Roethlisberger, Polamalu and Coaches Alike Key in Steelers Surge, Beating Ravens

"It's not how you drive, it's how you arrive." Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones

The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. The coaches knew that. They even tried to tell us that. The typical fan, though, lives very much in the now. So much so that Steelers fans have called for more heads than the Queen of Hearts.

After an ignominious start to the season - 11 turnovers, zero forced turnovers and 15 sacks allowed in four losses - the Steelers are actually looking like a team to be reckoned with down the stretch. Somewhat sparked by a recent loss, all of the above numbers have been turned in their favor.

The coaches and coordinators had taken a lot of abuse during that period, even having much-loved defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's job being questioned. If It Ain't Steel even suggested as much. But it was based on the team's direction at the time - a direction that has been navigated back to a winning one.

One thing that was made clear, however, was that the players needed to execute. During the recent win streak, players on both sides of the ball are doing just that.

First four weeks:
11 offensive turnovers
15 sacks allowed
0 defensive forced turnovers
4 defensive sacks
17.25 points per game

Last three weeks:
1 offensive turnover
5 sacks allowed
8 defensive forced turnovers
10 defensive sacks
29 points per game

In the previous three weeks, Big Ben has only been sacked five times, while not getting dirty once last Sunday against the Cleveland Browns top 10 defense. It a unified effort between coaching, players finally getting comfortable and Big Ben's presence in the no-huddle.

"When you have different people you are plugging in that haven't been exposed to [the no-huddle] quite as much as some of the others, that causes you some speed bumps....I think that is why you are seeing a little more efficient operation, and it's obviously a weapon," said offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

"Ben is an elite quarterback as I've said," Haley said further of the AFC's Offensive Player of the Month. "I think he is preparing, a big part of that is his preparation and being ready for the opponent, because when he is out there, he obviously has to make some decisions that we all have to trust and count on him. He's done a very good job of it." - http://tinyurl.com/owfddns

It's that kind of play against the Baltimore Ravens, reflecting his 7-2 record against Ravens' QB Joe Flacco, including a 3-1 mark at Baltimore since '08, which will be needed this week, especially with such an emphasis on the pass.

Not that running back Le'Veon Bell isn't adequate, having not yet had a 100-yard game, because he is very versatile back with a high upside. In fact, it is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield that makes him a valuable cog in the Steelers offense. - http://tinyurl.com/phosh4y

But the Steelers offense has joined the NFL's pass-happy mentality. The Todd Haley offense, basically a West Coast Offense, has the passing game ranked eighth in the NFL. Not only because of the short passes, slants and bubble screens, but because of splash plays, also, as Big Ben leads all quarterbacks in deep throws/completions on (20+ yards down field) with 23, and is tied for the lead in completions that result in 20 yards or more with 47.

One main reason is that his No. 1 wide receiver and target, Antonio Brown, is also the No. 1 receiver (receptions) in the NFL. Though many thought this would be a problem this season with the departure of a receiver now playing with the Miami Dolphins, AB continually proves them all wrong as he has racked up 1,044 yards and six touchdowns on a league-best 80 receptions.

Speaking of no-huddle offenses...

"[The Ravens] no-huddle, but the thing that they have is the balance on the outside," said LeBeau. "They've got not two, but three very adept deep receivers on the outside. I would say any able bodied defensive back would be very welcomed against those guys because they've got a great deep passing quarterback with guys with a lot of speed."

This will be a test for LeBeau's defense. Flacco likes to go deep and will do so to Torrey Smith (859 receiving yards) and the potentially dangerous Marlon Brown (five touchdowns in only 28 receptions).

Having a complete secondary ready to execute will be imperative. Which means Ike Taylor can't take the second half off like he did Sunday, and rookie Shamarko Thomas will need to cause a "Headache" or two once again.

The running game, should still be respected because of Ray Rice being "one of the best backs that ever played," per LeBeau. "As long as he's in there, they're going to have a good run game." With nose tackle Steve McLendon being out Thursday, Hebron Fangupo and Al Woods must step in his absence. It is also important once again to have the front seven to, not only shut the running game down and make them one-dimensional.

They will also need to cause confusion and to get to Flacco who can be rattled. LaMarr Woodley and Troy Polamalu have had memorable moments in getting to him in the past, although Woodley is likely out this week.

If so, the disruption caused by the hybrid linebacker may just be essential. Last Sunday, Polamalu totaled four tackles, one sack, knocked down a pass, forced a pair of fumbles and recovered another fumble en route to this week's AFC Defensive Player of the Week award.

The Ravens have been very inconsistent, but one thing that hasn't been is that when they tie or lose the turnover battle, they lose the game. The recent head-to-head matchups have produced similar results. And since we've established that the Steelers surge has been in part because of the lack of turnovers, this is yet again essential.

One last important statistic: In the last four games between the two teams, the team winning the third-down conversion battle won the game.

In the previous two wins by the Ravens, they were at a 48.5% conversion rate to the Steelers' 41%. In the last two Steelers wins over the Ravens, they were at 48% to the Ravens 40%.

Do those things and the Steelers will "arrive" at .500 and in the driver's seat for the final playoff spot.

~

TIDBITS: Steelers Injury Report: McLendon out; Woodley doubtful; Gilbert, Keisel, Miller, Polamalu, Sylvester and Thomas probable.

Ravens injury report. Safety Bryden Trawick (ankle) didn't practice and DE Chris Canty (shoulder) limited.

~

According to the American Brain Tumor Association, there are nearly 700,000 people living with a brain tumor (diagnosis). How many people love in Baltimore, Md? Nearly 700,000. Coincidence?

Steelers Look For 2nd Win In "Grudge Match" Against Ravens

via steelers.com

“It’s a grudge match. It really is. It always seems to be close." - Brett Keisel on rivalry with Ravens.

Whether it could be labeled a "grudge match," a blood bath or the 'best rivalry in the NFL' (to which it is often referred), one thing is very certain - these teams just don't like each other.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers and the defending world champion Baltimore Ravens take the field Sunday afternoon, one player new to the rivalry may not be able to get himself acquainted.

Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones was diagnosed with a concussion early this week and is listed as questionable for the game Sunday. He practiced fully on Friday but must still pass a concussion test.

If he is unavailable, fellow outside linebacker Jason Worilds will start in his stead. Something with which defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is just fine.

"If you look at the video and, really, the team record," said LeBeau, "you will see that Jason {Worilds} played pretty dag gone well last year....Jason has always been excellent at {the point of attack}. He is a good, growing young player. We are glad we got him."

Be it Jones or Worilds, they will need to get to quarterback Joe Flacco and to stop running back Ray Rice. While Bernard Pierce has been a valuable compliment to him, Rice is still the main man to stop.

Since the start of 2011, when Rice gets 20 or more touches (carries and receptions) in a game, the Ravens have a 22-2 record. However, when Rice gets fewer than 20 touches the Ravens are only 7-11.

Rice's value is undeniable. The Steelers run defense, unfortunately is ranked 22nd in the league, giving up 114.8 yards per game. What helps is that Rice is only averaging 2.8 yards per carry this season providing a dynamic that might lean in the Steelers favor.

While the Steelers still must contain Ray Rice if they expect to win, it doesn't end there. As LeBeau also said, they have "a good corps of wide receivers that can go deep. They kind of live on that big play..." Point blank, the Ravens have the weapons to hurt the Steelers by going deep.

They are led by wideout Torrey Smith who is fourth in the NFL in receiving yards with 568, including a 20.3 yard per catch average. Another player to watch out for is rookie Marlon Brown. His three receiving touchdowns are already fourth most by a rookie in team history.

The Steelers secondary would seem to be up to the task as it is ranked fourth best in the NFL allowing just 196 yards per game.

Speaking of wide receivers, the Steelers have their own who's leading the league in receiving categories.

Antonio Brown has been targeted 53 times by Ben Roethlisberger this season resulting in 41 catches and 498 yards. He is second in the NFL in receptions, behind Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans - who haven't had their bye yet. AB average 12.1 yards per catch and 99.6 per game. He is also second amongst all wide receivers, again minus Houston's Johnson, with 27 receptions for first downs.

“...He's our No. 1 guy,” offensive coordinator Todd Haley said on Thursday. “When Mike {Wallace} left, {AB} knew he had an opportunity to step into that role. He's embraced it, he's worked hard and he's making plays. That's tough to do when you're ‘the' guy because that's the guy that generally sees double coverage.” - http://tinyurl.com/k9myxhv

Truth. Case in point was the play that led the Steelers' lone touchdown scored against the Jets last Sunday.

On the 55-yard strike to Emmanuel Sanders last Sunday, the Jets were in the old "46 defense" with strong safety Dawan Landry cheating over to Antonio Brown's side, while free safety Antonio Allen was in the box for a blitz or hot read. i.e. AB was doubled covered which allowed Manny to take Antonio Cromartie one-on-one.

Teammates have even said that AB is even better and that he isn't taking any downs off. Manny had previously been the better route-runner of the two (especially three), but AB has been running his routes with greater precision than ever before, leading to possible record-breaking numbers.

