is a $133,101,630 current Cap commitment."

He further said there is a "$121,000,000 projected 2013 salary cap
Unknown 2012 cap carryover (should not be more than a few 100k)
Unknown 2013 cap adjustment. {editor's note: as stated at the outset, both have been increased since the original posting.}

"The Restricted Free Agents:
RB Dwyer, Jonathan
P Kapinos, Jeremy (I think)
DT McLendon, Steve
RB Redman, Isaac
WR Sanders, Emmanuel
LB Sylvester, Stevenson

"Projected RFA Tenders:
$2,879,000 First-round tender
$2,023,000 Second-round tender
$1,386,000 Original round tender

"Unrestricted Free Agents
S Allen, Will
QB Batch, Charlie
WR Burress, Plaxico
LB Foote, Larry
OL Foster, Ramon
DT Hampton, Casey
LB Johnson, Brandon
TE Johnson, David
CB King, Justin
QB Leftwich, Byron
OL Legursky, Doug
CB Lewis, Keenan
RB Mendenhall, Rashard
S Mundy, Ryan
TE Pope, Leonard
OL Starks, Max
WR Wallace, Mike
LS Warren, Greg"

So the Steelers do have the adjusted figure of a $121.1 million Salary Cap. Yet with all of their UFAs, even with having three $250,000 veteran Cap credits at their disposal, they still have no choice but to clean house. Especially considering that Baltimore Ravens team president Dick Cass said at the team's season-ending press conference that the "cap is not expected to go up dramatically in 2014....It should not be much more than $122 million in 2014.”

So, the nine-year extension of its Sunday broadcast television packages with CBS, FOX and NBC that will run through the 2022 season, was expected to blow up. It turns out that the cap will remain flat after all. Which means a careful stratagem will be needed continually into the seasons to come as well. All of which should start in mid-February.

~

TIDBITS: Who could the Steelers lose in their March purge? As we wrote last June, James Harrison could be one who would go. - http://tinyurl.com/bjlqooe

~

Ravens say they won't restructure contracts to keep their team together. If so, Anquan Boldin says he would retire before wearing another jersey. ...yeah, ok. - http://tinyurl.com/ax7442g

The 2012 Steelers - All The King's Horses..., pt. 2: Defense

They had a great fall...
It was week six against the Tennessee Titans game, and an eight-minute stretch in the fourth quarter played out as a microcosm of Pittsburgh Steelers' season on defense:

A crossfire blitz that couldn't get to quarterback Matt Hasselbeck...
A dropped interception by cornerback Keenan Lewis that could have ended the touchdown-tying drive...
And minutes later on the next drive, James Harrison is beaten on a shallow-cross drag route by tight end Jared Cook for 25 yards to set up the game-winning field goal.

A macrocosm analysis of the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2012 roster and season reveals more missed plays than playmakers, more wallowing in the shallow end than big splash plays and ultimately more questions than answers.

The 2012 Steelers defense was ranked No. 1 again, but, similar to 2011, it was a bit misleading. It was a very good defense to be sure, but it lacked the playmakers, youthful savagery and dominance of recent years.

Playmakers:
As mentioned in a previous post, for the second straight year, the Steelers defense hobbled their way to the quarterback, taking down the opposing passer only 37 times.

As Lance Williams of Steel Curtain Radio further explains, "the real issue is not just sacks alone, it's when you get sacks. I've learned that you have to put teams in bad down-and-distances consistently to get sacks. That means you have to play good defense on first down. Look at the Steelers sack woes over the years, third and long was the killer."

Very accurate. Also, along with the lack of pressure, they paralleled that by only forcing 20 turnovers, with their 10 interceptions being a tie for the second fewest in the team's 80-year history, and that just does not cut it.

As points of comparison, the Cincinnati Bengals' defense was ranked sixth in 2012 and had 46 sacks and recorded 26 turnovers. They made the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens, AFC North winners and AFC Champions, forced 33 turnovers. The need for playmakers who'll bring about the much-needed splash and explosive plays is obvious.

Two of the Steelers playmakers usually responsible for those types of plays spoke after the season ended about their absence.

“That‘s what was hard for me - I wasn't healthy all year....What‘s nice about it is I‘ll go into the offseason on the rise and continue to get better, get in better shape and be more prepared for next year," Troy Polamalu said.

“It took a little while to get my knee back to where it needed to be, and it‘s still not there,” Harrison said. “But now I‘ll have the time to rehab it properly and get it back to 100 percent and get back to training the way I‘m used to training.” - http://tinyurl.com/bj4snca

While it's good to know that Polamalu and Harrison are healthier and set for a productive offseason, next season isn't assured. Their comments, though, are reflective of other problems the Steelers defense had this season.

