Steelers Get A Little Secondary Help And Big (Play) Receiver Help Friday

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Mark Twain 

Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers have been clamoring for a cornerback since the season's end, and for good reason considering how porous the secondary was at times. Well, the Steelers provided them a little good news in the second round.

With the 56th pick of the NFL Draft, the Steelers selected 5'8" 178-pound CB Senquez Golson out of Ole Miss.

Yes, Golson is diminutive, but don't tell him that. He's smaller, but plays much bigger and isn't afraid of challenging bigger adversaries.

Still, 5'8" is 5'8" and many will look down (no pun intended) on him because of it. Even Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said of Golson's facing tall WRs: "He's going to be challenged. He's going to have to prove he can play in this league."

My immediate response to that is, ask 6'4" former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Harold Carmichael about what it was like to battle 5'7" former Washington Redskins CB Pat Fischer. Or, more specifically, just ask Alabama's 6'6" O.J. Howard about Golson out jumping him for the game-winning interception that sealed Ole Miss' 23-17 victory in 2014.

Lake did go on to say, though, that Golson has unusual ball skills and that, "If he were taller, teams would've jumped on him right away."

Golson's speed, a 4.47/40, was a factor also: "I like speed. You can't cover if you don't have speed." - http://tinyurl.com/mkc9fdj

The explosive Golson is very athletic, very fluid, very confident and very, very competitive - he plays with such a chip on his shoulder that it seems surgically implanted.

He's an artisan honing his craft when on the field, yet even the greatest artists still need to be able to reach the easel. And even with his leaping ability, he is going to be mismatched at times. That will necessitate his refining his techniques and not simply relying on his God-given talent. That's where coaching will come into play. -  http://draftbreakdown.com/players/senquez-golson/

For a franchise, however, that for so long endured a CB who couldn't catch at all, Golson and his ball-hawking abilities will be a welcome change.

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Sammie Coates came with the Steelers third-round selection, no. 87 overall. The Auburn product is a physical specimen (6'2" 212LBs) with a very athletic skill set and big-play ability (21.8 yards per catch in 2014). - http://tinyurl.com/nhmozqc

He isn't lacking in the speed department, either, as he ran an official 4.43/40 at the NFL Combine, but has supposedly run in the 4.3/40 range.

The NFL Network's Mike Mayock even commented on said speed when the Steelers made the selection saying, "This guy is pure speed. He's big bodied and takes the top off of zones. He is a height-weight-speed specimen. The only question is how natural are his hands."

In fact, he did have a high drop rate - a problem stemming mainly from needing to maintain his concentration through the process of the catch. If he comes in ready to work, though, these are things that can addressed via coaching. Things that also include how to better use leverage and improving his route running.

He doesn't have too much wear and tear on his body, though, has very good quickness plays in a physical way and can move himself through holes in the defensive backfield.

He can be the No. 4 WR that the Steelers needed and provide a competitive push to Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant, but he's also a big play waiting to happen, an extra threat to an offense that still may need to outscore it's opponents until the defense gets to a point where it can once again hold its own.

Darrius Heyward-Bey: Prove Me Wrong.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Why? His hands. Or lack thereof. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ryan Shazier's Bold Prediction: Super Bowl In Steelers' Near Future?

The Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick Ryan Shazier is already making quite an impression. Not all of it may being so good. 

As the Steelers OTAs began Tuesday, Shazier lined up as first team Mack linebacker, with his speed and aggressiveness turning heads. However, not all have appreciated his aggressive play. Ask recently-returned center Maurkice Pouncey.  

“I didn’t want to break rule No. 10,” said Pouncey, referring to coach Mike Tomlin’s edict which forbids fighting.

He said this because, as reported by Chris Bradford of TimesOnline.com, "Shazier threw down C Maurkice Pouncey during a drill." He tried to "make amends," but Pouncey wasn't having it." -  http://tinyurl.com/n6svq3t

Shazier, buddy, c'mon. Love the aggression, but we can't have Pouncey hurt...again. 

But the impetus of this article is born of a tweet by Shazier (@RyanShazier on Twitter) on Monday when he portended great things for the city of Pittsburgh when he wrote that within "5 years" the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates would all win a championship in their respective sports. 

Leaving the Pens and Bucs to hockey and baseball blogs, the question needs to be asked of the erstwhile Pittsburgh Pirates: Are the Steelers close to reaching and winning another Super Bowl?

First off, I think we have to acknowledge that winning a Super Bowl title involves a healthy dose of good fortune as well as skill. We all agree there? Good. 

That said, back in February of this year, If It Ain't Steel laid out what we believed were the seven musts for this offseason. In it we wrote, among other things, that the Steelers need to make sure to have few changes on offense. Because, make no mistake, the offense wasn't the problem. -  http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-seven-musts-for-steelers-2014.html

Sure, things started off badly as the offense was anemic early on. There were a plethora of turnovers - nine in the first four games by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger alone - and no offensive line to speak of - just 1,383 yards rushing, easily their fewest in a 16-game season at only 3.51 yards per carry.