AB is currently on pace for 131 receptions and 1,593 yards, which would decimate his previous career highs of 69 catches for 1,108 yards (in 2011), and would rearview mirror Hines Ward's team record of 112 catches in a season and Yancey Thigpen's team record of 1,398 yards.

With all that said, two things still need to be considered going up against the Ravens Sunday: the fact that, as successful as they were with them last week against the Jets, don't expect the Steelers to run as many screens against Baltimore, and Le'Veon Bell must continue to get better.

While Bell has battled injuries, after making his debut he’s become the clear top option for the Steelers. Though having a slow start as a runner, averaging only 2.84 YPC, he has shown promise and has done a very nice job as a receiver catching all seven of the passes targeted his way for 100 yards. He has also shown his blocking skills with no pressure being surrendered on his 16 pass-block snaps.

Yet, Bell is capable of offering more to this offense. With the ZBS and outside-run blocking, if he trusts himself and his teammates and displays a little more patience, he can be very good for this team for a very long time.

The Steelers will be up to the task regardless, though, as linebacker Terrell Suggs knows all too well.

"This is a team," Suggs told NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala, "they're never going to say die."

A team facing its bitterest rival. And it all resumes Sunday afternoon.

~

TIDBITS: Jarvis Jones (concussion) practice participation was adjusted to "limited" Friday; listed as questionable for Sunday. Still must pass concussion test.
The rest of the Injury Report is as follows: Keisel, Gilbert, Heath all probable; Wheaton, Gordon both out

Ravens: ILB Josh Bynes (hand), Out; NT Ngata (elbow), OLB Upshaw (foot), CB Webb (thigh) all limited on Friday and all listed Questionable.

The Ravens have added linebacker Jameel McClain to their roster, the club said Saturday.

~

"@MarkKaboly_Trib: Did you know that the OL the #Steelers put out for the 2nd half of the season opener last year is 100% different than it is right now"

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Top 25 NFL Players

Written by Jayden and Jason

As the season gets ready to begin, it's time to take a look at the top players in the NFL. It's an extension of If It Ain't Steel's Top 12 Quarterbacks. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/08/if-it-aint-steels-2013-top-12-nfl.html

Each year we're blessed and disappointed, we cheer and we cry, we scream and we...scream. The NFL is America's true pastime and the five months that we have it always go entirely too fast.

So, before it's too late...

1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers - Honestly, he just seems to get better every year. The thing that should scare every man with a "DC" attached to his name is that he is just now getting into his prime.

2. J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans - Nicknamed J.J. "SWAT", he was as dominant as any down lineman we may have ever seen. He was completely unblockable. Maybe that should be his new nickname: "C-Block." He was so dominant that the Texans might utilize his high level of talent on offense. - http://t.co/OLLJ6PFVzf

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions - How do you stop the 6'5", 235-pound Megatron? With 122 receptions, 1,964 receiving yards, 122.8 yards per game average, 16.1 yards per catch and 11 100-yard receiving games, he commands a double on almost EVERY play. Oh, and he'll turn just 28 a month into the 2013 season.

4. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - The Dorian Grey of NFL quarterbacks. He doesn't seem to be slowing down, as he threw for nearly 5,000 yards, had 34 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions in 2012.

5. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings - If he came back from his ACL injury legally, then to do what he did was amazing. Think about it - he almost took down the single-season record for total (not yards per game) rushing yards.

6. Geno Atkins, DT, Cincinnati Bengals - He was a true force in 2012 with 12 sacks from the defensive tackle spot. Very special and scary player.

7. DeMarcus Ware, OLB-DE, Dallas Cowboys - Whether a rushing down end or an outside linebacker, Ware is a true force. His sack numbers were down (11½) some last season, but it doesn't change the fear factor.

8. Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco 49ers - An athletic freak, he can run, tackle and get to a lot of plays you didn't think he would. Best middle/inside linebacker in the game.

9. Von Miller, OLB, Denver Broncos - Great speed, intense and is a good tackler, Miller has the goods. Goods you'll see in 2013 after the first six games.

10. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints - Despite last season's results, he threw more interceptions than in 2011, he remains one of the top players in the league.

11. Richard Sherman, CB, Seattle Seahawks - The best cornerback in the NFL - just ask him. But he backs up his cockiness. He can cover, had eight interceptions and led the league with 32 passes defended.

12. Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins - Another guy who moved to a rushing down end spot from a 3-4 pass rusher and responded with 15 sacks. Just damn good.

13. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals - He has an incredible catch radius and brings in nearly everything he lays even a finger on. He led all receivers in 2012 with seven 40-plus-yard receptions and had nearly 100 catches total.

14. Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos - The Sheriff bounced back to look like the Manning of old. His monster of Frankenstein act didn't stop him from coming back and dissecting the NFL in the regular season.

15. Duane Brown, T, Houston Texans - He simply pancakes guys. Makes lot of pass rushers look pedestrian. Simply the best in the game right now.

16. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals - The best thing we can say about him is that only bad quarterback play keeps him from being the best.

17. Clay Matthews, OLB, Green Bay Packers - He had 13 sacks in 12 games. 'Nuff said. Whether you call him Samson or Goldilocks, he's a beast.

18. Aldon Smith, OLB, San Francisco 49ers - One half of the Smith brothers had 19½ sacks, but he didn't get any during the absence of...

19. Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers - A shoulder injury derailed what was a very good season. He demands the double team and allows other player to be great. Just ask Aldon.

20. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons - Explosive. A big-play threat. A man among men. So many superlatives can be thrown his way. He's simply the real deal.

21. Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers - No. 7 with/times 3 Super Bowls = 21 on our list. He threw 26 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions in just 13 games. He was injured in week 11 and was in some MVP talks before that. Look for him to return to that form this season.

22. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots - He is the league's best pass-catching tight end and can block too. He's a true weapon for Brady.

23. Haloti Ngata, DT, Baltimore Ravens - He has been slowed by injuries lately, but when he's healthy he's a bruising inside player. Just ask Big Ben's nose.

24. Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens - We're giving him the benefit of the doubt here, because he had didn't even complete 60% of his passes last season and he had the two worst quarterback ratings since the system was invented. But he did have a remarkable playoff and Super Bowl run.

25. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants - In some ways he's better than his brother, and he's twice better than Brady, but he does have his inconsistencies. He's still one of the better in the game.


The Next (Magnificent) Seven:

Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons - Matty Ice!

Marshal Yanda, G, Baltimore Ravens - Rock at guard.

Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints - 85 receptions and nine touchdowns despite time missed with injuries.

Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The anchor on the league's best run defense.

NaVorro Bowman, LB, San Francisco 49ers - Great against the pass and defends almost as well as his line mate.

Lawrence Timmons, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Very underrated. Second on Steelers in tackles with 106 and had six sacks, three INTs and two forced fumbles.

Patrick Peterson, CB, Arizona Cardinals - A cover man (7 INTs) and return man (4 TDs) and now catches passes too.

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 Top 12 NFL Quarterbacks

by Jason and Jayden

It's that time of year again where we at If It Ain't Steel rank the NFL's golden boys. Since the quarterback is generally the most important position on the field, we annually put together a list of the top signal callers. And this year's crop does not disappoint.

The top seven alone has 11 Super Bowl winners, along with another participant who almost got his first instead of his opponent who is higher in the list. Also included is one who proved all the doubters wrong - all except one blog that told you to remember his name.

There are many "Top..." whatever lists out there. Why is ours different, and why twelve? Good question. Though we mentioned SB wins previously, we don't allow that to weigh too heavily in our evaluation, either, because of all that's involved in achieving one. That said, there are your elite QBs and then your QBs knocking on the door - all of whom could direct their teams to the big show. That never goes more than about a third deep.

How do we compile our list, you may ask? As we've said in the two previous editions of our list, we don't care about fantasy points or other networks' rankings. We look at the quarterbacks as they are now and project as to what will be - basically, those who simply get the job done. And the criteria is as follows:

‎1) Overall Ability
2) Leadership/Elevating Players
3) Wins
4) Mental Toughness/Comeback Ability
5) Accuracy
6) Pocket Presence
7) Toughness and Escapability.

Without further ado...

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN:
1. Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers: (2012: 11-5, 67.2% completion percentage, 39 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 108.0 QB Rating)
This guy just has it all. He has the numbers to warrant his being the top selection. But he also has the intangibles, the leadership and the toughness that makes him a leader of men.

2. Tom Brady - New England Patriots: (12-4, 63.0%, 34 TDs, 8 INTs, 98.7 QBR)
One of the two elder statesman of the group, yet a man who still strikes fear into the hearts of opponents. He hasn't won a SB since SpyGate, but he is still lethal when he needs to be. He may have his biggest challenge yet this season with one tight end being traded to the Massachusetts State team and a crop of young receivers. Still, like mama said, respect your elders!

3. Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints: (7-9, 63.0, 43 TDs, 19 INTs, 96.3 QBR)
Brees is sometimes hard to evaluate. He actually has a low overall winning percentage and comparatively low QB rating, yet he is as tough as they come. The Napoleon of the group, he is a true competitor who has a never-say-die attitude despite his small stature. And getting his coach back could mean another run at a Lombardi.