The Rusty Curtain:
Polamalu, who turns 32 in April, missed nine games in 2012 with a calf injury. Harrison, who had knee surgery last summer after being hindered by back problems prior to that, turns 35 in May. Those aren't the only ones, either.

Nose tackle Casey Hampton will be 36 at the start of next season, Brett Keisel will be 35, and Larry Foote, Ryan Clark and Ike Taylor will be 33.

The Steelers defensive is now in a state of flux and it isn't known who will stay and who will seek greener (monetarily speaking) pastures. The first element of that to consider is the defensive line, which is, or at least should be, the core of any defense. And as Alan Robinson of Trib Total Media pointed out, with a 3-4 defensive alignment, that's especially so. - http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3246072-74/season-steelers-hampton#axzz2J7P3BOTy

As Robinson made clear, the Steelers "use their defensive line to clog the middle, slow the run and create rush lanes for their outside linebackers," but age and inconsistent play from all of the front seven prevented that from happening and from delivering results when absolutely needing it.

As alluded to earlier, the defensive line will undergo a transition this offseason. Hampton most likely leaves and Steve McLendon would replace him. We've made enough noise regarding McLendon this season - from draft day all throughout the season. Whether in actual blog articles or in Twitter and Facebook posts, we've called for McLendon to take a big bite out of Big Snack's playing time. So we'll allow SteelBlitz.com make the case for him this time: http://steelblitz.com/steelers-a-case-for-steve-mclendon-to-start-in-2013/2471/2013/01/17

If Keisel stays, he could probably have another strong season at right end, but what of his successor? Cameron Heyward, as Robinson showed in his article, looks ready to step in once Da Beard gets the follicle outta town. But Ziggy Hood, on the other hand, is an 'enigma.' He just has not lived up to the expectations that come with being a No. 1 draft pick. Yes, he's strong, but not consistent. We spoke specifically about this before the season, but received the same lackluster results. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/04/ziggy-hood-is-it-all-good-in-hood.html

To draw from the Robinson piece again, though Heyward's and Hood's stats were similar, Hood "was on the field for more than three times as many snaps (833) as Heyward (267). In fact, "Hood was, by far, the league’s worst-rated pass-rushing defensive end."

Outside linebackers Harrison and LaMarr Woodley combined for only 10 sacks this season - at least half of what they normally provide. Injury issues slowed one and injury and weight issues slowed the other for much of the season. As a result, the Steelers failed to generate a consistent pass rush.

Lawrence Timmons and Foote stepped up their play and had good-to-very-good seasons. Timmons had 106 tackles, six sacks, three interceptions (one for a touchdown) and two forced fumbles. Four of those sacks and one of the forced fumbles, though, came in the last two games.

Foote led the team in tackles with 113 and had four sacks and two forced fumbles. Both failed, however, to be consistent throughout the entirety of the season.

As for the secondary, it was the strength of the defense, being No. 1 against the pass. Few interceptions were still a concern, though, and the late-season absence of Ike Taylor hurt them. They do have youth in their ranks and should continue to get better.

However, the safeties are a different story. Clark had 102 tackles and was again a reliable player. But age is age, and he and Polamalu are elder statesmen in this league. Will Allen stepped up and played adequately, but Ryan Mundy is the only other safety with any experience. Change must come.

That said, with no viable or proven backups beyond the players cited, the Kevin Colbert must find the youth and talent necessary to be the immovable objects and depth the Steelers sorely need.

Dominance:
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 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. It had been suggested by some this season, including If It Ain't Steel, that the Steelers defense was aided by the third down conversion proficiency and time of possession by the offense, especially in the first two-thirds of the season. This seemingly is evidence to that possibly being true.

Consider this also: Remember the goal-line stand in the 2008 game against the New York Giants? Big running back Brandon Jacobs was stymied for no gain and the Giants had to settle for a field goal. A truly strong defensive line and defense in general provided a stop when needed. It's the type of play head coach Mike Tomlin means when he refers to "situational football."

Was their any consistent feeling or belief that this defense had the ability to duplicate that this season?

We've mentioned players who could help provide the playmaking ability, youth and savagery needed to get back to where they once were. Ziggy Ansah is on the short list of such players. There are others who might fill in at needed positions via free agency, like a Rey Maualuga or a Darrelle Revis. Not to mention the players the Steelers will get back from Injured Reserve, as in inside linebacker Sean Spence.