Most all of this was early, however, and it turned around to the Steelers advantage in the second half of the season. 

Only the Carolina Panthers (7-1) had a better second-half record than the Steelers (6-2). To accomplish that, they scored 28.2 point average over the final nine games, they went from a -11 in turnovers in the first four games alone to +7 over the final eight, they allowed just seven sacks in the final seven games, they were a more efficient offense going 14-for-20 (touchdowns) in the red zone in the final six games, and they committed to the run more culminating in 461 yards gained with a 4.0 YPC average in the final four games. 

Not that the offense will just hit the ground running and automatically beat everyone 28-17, especially with the loss of wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery and the addition of WR Lance Moore and also of running back LaGarrette Blount. By no means, though, is the offense the problem and won't ultimately be the reason this team fails. 

Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the defensive side of the ball.

The Steelers' porous defense surrendered 17 plays of 40 yards or more, including 11 of over 50 yards, last season. Five of those those 17 plays were runs, two of which being by quarterbacks. 

There is no way that can continue if the Steelers want to be successful. 

We have seen what a brutal, intimidating and opportunistic defense has done for the Steelers in the (recent) past, and we saw what such a defense did for the Seattle Seahawks this past season.

Having a high-powered offense can only get you so far. Just ask the Denver Broncos. Or the 2007 New England Patriots. Or almost any of the top offenses that have faced the top defenses in the Big Game. 

Even in this pass-happy, fantasy football-driven NFL, defense still wins championships. And the Steelers must successfully rebuild their unit into a dominant one if they want to be considered Super Bowl contenders again.

There is good news and bad news, however, when it comes to turning around those pathetic statistics and results. The bad news is that upgrading the defense isn't a quick fix. There were holes to fill everywhere - in the defensive line, in the linebacking corps and in the secondary. 

The good news is that the Steelers defense still has good players and very good coaches, although it is far from a Super Bowl-contending unit. But, even though it's too early to say definitively, via free agency and the NFL Draft, GM Kevin Colbert and company have seemingly brought together the appropriate pieces.

Finally, though we won't discuss it in detail here, the last thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is Special Teams. The return game is an area the Steelers are continually lacking, but which can only be benefitted by the addition of rookie Dri Archer. 

Well, was Shazier's prognostication valid and potentially accurate? 

It still may be a couple of years before the Steelers can call themselves Super Bowl contenders or even champions again, but that five-year window is certainly attainable. Why? The aforementioned Super Bowl champion Seahawks had back-to-back 7-9 seasons in 2010 and 2011. It is absolutely feasible. 

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TIDBITS: Cam Thomas started at left defensive end opposite Cam Heyward during the first OTAs. Thomas will play both LDE and NT, much like Al Woods and Chris Hoke before him. Heyward is coming off a very good year - 59 tackles (35 solo), 30 QB pressures, 8 passes defended, 5 sacks and a fumble recovery. 

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Markus Wheaton opened OTAs as the starting X receiver opposite Antonio Brown. He naturally has the inside track on the job, as that is why he was draft last year. 

"There are a lot of us chasing that spot," a humble Wheaton conceded. "It’s not mine. There’s a lot of good competition." The 5'11", 189-pound WR ran a 4.4/40 at the 2013 Combine.

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ROLB Jarvis Jones said he hasn't really gained many actual pounds, but that he is much stronger and that he studied hard to be ready for the new season. 

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According to the a Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly, the NFL’s transactions wire said that the Steelers were awarded former Alabama corner Deion Belue (5'11"/182 LBs) on waivers from Miami on Wednesday.

Belue was a two-season starter for the Crimson Tide, notching 60 tackles, breaking up 10 passes and recording three interceptions.

Steelers waived offensive tackle Kaycee Ike.

Steelers Gameplan vs. Raiders: Run; Roethlisberger Gives Statement On 'Most Hated' List

Last Sunday against the rival Baltimore Ravens, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to finally run the ball like, well, the Pittsburgh Steelers. They banged forward for a total of 141 yards on 29 rushes, mostly on the legs of rookie running back Le'Veon Bell.

We believe the Steelers should endeavor to pick up where they left off when they head into the "Black Hole" Sunday afternoon against the 10th-ranked defense of Oakland Raiders.

Make no mistake, though, it wouldn't be possible without the play of the offensive line. Jack Bicknell, jr. said upon arriving that he wanted quicker guys "who can move" and we saw that come to fruition last Sunday. The offensive line was smaller and more athletic and able operate in space much better. As offensive coordinator Todd Haley said, "you could go right down the line and probably say all played their best game."