4. Peyton Manning - Denver Broncos: (13-3, 68.6%, 37 TDs, 11 INTs, 105.8)
Frankenstein's monster terrorized villagers all season, bolts in his neck and all. Then came the playoffs and suddenly he looked more like the Bride of Frankenstein. At times the best the NFL has ever seen, and at other times (coughplayoffscough) he's the most overrated ever. Still, he's good enough to be given the benefit of the doubt...at least until January.

5. Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers: (8-8, 63.3%, 26 TDs, 8 INTs, 97.0 QBR)
Before his injury in a night game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Big Ben was ranked 5th in the NFL in passing with a .671 comp. pct. (200-298, or an average of 25-37) for 2,203 yards, 16 touchdown passes, only four interceptions and a 101.1 QB rating. He also was on pace for the fewest sacks of his career since the 2005 season. Now that he's healed and has a greater understanding of Todd Haley's offense, look for Big Ben to throw that chip on his shoulder at every opponent this season.

6. Joe Flacco - Baltimore Ravens: (10-6, 59.7%, 22 TDs, 10 INTs, 87.7 QBR)
A very pedestrian regular season turned into a nearly perfect postseason. He had the two lowest QBR numbers ever with a 0.3 and 0.4 in 2012, but somehow he overcame himself and won the Super Bowl. Does he have a good enough track record to support giving him this high of a ranking? The answers are polarizing, but if we err we'll err on the side of expectation.

7. Eli Manning - New York Giants: (9-7, 59.9%, 26 TDs, 15 INTs, 87.2)
If ever there was a benefit of the doubt pick, it's here. Two SB Rings will do that for a man. The other Manning is entering his 10th year and has to deal with more being brought onto his shoulders because of questions in the Giants' running game and their having trouble stopping the run. If those areas are edified, another kind of run could again be in his future.

THE NEXT BEST:
8. Matt Ryan - Atlanta Falcons: (13-3, 68.6%, 32 TDs, 14 INTs, 99.1 QBR)
Putting Matty Ice this low may seem off to some, but we believe that a little bit more still needs to be seen. He finally put together a truly good postseason, almost getting his team to the NFC Championship game. Another such season, maybe one more win, and he'll be top five.

9. Robert Griffin III - Washington Redskins: (10-6, 65.6%, 20 TDs, 5 INTs, 102.4 QBR)
Last year's Top 12 list had a watch list(ITALICS) attached to the main list. We believed the rookies would make their presence known in the NFL. We were correct. We (specifically Jason) were high on RGIII, even comparing his game to the likes of Randall Cunningham and Steve Young. We (I was) were correct as he was named the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year. He definitely has pocket-presence, but also the pocket-awareness that allows him to use his escapability. It is that ability that propelled him into the top 12 this season.

10. Cam Newton - Carolina Panthers: (7-9, 57.7%, 19 TDs, 12 INTs, 86.2)
This pick is based on potential as much as anything. Is Cam Newton a QB around whom you can build a team? We don't need seven seconds of dead air to contemplate that question before answering. We simply give an emphatic "YES." We know he has maturing to do and has to fine tune certain things, but the sky is the limit. He'd better get on it, though. That little kid won't need to loosen his arm forever.

11. Colin Kaepernick - San Francisco 49ers: (11-4-1, 62.4%, 10 TDs, 3 INTs, 98.3 QBR)
Kaepernick is similar to RGIII in how he can be described and compared. His talents are absolutely undeniable as he could be considered an evil football scientist's lab creation. Take Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Terry Bradshaw and...It's alive! Alive! Explosive, accurate and athletic big-armed freaks of nature who can sprint 30 yards untouched into the end zone in the biggest game of a 10-game career don't come around often. Expect a lot of teams to get Kaepernicked for years to come.

12. Russell Wilson - Seattle Seahawks: (11-5, 64.1%, 26 TDs, 10 INTs, 100.0 QBR)
Another on that aforementioned watch list was Wilson. We (specifically Jayden) knew he had the goods and he then proved that size doesn't matter. We (she) said that we would "be keeping (our) eye on these two rookies and, you never know, they may crack our Top 12 next season." Andrew lucked out in that department, but RGIII and Wilson, who was awarded the Pepsi Max Offensive Rookie of the Year, obviously didn't. In Luck's defense, though, we did vote for Russell Luck III as the offensive ROTY.

Just Missing The Cut -

Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts: Just keep it flowin', youngin'.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions: Threw the most passes (727) ever in one season. He needs to do better with throwing fewer passes.

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears: On the borderline. Stay healthy and you may get back to the big dance.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals: Opie Taylor just keeps getting better, but at too slow a pace. Is this the year that Richie Cunningham breaks out of his Cocoon and makes a big Splash?

Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs: The 29-year old blossomed in his last two years, completing at least 61% of his passes and posting passer rating above 90.0. Will Kansas City provide that next step?

The "You're killin' me, Petey!" Group -

Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: Um...I can't call it.

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers: "Pussface" has all the skills, but throws it to the other team a little too much.

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: You either get Batman or the Joker. Make up your mind, Josh. You could be legen...wait for it...dary!

If It Ain't Steel's 2013 AFC North QB Rankings

by Jayden Matthews

It’s that time of year again when we at If It Ain't Steel rank the quarterbacks. First up, we start with the QBs of the AFC North. This is the division and these are the QBs we know the most about because of playing them twice a year. Though we always endeavor to remain as objective as possible whenever we write, we still realize this list may not go over well will the Raven faithful. But we're neither the NFL Network or ESPN nor am I Ron Jaworski, and you will see that when our Top 12 QBs list comes out. But without further adieu, here we go.

1) Ben Roethlisberger

This is by no means a Black and Gold-blinders pick. This is where Big Ben deserves to be ranked. Yes, I know he got hurt and missed 3 games. But, SO WHAT? He still deserves to be ranked above the other three in this division. Before Big Ben’s injury, he was arguably right in the thick of MVP talks and was putting together what could have been one of his best seasons yet. He was consistent in his play and had the best 3rd down conversion percentage of any QB in the NFL until his injury. He had only thrown four interceptions before his injury. No, he didn’t look like the superstar stud QB we all know when he came back and we lost two heartbreaking games by 3 points and missed the playoffs, but we still give Ben the No. 1 nod because we mainly rank by regular season numbers with a nod to playoff numbers.

Despite missing essentially three and a half games, Big Ben still finished the season with 3,265 yards 26 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions. He had a 65% completion percentage and QB ranking of 97.0. Big Ben may have had his share of injuries over the past couple seasons and this may have been the longest that we have been without him, but he still deserves the No. 1 nod.

Big Ben is still the most consistent of the four in the AFC North. In his nine years, he has two Super Bowl wins under his belt and helped lead the Steelers to a third appearance. That’s pretty good for any QB, but is great for a QB playing in arguably the toughest division in football. It is hard enough to win the AFC North, let alone win the whole shebang. And we don't believe he's done yet.

The other reason I give him the No. 1 nod is because we all know that last season has to be eating at him as much as it does the fans. We believe he will come out and play like the champion we all know he is and that he will get it done. With the Steelers flying under the radar and the talking heads of mainstream media already sticking a fork in them, Big Ben and the Steelers, in one sense, have less pressure on them. That could set up to be a bad thing for the rest of the AFC North.

2) Joe Flacco

Yes, I know Joe Flacco just won the SB and the MVP. Again, SO WHAT? As we said, we mainly base this on regular season numbers and less on playoff and SB numbers. Joe Namath had a great playoff run and beat Baltimore's favorite son, the Colts. Is Namath supposed to be the best ever? Timmy Smith set a SB record by running for 204 yards, while also scoring two TDs, for the Washington Redskins in SB XXII. Did that make him a Hall of Fame running back?

Let’s be real, Flacco was hardly an MVP during the regular season. His inconsistencies reared their ugly heads a lot, in fact. While he had his ups and downs during the regular season, he is still a better player than the other two in the AFC North. Flacco owns the two worst QBR ratings of any QB in the NFL this past season and, might I add, two of the worst ever. Against a stout Houston Texans defense, he had a ranking of 0.3 and against the Denver Broncos he had a ranking of 0.4. Plus, as we'll further bring out in a moment, Big Ben had more TD passes and fewer INTs in less time. So why, again, should we have Flacco ranked higher?

That is what a lot of fans seem to overlook. Yes, again, Flacco had an amazing playoff run, but he had an inconsistent, yo yo-like season. They also leave out the fact that the playoff run was also fueled by the retirement announcement of Ravens great Ray Lewis. A lot also like to blame Cam Cameron and then are praise Jim Caldwell for Flacco's immediate turn around during the playoffs.

Time will tell if that is the case, because I personally still thinking Lewis’ retirement motivation had more to do with it. Plus, if Caldwell was so great, then why did the Indianapolis Colts tank when Peyton Manning was injured and out for the season?

This will be the season for both Flacco and Caldwell to shut critics like myself up. Are they up for the task? We will see. He finished the regular season with 3,817 yards 59.7% completion, 22 TDs to 10 INTs and a QB ranking of 87.7. Flacco is coming off a near historic playoff run, I do give him credit for that, but he is going to have to come out this season and play that good all the time for me to rank him above Big Ben.