But this no quick fix. It may not even be a one-season turnaround. There are more questions than answers, to say the least. Questions that one can only hope is answered adequately enough to allow all the king's men to put the Steelers back together in time for a playoff-certain 2013 campaign.

Do Kevin Colbert's Comments Give Insight Into Steelers Draft Plans?

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert met with a handful of writers last Wednesday and spoke candidly about the 2012 team. He provided a very honest assessment of where the fault lies for the team's overall performance and lack of success, changes coming to the roster and draft problems that saw two players, Alameda Ta'amu and Chris Rainey, get into trouble with the Law.

"I know Art (Rooney II) used the term 'frustrated.' I'm going with 'disappointed.' I'm disappointed in myself, that those 61 (players) were 8-8. Like I said, I'm at the head of the class." - http://tinyurl.com/aypcbrt

As all good leaders should do, Colbert rightly accepted responsibility. "The buck stops here," as a former U.S. president once made his motto. That doesn't mean, though, that's where it starts. We all know what rolls downhill, and in this case it rolls right down onto the field of play.

In further comments, Colbert made it sound as though change is coming to the roster. In fact, he wasn't even subtle about it. The draft, and possibly free agency, will affect major change for next season. The "best available player" will come in many forms this April 25-27.

"We won't close the door on any position in any round. We can't....Once we get into free agency and the draft, I don't see any position that's off limits," Colbert stated.

"When you're 12-4 and a playoff team, sometimes you get mesmerized by your success and you get a little reluctant to change...If we don't change 8-8, if we don't change the roster that produced 8-8," he also said, "we'd be silly to expect a better result if we have the same group of guys. We're not married to any of these guys."

How did Albert Einstein define "insanity?"

But, before we address any players or positions that he mentioned or that have a greater chance of getting special attention, let us be clear about one thing: despite what Colbert said about not ruling out drafting "any position in any round," It won't be a quarterback on the first two days of the draft. Ok? We clear? Good, let's move on now.

Regarding the Salary Cap dilemma, Jim Wexell of steelcityinsider.net said that their Cap-ologist Ian Whetstone, whom we've used as a source several times before, said the Steelers being $12 million over the Cap is doable.

By 'cutting James Harrison they'd save $5.1 million,' and "a Ben {Roethlisberger} restructure could save $7.2M max. {Lawrence} Timmons another target at $5.4M max."

"Cutting {Willie} Colon," he said further, "would save only $1.2M. Don't see any other realistic possibilities (aside from aforementioned Harrison)....But need the cap cuts {and to be Rule of 51 compliant} by March 12. If you keep Colon past March 12, you may as well keep him another year."

He finished his mini Twitter dissertation by saying the "team could restructure {LaMarr} Woodley for max savings of $6.2M. I'm optimistic, but that's risky." (brackets ours)

Since Colbert said that they don't have "too many franchise players" and that compliance "will include terminations, possible extensions and reconstructions," any or all of that is feasible.

Earlier this month, we talked specifically about the need to fill defensive holes early in the 2013 NFL Draft. Not the entire draft, not the first two days...just early. With Harrison's contract ripe for 'termination,' as mentioned above, an outside linebacker is a great possibility.

One whom we've mentioned before and whom Mel Kiper even has the Steelers taking in his 2013 NFL mock draft is BYU's Ziggy Ansah. Is he a defensive end or an outside linebacker? As his position coach said, he's both. Behind The Steel Curtain says it's the former, we say it's either. The link provided includes a video to help you decide. - http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/1/16/3883850/mel-kiper-2013-nfl-mock-draft-steelers-ezekiel-ansah

But, let's say, because of Rashard Mendenhall ("Any time a player doesn't show up for a game, that's unacceptable"), Mike Wallace (franchise tag: "Very doubtful") and Chris Rainey ("lost the trust of the organization" http://tinyurl.com/backbnk) all having character issues of some sort, might they look only toward choir boys? Um...no. - http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Trying-to-meet-both-standards/4bda2c71-f51e-48f9-b70b-4015797490f3

Since the aforementioned players are very likely all leaving the team this offseason, the "best available player" may be on offense - of questionable background or not. That said, is a wide receiver or multi-skilled player like West Virginia's Tavon Austin, a possibility? Scoring is essential in today's NFL, and Austin can help generate it.

Listed at 5'9", 175 lbs., with a 4.38/40 and nicknamed Tavon "Awesome," he was WVU's electric star of That 70's Show. Austin lined up at wide receiver, in the slot, as a returner and as a running back and "shows a surprising amount of patience, even as an inside runner."

Such a player could stretch the field or do any and all of the things Rainey should have done. But, don't take our word for it, read the brilliantly detailed breakdown of him and his best collegiate game by rotoworld.com: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/42156/321/tavon-awesome

"Where we were in running game last year was indicative in the talent at the position," Colbert said of the Steelers' second-worst rushing offense since 1978. "That group of players didn't produce the way we anticipated they would."

Was that actually the running backs or was it issues, injury-related and otherwise, with the offensive line? Let's assume it was the running backs as a whole. If so, neither Jonathan Dwyer nor Isaac Redman should feel too secure about starting in 2013: Dwyer's vision and decision making keep him from being a true No. 1 back, and Redman has lost five fumbles in three years. - http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/steelers-sunday-spotlight-running-back-help-wanted-671249/

If it was more a product of the continued offensive line issues, there is no shortage of guard prospects in this draft, as there are 73 underclassmen who've declared themselves eligible for the draft. - http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/01/19/nfl-draft-early-entries/

The guards of note include Jonathan Cooper of North Carolina, Alabama’s Barrett Jones or Chance Warmack. Warmack is a viable option at the 17th pick. - http://tinyurl.com/bmkdtkw

Regardless, in looking over what is in front on the Steelers, the Salary Cap issues that affect decisions, the age on defense and the vacancies needing filled on offense, their needs are simply their needs.

So, while the interview with Colbert didn't give direct insight into what the Steelers will do in the upcoming draft, rest assured that the "best available player" will come in many forms in this April's NFL Draft.

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TIDBITS: Points off turnovers were the difference in six of the eight losses. Much bigger problem than the fan-driven tension between Big Ben and Todd Haley. He says a lot of that was "anticipation." He liked offense in 1st half of the season. - http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Takeaway-total-is-trending-down/eee51537-2fcc-41ff-8641-28b097bf105a

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Omar Khan, one of the finalists for Jets' GM job, was eventually passed over. According to Colbert, "He's earned it. We think he's ready." Fortunately, he's still here. (That sound you hear is a collective sigh from Steeler Nation.)

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Despite no minority coaches hired this offseason, Rooney says the "Rooney Rule" is still 'workable with some tweaking.' - http://tinyurl.com/ag549xv

Yet, one source says the proposed coordinator expansion wouldn't apply to new head coaches: http://tinyurl.com/a4mfnq7

Art Rooney II - The State Of The Steelers, pt. 2: "Turnovers"

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

Those words were quoted and briefly touched on in part one of this series, and he is correct. Those, among many other "blunders" committed by the Steelers this past season, were collectively responsible for the disappointing 8-8 campaign. - http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/ron-cook/ron-cook-blunders-added-up-to-highly-frustrating-8-8-season-668939/

But Rooney II emphasized two of the more important. Ergo, pressure on the quarterback and the totality of turnovers are appropriately a priority for 2013. - http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Rooney-Takeaways-tied-to-sacks/74d97f8f-bd11-4b3e-8d74-993a1b4cd637

"If you look at the playoffs, teams that are on the negative side of the turnover ratio are not in the playoffs. It's really as simple as that," said Rooney II. "That was an area on both sides of the football that we fell short of, and certainly something we can improve upon and something we need to improve upon."

There's no denying that. There was a direct correlation between the lack of pressure and the subsequent lack of turnovers, as Bob Labriola of Steelers Digest pointed out in the article posted to Steelers.com. 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."

In comparison, "there were only 35 sacks and 15 takeaways in 2011, followed by 37 sacks and 20 takeaways this past season." Point taken.

If you need further numbers backing up this summation, consider that the teams with most takeaways this season were: Bears (44), Patriots (41), Giants (35), Cardinals (33), Redskins, Seahawks and Falcons (31), and the Bengals (30). Five of those eight teams made the playoffs, with one more only missing out (Bears) because of losing their quarterback for a period of time.

By contrast, the teams with the fewest takeaways were: Chiefs and Eagles (13), Colts (15), Dolphins and Cowboys (16), Lions (17), Raiders (19) and the Steelers (20). Only one of those teams made it to the postseason.

Principally mentioned by Rooney II as ones relied upon to provide those defensive splash plays were James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu - all of whom were injured and/or ineffective much of it. According to Rooney II, those players needed to be "difference makers," but weren't.

Harrison, who was already having back problems, entered the season coming off of summer knee surgery and was hampered by those issues most of the year. He didn't really round into form until approximately the 15th week. That had a profound affect on the overall pass rush and low sack numbers.