Flacco and the Ravens also have the proverbial target on their backs that comes with being the reigning champs, so this season is by no means going to be easy. Because even bad teams show up to play the champs. Frankly, if the Ravens have any chance of taking the North for the third year in a row and making it back to the playoffs they are going to need that Flacco to show up. Especially with all the questions on their retooled defense and how it’s going to come together, more onus is on him. So this will be the year for Flacco to put up or shut up with all the attention and money he is receiving. Will he remain the media darling or the media kick stand? That is yet to be determined.

3) Andy Dalton

Andy Dalton can play and has shown that since being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. He is consistently building a nice résumé and his numbers are very good and right up there with the top two. He has helped lead the Bengals to back-to-back winning seasons and playoff appearances but has yet to get his first playoff win.

The Bengals are quietly building a very good offense around Dalton with very good young talent. Again, this is a brutal division and they still have their work cut out for them if they're going to take out the Steelers and Ravens.

Could this be the year the Bengals emerge and do just that? Time will tell, but things are definitely looking up for Bengals fans and they have every right to be optimistic with this young guy under center.

Dalton finished the season with 3,669 passing yards and a 62.3% completion, which is second behind Big Ben. We can't rank him higher than Flacco, though, until he wins some playoff games. He had 26 TDs to 16 INTs and a 87.4 QB ranking. The sky is the limit for young Dalton, and this could be the year he crosses the threshold.

4) Brandon Weeden

Weeden was drafted by the Cleveland Browns last season and was immediately thrown into the fire. He didn’t have the best of seasons, but he didn’t have the worst, either. A lot of the Browns problems are lack of weapons around Weeden. Given the fact that Trent Richardson was also hurt a lot, it just led to disaster again for the Browns offense.

The Browns have somewhat addressed their issues this offseason. It has been reported that Richardson is healthy and should be ready to go by training camp, which will help. But Weeden has felt the heat of the front office this offseason, and has a new coach to impress. This will probably be a make-or-break season for Weeden and his future with the Browns. I personally feel that is wrong because, with the dearth of weapons around him, how can the Browns' brass expect Weeden to succeed in one of the toughest divisions in football?

Will he be able to step up and improve from last season? We believe he will. Weeden finished the season with 3,385 yards 57.4% completion 14TDs to 17 INTs, with that last stat definitely needing to be cleaned up if he wants to do better. He also had a QB rating of 72.6. The best to Weeden in taking the next step, because we really think he can if given a chance. But if his numbers do not improve from last season, and the Browns don’t win a few more games, his time will be up.

Baltimore "Holds" On To Turn Out The 49ers Lights, 34-31

Sorry this took so long to get out there, folks. I watched the Beyonce halftime show again...and then I watched it again...and again...and again...and well, I needed more alone time after that...(ahem)

Even though it was the Baltimore Ravens winning the Super Bowl, I have to admit to it being a great game. In fact, as Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco said, "it was f***ing awesome!" - http://tinyurl.com/b2ga2t5

Flacco torched the San Francisco 49ers defense for 192 yards and three touchdowns, going 13 for 20 in the first half. Flacco went 22 for 33 overall for 287 yards and three touchdowns Sunday. In our pregame article where we broke down whom we thought would win, we picked the 49ers. But the Ravens (ahem) held on to win. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/02/will-another-running-quarterback-lead.html

After an average, middle-of-the-pack season when he finished only 12th in the NFL in passer rating with 87.7 - even when missing three games, Ben Roethlisberger had a 97.0 rating - and throwing 22 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions, he was perfect in the playoffs throwing 11 TD passes and no interceptions, tying the record previously held solely by Joe Montana. All told, Flacco went 73 for 126 for 1,140 yards.

He also went four out of five for 106 yards and two touchdowns on third down, with the play of the day offensively coming late in the second quarter when Flacco hit Jacoby Jones deep for a 56-yard touchdown pass.

Congratulations on the MVP, Flacco. It was certainly deserved. But "elite?" Slow ya roll, youngin'.

Like Hip-Hop artist Nas said,
"You went platinum?...Oh, that's nice.
Now let me see you do the same thing twice.
Three times, four times,
Then a couple of more times..." - "Classic"

Merely as a point of comparison, Tim Smith set a Super Bowl rushing record with the Washington Redskins in 1988, rushing for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the Washington Redskins' 42-10 blowout of the Denver Broncos. Smith last played in the NFL in 1990 with the Dallas Cowboys. Last I heard, he was living in the Grey Bar Motel after being busted for drug distribution in 2006.

Now I'm not saying at all that Flacco is destined to have a roommate named Ben Dover any time soon, but the point is that this is the same quarterback who had the two lowest QBRs in the recent memory, 0.3 and 0.4, both this season.

I had a 0.2 just sitting on my couch after throwing the remote at the t.v. in disgust on Sunday. So, let's wait on the "elite" talk. (By the way, sorry about that, sis. Tell my brother-in-law that I'll get that repaired asap.)

To this point, I thought this was going to be a blowout and decided to just focus (closely) on Beyonce. Then Kelly and Michelle and jumped on stage, too, reminding us just how "bootylicious" they all still are. When I recovered from that, the 2 Broke Girls special promo aired. After coming to, I awoke to find the lights had gone out.

I totally missed Jacoby Jones putting on his new Skechers Go-Run 2 shoes and making the 49ers special teams look silly as he sped through them untouched for a 109...ahem...108-yard kickoff return.

I thought I was still out cold when I saw the lights inside the Superdome were out. I don't know what had happened...a circuit breaker tripped...a blackout...Ray Lewis crying so much that his crocodile tears shorted out some wiring... (Yeah, he was there. I don't see him, either. I had to look his numbers up in the stat sheet.)

It was finally found out what happened...

Since San Francisco was used to the dark, they went out after the more-than-30-minute delay and quickly scored 17 consecutive points to make things interesting and eventually pull it to 34-29.

The Ravens found a way to "hold" on, though, eventually stopping the 49ers on a fourth-and-goal at the five-yard line.

Everyone in the Superdome, except the referees, could see that Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith held on the play causing the pass from Colin Kaepernick to sail over the head of Michael Crabtree.

A livid Jim Harbaugh argued that Crabtree got held and bumped by Smith: "There's no question in my mind that there was a pass interference and then a hold on Crabtree on the last one."

No question in anyone's mind, Jimbo. Well, no one outside of Baltimore anyway. It stood, though, ending 34-31.

Oh, well...I swear, the Ravens got away with murder.

~

TIDBITS: Remember the 'guarantee' by LaMarr Woodley made that the Ravens would never win the Super Bowl as long as he's in the league/the Steelers have something to do about it?: I Wonder What Humble Pie Tastes Like to Steelers Linebacker LaMarr Woodley. - http://nicepickcowher.com/2013/02/04/i-wonder-what-humble-pie-tastes-like-to-steelers-linebacker-lamarr-woodley/

~

What are the Steelers odds to win Super Bowl 48? According to Sportsbook.com they are 18 to 1.
These are the odds on the rest:

New England Patriots: 7 to 1
San Francisco 49ers: 8 to 1
Denver Broncos: 8 to 1
Green Bay Packers: 10 to 1
Houston Texans: 14 to 1
Baltimore Ravens: 14 to 1
Seattle Seahawks: 16 to 1
Atlanta Falcons: 18 to 1
New Orleans Saints: 18 to 1
New York Giants: 20 to 1
Washington Redskins: 30 to 1
Dallas Cowboys: 30 to 1
Chicago Bears: 30 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals: 35 to 1
Detroit Lions: 40 to 1
Minnesota Vikings: 40 to 1
Indianapolis Colts: 40 to 1
San Diego Chargers: 40 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles: 50 to 1
Carolina Panthers: 50 to 1
New York Jets: 50 to 1
Miami Dolphins: 50 to 1
St Louis Rams: 50 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs: 50 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 60 to 1
Cleveland Browns: 66 to 1
Arizona Cardinals: 100 to 1
Buffalo Bills: 100 to 1
Tennessee Titans: 100 to 1
Oakland Raiders: 150 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars: 150 to 1
http://www.sportsbook.ag/livesports/indexmember.php?sportsname=football

Will Another Running Quarterback Lead 49ers To A Super Bowl Victory?

(Hey! Didja know that two brothers were facing each other in the Super Bowl? Really! I'm serious. We figured that we'd better tell ya since NEITHER ESPN NOR NFL NETWORK HAS MENTIONED IT AT ALL. And now that you know...)

When you're at least 6'2" and in excess of 220 pounds, athletic enough to play multiple positions (and sports) and set NCAA records at a respected west coast university, you're expected to do well in the NFL....and that's just what Steve Young did.

The current version of the San Francisco 49ers multi-threat quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, had almost an impressive of a résumé, and is just a touch bigger (he's 6'4" 230lbs) than Young. Add to that, Young is "jealous" of what Kaepernick has going for him so early in his career. Attributes and assets that have him in Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens in what will be his ninth start.