As far as Woodley is concerned, though he has had groin and hamstring problems the last two years, he was hardly even effective when he was healthy. Mark Kaboly gives a bit of insight into how far his productivity dropped in 2012. - http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3188450-74/woodley-game-roethlisberger?showmobile=false#axzz2I7jCYgR7

As his position coach Keith Butler said of him last offseason, “Wood has to decide if he wants to be a great player,” and not to "come to camp weighing 290 (pounds)." That excess weight would of course inhibit his ability to recover as quickly and/or completely as he could otherwise.

Point blank, if Woodley is to be a part of the Steelers long-term plans, he is going to have to rededicate himself this offseason to being the "bear" that Butler says he can be, and not the sloth he was this season when he had all of four sacks, rarely pressured the quarterback and was hardly a run stopper. Because, as SteelBlitz.com plainly expresses, his absenteeism was "alarming." - http://steelblitz.com/after-steelers-poor-2012-season-blame-pointed-at-one-player/2422/2013/01/09

Of course, to aid in those splash plays and to eventually push one of the two linebackers, another player must be drafted. A list of possibilities were discussed in a previous blog article. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/01/fixing-steelers-starts-with-drafting.html

The third player Rooney II mentioned, Polamalu, who was injured the majority of the season also. What he brings to the playing field when healthy was made evident in the final two games when he was back to wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage and recording more Troy-like stats of 10 tackles, one sack and one interception.

At one point Rooney II said that the Steelers "would have been competitive" if they had made playoffs. Um...no. No, they wouldn't have.

The realization of that set in when having all three of those men on the field at the same time still resulted in a loss. At home. When they needed it. Realizations that they can't just flip a switch, as it were, or just walk out there and expect to win. Realizations that Polamalu hopes humbles them. - http://triblive.com/sports/-topstories/3188480-74/polamalu-steelers-bowl#axzz2GOLR2ff1

The point was further driven home when seeing the scores of the divisional weekend's games. The four games had an average score of 38.5 - 30.5, with the high being 45 points. When was the last time the Steelers scored 45 points? October 15, 2006, 45-7 over the Kansas City Chiefs.

That brings us to the offense, which was all too eager to give the ball to the other team this season. The Steelers turned the ball over 30 times this season. Five of the eight games lost this season were by three points and another by six points. Four of those game had a late turnover that led to the loss, and a fifth (Denver) that had a pick six to seal the victory.

Then consider that there were over 100 points scored directly off of turnovers. Now, let's assume that eliminating those blunders would have led to 100 more points for the Steelers instead. The Steelers scored 21 points per game this season, up from 20.3 PPG last season. Add those assumed 100 points and the average jumps to 27.25 PPG and five more games are won.

Granted, that is oversimplifying things, but the point is that turnovers take their toll. They are a like a pothole-filled road: some are bigger than others, but they all inhibit being able to have smooth, or efficient, ride, and ultimately cause underlying damage.

Case in point, the teams with the most turnovers in 2012 were Chiefs, Eagles and Jets (37), Bills and Cardinals (34), Lions (33), Steelers (30), Cowboys (29) and Titans (28).

Conversely, the teams with the fewest turnovers were the Redskins (14), Patriots, Ravens, Packers and 49ers (16), Texans (17), Falcons and Seahawks (18).

The teams with the best turnover differential in 2012 were the Patriots (+25), Bears (+20), Redskins (+17), Giants (+14), Falcons and Seahawks (+13), Texans (+12) and Ravens and 49ers (+9).

Worst 2012 turnover differentials belonged to the Chiefs and Eagles (-24), Lions (-16), Jets (-14), Bills and Cowboys (-13), Colts (-12) and Dolphins and Steelers (10).*

The teams with the fewest all made the playoffs. The teams with the most got lovely parting gifts. All but two of the teams with the greatest differential made the playoffs. All but one of the teams with the worst differential received extra vacation time.

Do you notice a pattern developing here? This isn't rocket science. Regular readers of this blog know that we preach execution and fundamentals. The lack of those key elements were rampant all season.

Some of that is on the coaches, yes, but the majority is on the players themselves. Because, as was expounded on before, not one coach fumbled, dropped a pass or threw an interception. As Rooney II said, "It's really as simple as that."

However, what isn't so simple is what each of the players highlighted in this article had in common: injuries. The three usually defensive stalwarts missed a total of 15 games due to injury.

How do they alleviate them? Is it pandemic? Is it cyclical? Are they snake bitten? These and other questions will be addressed in part three of this series examining Art Rooney II's interviews.


* Thanks to Russell S. Baxter of profootballguru.com who did the legwork on these turnover stats. You can also find him on Twitter at @BaxFootballGuru.