“He’s got a lot of great weapons with the best offensive line maybe since the 2000 Rams, and maybe then since the ’92 or ’93 Cowboys,” Young said, via Pro Football Talk and Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. “I mean, this offensive line is well ahead of most everybody else. That dictates terms...for Colin Kaepernick....I’m actually really jealous about the pistol. I think it’s such a cool thing.” - http://tinyurl.com/awqndzh

The Pistol is a hybrid of the Shotgun formation where the quarterback lines up four yards behind the center rather than the normal shotgun seven yards. It has the advantages of being able to be utilized as a read-option offense, and allows an athletic quarterback such as Kaepernick to be a dangerous X-factor.

Young had maybe the most iconic touchdown run in NFL playoffs history when he ran 49 yards while breaking five tackles on his way to a score. That was from under center. Imagine if he would have had an offense like the Pistol/read option. No wonder he said he's jealous.

As Young admitted, though and as the article made lucid, the 49ers are doing their best to keep him out of harm's way to best utilize his skills. Because a running-styled quarterback opens himself up to being hit more often. He's potentially in greater danger to injury.

How the Ravens attack this will determine their success. They had a look at a very similar offense earlier this season when they faced Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. They didn't fair so well in that one, losing 31-28.

In that game RGIII passed for 242 yards a touchdown and 34 rushing yards, while running back Alfred Morris ran for 129 yards on 23 carries (a 5.6 YPC average). The Ravens had no answer early on, but adjusted as the game progressed. Still, they eventually succumbed to the combination of the multi-threat read-option QB and the bruising runner.

Exactly what they'll face in Kaepernick and Frank Gore on Super Sunday.

But the 49ers are far more than an option team. Kaepernick won't let the bright lights affect him, either. His first ever collegiate start was in hostile territory, the blue turf of Boise State, and all he did was pass for 243 yards and three touchdowns and to run for 177 yards and two more touchdowns.

That said, there are two main ways the Ravens can handle a Pistol/read-option offense: play back and adjust to what they hive you, which is much what they did against the Redskins, or attack with a form of controlled fury where your unblocked defender attacks from the outside to contain. Points which Greg Cosell breaks down very well here: http://tinyurl.com/b63to3v

Team defense is absolutely necessary against a QB with Kaepernick's skill set. They must hit him and hit him often. As said a few paragraphs earlier, a running-styled QB opens himself up to being hit more often. He's potentially in greater danger to injury. Something that Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Bernard Pollard are more than willing to do. - http://tinyurl.com/a5wnzns

It's that defense that has led the Ravens to winning the last three meetings with 49ers by combined score of 69-19, with the last game being a 16-6 win on Thursday Night Football on November 24, 2011.

But what of their offense? The Ravens have a QB who bears a bit of a resemblance to Steve Young also. Not only Young, but also Joe Montana.

Ravens QB Joe Flacco can join Young and Montana as the only QBs to finish a postseason with nine touchdown passes and no interceptions if he throws at least one touchdown and no interceptions. He’ll tie Young at that point. Less likely is his throwing three touchdowns and no interceptions to tie Montana.

Nonetheless, leading his team to four losses in their last five regular-season games and having the two lowest QB Ratings in recent years, Flacco has turned things around in the postseason. He has passed for an average of 276 yards a game to go along with the absence of interceptions.

On top of that, running back Ray Rice is controlling the ground game. With a balanced offense of Flacco, Rice and Anquan Boldin, the Ravens are a force and at times even surgical. - http://tinyurl.com/alzfuxd

However, one reason for that is the lack of pressure on the quarterback. Knowing the Ravens the way we do, Flacco can be rattled when hit. Not grazed, not glancing blows...HIT.

The 49ers defense can and will do just that. With Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith and the rest of the NFL's third-ranked defense, they will look to do some purple-people eating. Aldon Smith alone had 19.5 sacks on the season and is likely salivating over the only 20th-ranked Ravens offensive line that allowed 38 QB sacks and 69 QB hits.

But this still comes back to the X-factor: Kaepernick. Gore and LaMichael James can be key for the Ravens to contain, but the amount of physicality the Ravens bring to Kaepernick that will be needed to limit him, intimidate him or even stop him is what will win or lose this game.

If the Ravens can do that, win. But I don't think they will be able to do it enough to get the win. I picked the 49ers in If It Ain't Steel's postseason prediction blog at the end of the regular season, and I'm not coming off of that. Take the 49ers with another multi-threat QB to win the Super Bowl over the Ratbirds. (I just had to...)

Steelers Ravens Week: Still Going to be a Good Game

Yes, the week that most Steelers and Ravens fans have been waiting for is upon us: Steelers-Ravens week!

As always, the AFC North is up for grabs with the Ravens on top right now with a record of 7-2 and the Steelers in second-place, being one game back with a 6-3 record. But, this year the game that is arguably the best in the NFL bar none has lost some of its luster. The Steelers and Ravens have had their fair share of injuries this year.

The Steelers are going into this game without two of their biggest stars: Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu. Big Ben is sidelined with an SC sprain and rib injury and it is still up in the air as to when he will return. Troy is still dealing with a calf injury that has had him sidelined for several games. The Steelers are dealing with other injuries as well.

The Ravens aren't quite the MASH unit the Steelers are, but they are dinged up as well. They will be without, among others, their leader and biggest star, Ray Lewis. They also have some of their other big stars playing injured. While the Steelers are hurting all over, the Ravens are hurting mainly on the defensive side of the ball.

This will mark the first time since Big Ben was drafted that the best game in football will be without him, Lewis, Troy and Hines Ward, who retired during the offseason. But, the show must go on and so will this blog. So, let’s get to the matchup, shall we?

First up, the Steelers will be starting veteran back-up quarterback Byron Leftwich, who hasn’t started/won a game with the Steelers. He went into the game Monday night after Big Ben went down and got the win (if this were baseball, we'd say he got the save) for the Steelers. A lot of people think that with Leftwich starting, the Steelers are at a disadvantage. I beg to differ, however, and think offensive coordinator Todd Haley will cater to his quarterback's strentghs. So, BLeft (BLove, Lefty...pick a nickname) will be well prepared for Sunday night.

The Ravens may be sitting at 7-2, but they are hardly the Ravens of old. Granted, the Steelers have had their struggles as well, but the Ravens defense, which is usually ranked in the top five every year, is sitting at No. 28 in the NFL. Their run defense has struggled, No. 26 in the league, which is not Ravens football, and their pass rush has basically been non-existent. They received a boost to their pass rush with the return of Terrell Suggs, but it still has not gotten it going like I know John Harbaugh would like and is used to seeing. Haloti Ngata, the anchor of the defensive line, is also playing hurt with a knee and shoulder injury.

Their secondary has been banged up all season. They first lost arguably their best cornerback Lardarius Webb for the season, and now they have lost his counterpart, Jimmy Smith, for some time due to a groin injury. Ed Reed, who is arguably the NFL's best free safety, is playing through a shoulder issue that has causing his play to be diminished.

The offense has been the star this season, but it has had its issues as well. Joe Flacco has played lights out at home with a passer rating of 108.3. He is 115/173 for 1,612 yards and a completion percentage of 66.5, averaging 9.32 yards and has 10 TDs to just three interceptions. This game is played at Heinz Field, though, not at M&T Bank Stadium, and Flacco’s numbers drop off in key categories on the road. He is 71/136 for 719 yards with a completion percentage of 52.2 and is averaging 5.29 yards and a quarterback rating of 62.7. He has thrown three TDs on the road to four interceptions. At home he has only been sacked eight times compared to 11 times on the road. Flacco also has two rushing TDs, but those are at home as well. He will also be facing the No. 1 pass defense and No. 1 overall defense in the NFL in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So, this will be the tale of the tape for Flacco on how the Ravens season is going to go. They have what could be considered a murderer's row of a schedule left in front of them, with most of those games being on the road. This game could set the tone for them moving forward.

The Ravens are stocked at the wide receiver position with Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones and Anquan Boldin. These guys can really hurt you if given space. Then you have to account for Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson. Pitta ranks second on the team with 37 receptions, third with 376 receiving yards and second with three touchdown catches. Dickson has added 12 receptions for 144 yards.

They also have one of the best running backs in the NFL in Ray Rice, though he has been underutilized to this point in the season. He is also very dangerous in the passing game if given the chance. But I look for that to change. I look for Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron to try to give the Steelers a healthy dose of Rice, who has the best average on the ground against the Steelers, to open up the pass attack. So they have an offense that can put points up, but they haven’t done that so far on the road this year. Not saying that won’t change, though, because I look for Flacco to come out with all guns blazing and to try to test the Steelers defense early.

The experts are already giving this game to the Ravens, but they say it will be a close game, and we believe it will be as well. The Steelers are riding a 4-game winning streak, but that was with Big Ben. Big Ben has been ruled out, so now Byron Leftwich gets the nod. We don’t really have the big stats for Leftwich like we do Flacco, because he hasn’t played. Still, what can be said is that people are making a big deal about his windup, the fact that he hasn’t played for a long time and that he had issues in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

Looking at the bigger picture of his time in Tampa Bay, though, he did not have the weapons around him like he does in Pittsburgh. So, that can be pushed to the side. There has also been talk about him not knowing Todd Haley’s offense, but, even though he hasn't played, he has been practicing and studying this offense. Letwich is a very savvy veteran and there is a reason the Steelers have kept him around. Leftwich still has a very strong arm that can hurt you if he gets a receiver open. He'll be ready and the Steelers trust in BLeft is warranted. We Steelers fans have been giving him our full support because it has been the “Next Man Up” all season, so we are used to it.

Yes, granted his windup could set him up for more sacks, because let’s face it, Suggs is in this game and he always brings the heat, the offensive line is going to have to account for him. Period. Then it gets me to the weapons we have on offense. Mike Wallace and Emmanuel Sanders will be taking the field for the Steelers as Antonio Brown is most likely to miss his second straight game with an ankle injury. Jerricho Cotchery will be filling in as third receiver. These three have been quite effective on the field as of late because you never know which one is going to get open and break for that big play and Leftwich has an arm that can get the ball to them. Wallace has had some issues with dropped passes this season but that could change at any time.

The Steelers may be getting a boost to their run game this week with the possible return of Mendenhall, but if Mendy is unable to go, and then we will see the twosome of Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman, who have proven they can pound the rock in his absence. The Ravens are also going to have to make account for Redman in the pass game as well as he has shown as of late he can be just as dangerous as Rice. Then you have what is arguably the most underrated tight end in football in Heath Miller, who is having a great season. The offensive line has been playing better than they showed Monday night, and I look for them to get it back together for this Sunday. They have been run blocking well all season.

The key to this game in our opinion is 'Who is going to hiccup and hurt their team?' It is a known fact, injured or not, the Ravens defense is going to be as ready for us as we are for them. I do not look for this to be a high scoring game. I look for this to actually be the Ravens-Steelers matchup we are used to seeing: an ugly, defensive battle. Both teams are coming in to this game with 19 sacks and both teams are looking to add to those numbers. Paul Kruger in Sunday’s game had two sacks against the Raiders, and Brett Keisel had two sacks in the game against the Chiefs. That is something both teams have not been doing a good job of as of late is getting pressure on the quarterbacks. Look for that to be one of the keys Sunday.

Our prediction on this game is that if both defenses show up and play like we know they can play, this game could very well come down to the last minutes as is usual. With the AFC North up for grabs, expect both defenses to play hard and for it to be very close. If the Steelers get pressure on Flacco and get him confused, Steelers can win. If the Ravens get pressure on Leftwich and get in his head, they could win this.

Going to be a good game regardless of who is on the field, starters or backups.

~

TIDBIT: I know this is not the usually stat laden blog our loyal readers are used to, but my partner in crime is in the hospital. I know he would want something put out there given that it is Ravens week. It's been a rough week for us at If It Ain’t Steel and I ask that all our readers please keep Jason in your prayers.

The Baltimore Ravens: Rough Times Ahead?

If you are a Baltimore Ravens fan, you may not like what you're about to read. We have been debating whether to write this or not, and have decided that now is the time to do so.

We at If It Ain't Steel look at the game as football fans first, not just as Pittsburgh Steeler fans, and we have given the Ravens their due on more than one occasion. Check back through our posts if you don't believe. The most recent being the paying homage to Ray Lewis: http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2012/10/showing-respect-for-villain-known-as.html

But, I personally have been seeing something that has me scratching my head. I have been watching the Baltimore Ravens and have to ask what the heck happened to their team? Yes, I am well aware the purple and black has become black and blue with key injuries as of late, but I was asking this before the injuries.

This is a team that has been historically known to have a stout defense. Opposing quarterbacks had to look across the field at men like Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Jarrett Johnson and so on. If seeing those men did not put fear in you nothing would. They were fierce! Just ask Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. They were so fierce that Big Ben’s nose had its own Twitter (@BigBensNose) account for a while due to a hit taken from Ngata that turned his nose sideways on his face in 2010. The offense never had to score a lot of points because when your defense is only allowing opposing teams 14-17 points a game, you do not need a dominant offense. The only thing the offense had to do was not screw up.

The 2012 Ravens defense has not been that Ravens defense. I'm not the only one seeing this. - http://tinyurl.com/9lf333v

After the win over the Cowboys two weeks ago, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said of his offense that "there have been many, many times our defense carried a heavy, heavy burden over the years. For our offense....and our special teams to carry some of that burden is a great thing."

"I’m quite sure," he went on to say, "(the defense) is going to be doing the same through the course of the season. I have a lot of confidence in those guys. We are going to play really good defense.”

Really?

The Ravens are giving up an uncharacteristically high amount of rushing yards. In seven games this season they have allowed an average of 23 points per game (PPG). From 2008 to 2011, they were third in the league each year in points allowed with an average of 16.25 PPG. Even if you take away the Houston Texans butt-whipping, they still gave up nearly 20 PPG (19.7) in the previous six games to teams with a combined record of 15-24. That's 161 points allowed by a defense that had only allowed 266 all of last season.

Another example of this is that they have already allowed 1,000 yards rushing against them, an astonishing 142.6 yards per game (YPG). In the last three games alone, they have given up 622 yards rushing. That's 207 YPG, including a franchise-record 227 yards to a Dallas Cowboys team led by Demarco Murray. Not Don Perkins, not Tony Dorsett, not Emmitt Smith...Demarco Murray. Don't blame the injuries there either, because they gave 214 rushing yards to the mighty Kansas City Chiefs. As a contrast, last season the Ravens only surrendered 92.6 YPG.

The passing defense is just as bad this season. They have already given up 1888 yards through the air, which is 269.7 YPG passing. Last season they allowed only 193.6 YPG to opposing passers. Those numbers were also put up with their best corner, Lardarius Webb, in the lineup. How much will the Ravens miss Webb? He was their best cornerback in the last season and a half, stealing nine passes (incl. playoffs), tied for most in the NFL.

The Ravens were given a boost last Sunday with the return of Terrell Suggs, and he played surprisingly well, but it was not enough to stop the Texans, to whom this defense allowed to score a franchise-record 43 points.

All offseason the Ravens talked about the new high-powered, no-huddle offense that they were working on, led by their "elite" quarterback Joe Flacco. Both looked good in the first game against the Bengals, but have been a wildly inconsistent and enigmatic since. Being the NFL's most penalized team hasn't helped any. - http://tinyurl.com/8ep94g9

Last Sunday, Flacco had an ESPN QBR of 0.2, the lowest for any QB in that rating system since 2008. Against Dallas, he had just an NFL QBR of 76.3. His two best games were a decisive win against the Cincinnati Bengals where he had a QBR of 95.1, and a one-point win against the New England Patriots when he had a rating of 93.2. He has thrown for 9 TD passes and 6 interceptions, with a completion percentage of 59.5% and an overall ESPN QBR of 53.9 (100 is best) and an 84.0 in the NFL QBR system (153.8 is perfect...both of which are nebulous systems, by the way). Hardly, what I would call an "elite" quarterback. But, what I have seen with this new "high-powered" offense is that they have taken their true star out of the game.

The star I am talking about is Ray Rice. I know that Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron has good intentions and wants Flacco to look as good as they say he is, but why take out your main offensive weapon in process? Since the start of 2011, when Ray Rice gets 20 or more touches (carries and receptions) in a game the Ravens are 14-0, when he gets fewer than 20 touches, they're only 4-6. So, why not utilize that weapon? Oh, that’s right, it doesn’t look as pretty when Rice is grinding for all those yards and controlling the clock and giving your defense a break. All those long balls look prettier. And chicks dig the long ball, right?

Point blank, while the Ravens certainly should avoid targeting their star player too heavily, sage advice for any team as it's akin to putting too many eggs in one basket, there's no denying Rice's value to that offense.

Yes, I know they are sitting at 5-2 going into the bye. Trust me, their fans are all-too gung ho to remind us of this on a regular basis. And I'm well aware that the Steelers have their own injury and defense-related issues sitting at 3-3. But, what a lot of those fans are not realizing is that the reality of this is a potential downhill spiral that could get much worse.

From the free agent releases and player-losses in the offseason, to the injuries to the team this year, to the inconsistent offense, to the upcoming five Pro Bowl QBs, one QB who was a Rookie of the Year runner-up and one Rookie of the Year QB in-waiting, the "ball so hard" crew could fall so hard if they don't do something soon.

If It Ain't Steel's Top 12 QB Rankings

It’s that time of year again that we at If It Ain’t Steel are doing our NFL quarterback rankings. When choosing our rankings we didn't look at their being fantasy darlings, we looked at their overall work and what we think they will do this season. We didn’t go by the sexy picks of the Top 100 or any other so-called expert picks, we went by our opinion of their overall career and what we project they will do the upcoming season. This ranking is solely based on that. (Addendum: For a breakdown of the criteria of our Top 12, refer to last season's Top 12 QB blog)

1. Tom Brady

He last season had a rating of 105.6 and threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Why did we choose Brady? Let’s look at last season. The Patriots had one of the worst defenses in the league-they were good at manufacturing turnovers, but not much else. He led the Patriots to a 13-3 record in the regular season. He carried that team on his arm and led them to a Super Bowl with that same defense. Though they ultimately lost, he still got them there. He did what needed to be done to make up for his suspect defense, which is what Brady does: he finds that drive to carry his teammates and win when it counts. In that SB, some like myself, believe that Brady was only a few dropped passes away from winning his 4th Ring. Face it, whether we like Brady or not, as long as he is healthy, he is always going to be right there in the thick of things come the postseason. So we give props where props are due and he gets our highest honor this year.

2. Drew Brees

Brees had a rating of 110.6 and threw for 5,476 and 49 TDs to 14 INTs. Brees gets the second nod because personally we believe, even with all the Bounty Gate suspensions, Brees will still be right there as one of the top ranked QBs in the NFL. He broke Dan Marino’s passing record last season and we look for more the same this season. Brees, like Brady, has that will and drive to win, no matter what it takes. The Saints do have a lot of obstacles to overcome this season, with the loss of their head coach and defensive players to suspension, but that does not change the fact that Brees is one the premier QBs in the league. We believe the play of Brees will put the Saints right into the thick of things come postseason.

3. Aaron Rodgers

Had a rating of 122.5 and he threw for 4,643 yards with 45 TDs to 6 INTs. I know what you are thinking, "Why isn’t Rodgers #1?" Well, I'll tell you why. Yes, Rodgers led the Packers to a 15-1 regular season, but was one and done in the playoffs. Unlike Brady who made up for his suspect defense, Rodgers didn't when it counted. Rodgers won the NFL MVP of the year and was named the No. 1 player in the NFL’s Top 100 list, but as I pointed out, we don’t just look at stats, but at overall play. That is the only reason that Rodgers is below Brees and Brady. We feel Rodgers will have another great season this year and put up much of the same numbers, making him on the top tier QBs in the league.

4. Ben Roethlisberger

A passer rating of 90.1 and he threw for 4,077 yards and 21 TDs to 14 INTs. Big Ben has proven year in and year out that he deserves to be in the Top 5. We at If It Ain’t Steel think that Ben will take another step forward this season. The Steelers lost in the wildcard round of the playoffs, but the team was plagued with injuries, even Big Ben was playing hurt. That is no excuse and we're not making any, just stating fact. We believe Ben will take his play to the next level and move up the rankings with his play. There is talk of there being issues with him and new offensive coordinator Todd Haley, but we do not see it-it's a media fabrication. Big Ben and Haley share a common trait, and that is that they both like winning. Each has a true drive to get to the top of the NFL world again. We look for this to be one of Big Ben’s biggest seasons yet and for him to lead the offense to being one of the top ranked units in the league. He has all the requisite weapons around him and a solid offensive line in the making. We feel this could be Big Ben’s best season yet.

5. Eli Manning

Passer rating of 92.9 and he threw for 4,933 and 29 TDs and 16 INTs. We are well aware that Eli is the reigning SB MVP and all that other stuff. Remember, though, we don't only look at things like that. Don't get it twisted, we respect what Eli has accomplished over the past 8 seasons. So, since we look at overall play, realize that there were times that Eli didn't look so good. He turned it on in the postseason, when it counted, and won the Super Bowl. They barely made the post season in the first place, though. We felt last year’s SB could have gone either way (and was the most boring SB we have ever watched). Eli will have to show that fire this season because he and the Giants have a tougher schedule in front of them. Let’s see if he can be the first QB to get to the big show in back-to-back seasons in a long time. Then maybe he will move up our list.

6. Peyton Manning

There are no stats for Peyton because we are all aware he did not play last season. He gets the No. 6 nod because, c'mon, he's Peyton Manning. Peyton will be with a new team this season, but I believe that we will see the same Peyton we've seen in the past. He may not have the likes of Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clarke around him, but he can make any average receiver look very good. Eric Decker and Damarius Thomas and Jacob Tandee are more than capable of filling those roles. His ability to read defenses and shred them makes him one the best to ever lace them up. I think he will make the Broncos look a lot better than they did with Tebow, even though that wouldn't take much. Peyton can actually throw the ball.

7. Joe Flacco

His passer rating was 80.9 and he threw for 3,610 yards and 20 TDs and 12 INTs. Joe Flacco jumped our list this year because of his play last season. He starting out benefiting from a great defense and really did not have to do much. Last season, though, Flacco took a step forward by twice beating his arch nemesis, aka the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger. He also showed his moxy in the playoffs by showing that he can lead the Ravens when needed. His play in the AFC Championship game was very good, and while we hate to admit it, he had us cheering for the Ravens to take the Patriots out. It was one of those moments where, being a Steelers fan, we were rooting for the lesser of two evils. For so many seasons Flacco got blamed for the Ravens woes, that he was the reason they didn't make it to the Super Bowl. This past season, though, he put that team on his back in the championship game and took them right down into a winning position. He was NOT the reason they lost, he did everything to set them up to win. This season will be the next step for Joe Flacco-with the defense getting older and with injuries to key players as well as losing some other key players to injury, he must take on a greater load. Time will tell if he can handle that task.

8. Philip Rivers

Rivers had a passer rating of 88.7, he threw for 4,624 yards and 27 TDs with 20 INTs. Rivers had one of the worst seasons of his career last season. At times we were wondering if we were watching Rivers or Jamarcus Russell. He still deserves to be in a Top 12 list, though, because, we think he has a bounce back season this year. Yes, he lost most of his go-to weapons, but his coach and general manager are on the hot seat. If Norv Turner and A.J. Smith get sent packing because you have another bad season, then you may be next. So, he has a little thing called "incentive," because we don't see that happening. We get the feeling we'll hear yet again the nauseating fantasy geeks proclaiming that "Rivers is the best." We won’t (ever) say he's the best, but he is mid-to-top tier.

9. Matthew Stafford

Passer rating of 97.2, he threw for 5,038 yards and 41 TDs with 16 INTs. You may ask why, with stats like that isn't Matthew Stafford higher. Well, last season was a look at things to come. It was the first full season of his career and he showed that he is the real deal. He played solid all season and led the Lions to the playoffs and out of the ashes of being the step-child of the NFL. Stafford showed finally last season why he was a No. 1 draft pick. We see no reason why he can't repeat that performance this season.

10. Matt Ryan

Passer rating of 92.2 and he threw for 4,177 yards and 29 TDs with 12 INTs. Ryan, aka Matty Ice, comes in at 10 in our list. He has shown consistency over the course of his career in Atlanta and has had, much like Flacco, winning seasons every year. Ryan, however, has not had the success in the playoffs that Flacco has had. They both entered the NFL the same year and numbers wise, Ryan is better. Numbers can be misleading, though. Ryan, we think, will step over the playoff hump and get a win this season. He has all the pieces around him to take the next step forward. He plays in a tough division, but he holds his own with the big guns of the NFC South.

11. Tony Romo

Romo had a passer rating of 102.5, he threw for 4,184 yards, and 31 TDs with only 10 INTs. Romo has shown without question that he can win regular season games. It is his record in December and January when Romo gets more blame than he deserves. The playoff losses haven't been only the fault of Romo. We believe this season is going to be make or break for Romo. Jerry Jones has put a lot of pressure on Romo and the Cowboys this season by coming out and saying that “their window is closing." Romo, like Flacco, gets the blame for a lot of the Cowboys woes, which is just not the case. That should have been evident when he went down with injury in 2010. The play at QB is not the problem. Romo can play, plain and simple. If he gets over the hump and wins some playoffs games, then this will not even be a discussion. We could even see putting him in our Top 6 if he does. Will he get there next year? The season will tell.

12. Cam Newton

Passer rating of 84.5, he threw for 4,051 yards, for 21 TDs and 17 INTs. Newton is the real deal. Plain and simple. No one thought he would come out and have the rookie season that he had, us included. But, he went out and played with a fire that most players do not possess until their second, third, even fourth season. The only thing that hindered Newton last season was the lack of weapons around him. He ran the ball for 706 yard and an additional 14 TDs. If the pocket broke down around him he just ran. I think he will only be better this season and move up the list. Though a sophomore slump is possible, we don't see one in his future. Will he get the Panthers to the playoffs? Probably not this season, but he will lead his team to an improvement in the win-loss column.

Honorable Mention:

The honorable mentions are guys we believe will have good seasons and could possibly make the list next season, depending on how they do this season.

Jay Cutler: Cutler is being reunited with his buddy Brandon Marshall and that should only improve his numbers and play. I think Jay will move up to the Top 12 next season if he stays healthy.

Andy Dalton: Dalton shocked the world last season with his play at quarterback. No one gave the Bengals a chance last season and Dalton, along with A.J. Green, proved the doubters wrong. He helped lead the Bengals back to the playoffs, but he and the Bengals were beaten by the Texans. He had a great rookie campaign and we look for him to improve on it.

Josh Freeman: Freeman, had a not-so-good season last year, and, with the Buccaneers' additions this offseason, this could be a great year again for Freeman. We think he only gets better over the season. No Barney Stinson this year, but we still expect Freeman to football suit up!

If It Ain't Steel’s Watch list:

Andrew Luck: Luck is getting ready to start his rookie season with the Colts, replacing some guy named Manning. We think Luck will surprise a lot of people this season and will be better than expected. Not predicting he will get the Colts to the playoffs, but we think he will fill the shoes of that guy in the Direct TV ads well enough to make Indy fans forget sooner than later.

Russell Wilson: I (specifically Jayden) was big on this kid in the draft, I actually had him ranked higher than Tannehill, though he went later to the Seahawks. He was recently named the starter, beating out Matt Flynn, and has sparks of being a good quarterback. I will be keeping my eye on these two rookies and, you never know, they may crack our Top 12 next season.

Robert Griffin III: I (specifically Jason) was big on this kid ever since college. He has all the skills needed to be great in the NFL and more. I was never concerned about his size, unlike Russell Wilson, nor about his having happy feet and leaving the pocket too quickly. He definitely has pocket-presence, but also the pocket-awareness that allows him to use his escapability. Watching him in college I couldn't help but think of other college and NFL quarterbacks with requisite skill sets. Namely Randall Cunningham (multiple playoffs, athletic, 1998 NFL Comeback Player of the Year), Mark Malone (trust me on this, Malone was a hell of an athlete and very good QB at Arizona St. and a promising NFL QB before knee injuries derailed his career-he even filled in at WR for Lynn Swann and held the Steelers' record for longest TD reception for 30 years) and Steve Young (though, admittedly, Young took off and ran more quickly than RG3 does). I will be keeping my eye on this one as well as the other two and see if he cracks the Top 12 next season.

Ben Roethlisberger Doesn't Always Win Pretty, But He Wins.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year again: FOOTBALL IS BACK:

We at If It Ain’t Steel are doing our annual defense of our elite, Hall of Fame-bound-when-he-hangs-up-his-cleats quarterback. Yes, I said Hall of Fame bound, haters. Anyone would be foolish to think otherwise. And I have every intention of being in Canton in my Big Ben No. 7 jersey and with my Terrible Towel in hand, watching in five years after he retires, being inducted. He's goin', haters, get over it. He may not always be pretty, but he gets it done.

I say that because there have been a lot of questions raised this offseason about Big Ben, namely his Hall of Fame credentials, his relationship with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley and his age and health\durability. To all of the that I say HOGWASH. (I'm from West Virginia and my partner is from Mississippi, I'll say "hogwash" if I want to say it.) Big Ben has proven time and time again that he is the toughest quarterback playing today. How many other quarterbacks have played with and through injuries like Big Ben has? He has always played the John Wayne role ("John Wayne with a football" as I like to say it): he takes a pounding, but routinely has "dead indians in his cowboy movie" as head coach Mike Tomlin has said. Big Ben’s toughness has never been an issue, even though he will play up the drama now and then.

There is the also the hullabaloo that he is getting older and has seen better days because he takes a lot of hits. Yes, he has taken a lot of hits, some of which, though, even he admits are his own doing. The Steelers addressed that this offseason in part by drafting two offensive linemen in David DeCastro and Mike Adams. Injuries, age and a certain lack of talent have plagued the offensive line for the past few seasons, so adding more youth and pedigree to the OLine will hopefully plug those holes and eventually return it to a unit worthy of past Steelers lines.

There was also the media-induced issue of Big Ben and Todd Haley not being able to coexist. Again, hogwash. Big Ben and Haley are adults and, no, may not always agree or get along. But why do people think this anyway? It's because of Haley's history of being a hardcase and his rocky reputation with wide receivers and quarterbacks. Why, though? Let's have Mike Prisuta answer that. He offered this on the most recent edition of "Agree to Disagree" on Steelers.com. When Haley joined the New York Jets in 1997, they had gone 1-15 the year before. When Haley joined the Chicago Bears in 2001, the year before that they'd gone 5-11. In 2007 when Haley joined the Arizona Cardinals, they had also gone 5-11. And in 2009 when Haley joined the Kansas City Chiefs, they had gone 2-14 the year before. Like Prisuta asked, "Do you think maybe he was a hard guy and he was in people's faces BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE YELLED AT, 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T DOING IT RIGHT?!" Hmm...could be!

At that the end of the day they both have a common drive: to win. As far as I'm concerned, this is a marriage made in football heaven. A top tier OC and top tier QB uniting for one common goal: the Lombardi Trophy. Since Big Ben ripped one out of Haley's grasp a few years ago, you know he has extra incentive to get back to the Super Bowl to get one of his own.

We also have had to endure the talk of Big Ben not being elite or Hall of Fame worthy. Same *ahem* stuff, different offseason. I am here to rectify that little miscarriage of football justice and enlighten the masses who seem to love to trash my quarterback (I'm just not gonna cry like Terrell Owens).

Ben has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL and is one of only three quarterbacks to have been to and won the Super Bowls multiple times in the last decade. Joe Flacco hasn't done it. Peyton Manning hasn't even done it. Philip Rivers can't even spell Super Bowl. So, how is Big Ben not elite again?

Big Ben's playoff record is impeccable, second only to Tom Brady who has three rings. His record is also better than Eli Manning's, the quarterback who has been the darling of ESPN and the NFL Network of late. Eli may also have two Rings, but Big Ben has appeared in more playoff games and has won more than Eli.

Here are the playoff numbers for the only current multiple Super Bowl winning quarterbacks:

Ben Roethlisberger Playoff record: 10-4
Home playoff record: 5-2; Road playoff record: 3-1; Non-wild card playoff record: 9-2; Playoff points per game average: 26.5; Super Bowl appearances: 3; Super Bowl rings: 2

Eli Manning Playoff record: 8-3
Home playoff record: 1-2; Road playoff record: 5-1; Non-wild card playoff record: 6-1; Playoff points per game average: 19.82; Super Bowl appearances: 2; Super Bowl rings: 2


Tom Brady Playoff record: 16-6
Home playoff record: 10-2; Road playoff record: 3-2; Non-wild card playoff record: 14-5; Playoff points per game average: 24.55; Super Bowl appearances: 5; Super Bowl rings: 3

I found this very interesting because Big Ben is not being considered elite or Hall of Fame worthy, yet Eli is. His numbers are comparable or better across the board, yet Eli is a Hall of Famer and Big Ben isn't? We all know Tom Brady punched his ticket to Canton a long time ago, I admit, but I think it's funny how none of the media or so-called experts want to point out that Big Ben and his offense have scored more points on the average than Brady. I will, though.

People want to downplay Big Ben’s play in the Super Bowl’s in which he's appeared. No, his first Super Bowl performance was hardly, well, super. The second time, though, was very good as he orchestrated arguably the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. I choose to look also at his play in the playoffs overall. His play was stellar in those playoff games and it is that play that got them to the Super Bowls. His play in 2005 was some of the best that I have seen. If it wasn't for his excellent play in those playoffs the Steelers never would have made it to Detroit that year.

Big Ben’s record during the regular season is 80-33 (.708), that is second in the NFL among active starting QBs. Not too shabby for a QB who some say is not elite and is "done." I look at Ben like fine wine, he gets better with age. I look to imbibe a little bit more this season too.

Big Ben does not actually have to prove anything to anyone, his records speak for themselves. At the same time, Ben does not care about records-all he cares about is winning and winning Super Bowls. He was recently a guest on the Vinnie and Cook Show on Sports radio 93.7 The Fan, and this is what he said about stats and getting older:

"The only stats that matter to me are wins and losses and that usually correlates into Super Bowls. I don’t know how much longer I have left, but I’d like to think that I’m entering into the prime of my career, and that’s obviously why I was a little frustrated early on with the new offense because you feel like you’re just getting ready to go and then they change it on you. But I just feel like we took a quick step back but now we’re moving full steam ahead and I’m just really excited. I hope my best football is yet to come, and I hope that leads to more Super Bowls."

Wins and SBs are a big part of what define a QB, not just stats. So many, though, lose sight of that with fantasy points and the rest of that nonsense. I mean, yes, Drew Brees and Aaron Rogers are great fantasy guys, but fantasy numbers alone don't mean SB wins. Ask Rivers.

Eli deserves the credit that he's getting, yes, but it's mainly because he won the MVP in both SBs. One could argue that the reason for that was because he did not have any marquee talent around him and was the only real choice, where one could also say that Big Ben deserved to be MVP in SB 43. Not taking anything away from Santonio Holmes, but it was No. 7 who was more consistent throughout that game.

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski had this to say in his top QB list regarding Big Ben and his not getting enough credit. He called him "the strongest QB in the NFL. He not only extends plays with movement out of the pocket, but also with his natural strength in the pocket. He's 'barn strong.'"

Going further Jaworski commented on Big Ben's "ability to make throws consistently from the pocket. I charted all 60 of his 20-plus yard completions in 2011. Only five came outside the pocket. In fact, time and time again he showed one of the most central attributes necessary to play at a high level in the NFL: the willingness to look down the gun barrel and deliver the football."

Is it just me or did he just describe the final drive of SB 43?

I will just end this by saying, talk all you want, mainstream media and so-called experts. Because at the end of the day, your talking doesn’t mean a whole lot when John Wayne and the Steelers will leave dead indians in their wake AGAIN. He and Haley will coexist and will make it work, the Steelers offense will click on all cylinders they will get another one or maybe even two SBs wins before all is said and done. Maybe he won't be pretty doing it, but he'll do it. What will you say then? Will you give him his due? I doubt it.