That will allow Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Heath Miller to test a secondary giving up exactly 241 yards per game. The Steelers have been very good at working the deep safeties as Big Ben's pump fake can be deadly.

Add to that, they now have an actual and viable play-action based on the emergence of the run game. The patience, vision and cutback ability of Bell is a threat the Raiders will have to respect. As we have said before, Bell may be a bigger back, but he has the lateral agility to make quick cutbacks and get outside.

If the Raiders are in their usual vanilla two-deep safeties with man defense in front of them, expect the Steelers to test the their cornerbacks, Tracy Porter and Mike Jenkins, with short, quick passes and with the over-the-top game.

All things being equal, a top-level quarterback like Big Ben should be able to shred the Raiders secondary, even with veteran and multiple All-Pro Charles Woodson. But all things haven't been equal in the Twilight Zone known as Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

Defensively, the Raiders have ways of making things difficult for the Steelers. Terrelle Pryor is a force to be reckoned with as he is developing as a passer and is also their leading rusher. Pryor can call his own number in the read-option or he can feed running back Darren McFadden or air it out to wide receivers Denarius Moore and Rod Streater. - http://tinyurl.com/l54gsvr

Another option that can't be overlooked is H-back Marcel Reese. The 6'3", 240-pound Reese doesn't carry the ball much, but averages 5.2 yards per carry, making him a load in short-yardage and goal line situations, and is a good receiver out of the backfield.

Linebackers Lawrence Timmons and Vince Williams will have their hands full, especially when the Raiders go to a formation they've used several times this season.

The look is the pistol with a 'full house' or "bear backfield" where two players flank Pryor as well as having a running back behind him. It's difficult to defend and requires defenders to stay in their lanes and not get lost in the shuffle and flow. Keeping the play in front of them will be paramount.

Regardless, the key is containing Pryor. In fact, think of it as the "3 C's":

Contain him - Timmons or Shamarko Thomas could be used as a spy to stay with him the entire game. Confuse him - he's still young and learning; lots of talent, but can be lulled into mistakes. Finally, Clobber him - bring back the ghosts of Steelers-Raiders games of the past and make him think Jack Lambert came out of retirement just make him pay whenever he leaves the pocket.  

Make Pryor be a quarterback first. He still primarily wants to use his athletic ability - make him go through his progressions. The more he does, the greater the chance the likes of LaMarr Woodley, Jason Worilds and Jarvis Jones have of making his day very long.

Do that and the Steelers may just be able to escape the Black Hole alive this time.

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FORBES recently put out an article regarding a survey taken that listed the NFL's most disliked (read: "hated") players. The Steelers' Big Ben came in 4th with 40%. 

The maligned QB decided not to take this lightly and released a statement firing back at his haters:

"I got a letter from the haters
The other day. I opened and read it
It said they were suckers. They had me on their list or whatever.
Picture me giving a damn - I said never
Posing as friends, but never gave a damn about a brother like me and myself. Because they never did
I wasn't with it,
but just that very minute
It began to make sense -
The haters had influence.
Cold sweating as I looked at my rank - How long has it been?
Even if they're hiding behind an ink pen,
I gotta get 'em, but that was thought before
I made a plan on the locker room floor.
They don't understand that I'm a Steeler, man
And I've never turned and ran.
Like Coach says, I "obviously" got a raw deal, 

So I'm gonna lay the steel!

I'll just venture onto the yard followed by 52 brothers
Bruised, battered, and scarred but hard
We'll go out with a bang, ready to win out,
Do a Fast & Furious kinda spin out.
Get a number of vict's and try to host,
Against an anti-Steeler machine designed so I don't come out alive, but I'll come out clean.
Because the steel is Black and Gold, so the chase is on.
We're 53 brothers on the run, and we are gone!"

Wow...I didn't know Big Ben could flow like that.

-- Obvious parody. Lyrics paraphrased from Public Enemy's "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos." --

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TIDBITS: Steelers very healthy as they head to Oakland. Only WR Markus Wheaton and TE Richard Gordon are out; all others full participation in practice, no one questionable or doubtful.

Oakland starting SS Tyvon Branch out (ankle)

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Steelers restructure Ike Taylor's contract freeing up around $3 million under the salary cap this year. The Steelers and Taylor agreed to turn his base salary this year into a signing bonus that can be spread over the remaining two years on his contract. - http://es.pn/1dpjeHV 

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Steelers had interest in Terrelle Pryor, but he said no. - http://es.pn/1h9KCd4 

Steelers Elemental Wide Receivers Needed Against Ravens

Before the season ever began, If It Ain't Steel stated that Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin's  reestablishing control, an iron fist when dealing with the team if you will, would be welcomed if not essential.

He must have been paying attention.

Last week, Tomlin banned games in the locker room, now he has banned somersaults into the end zone. We always want to bring you the most accurate and up-to-date information, and this is no different. In doing so, we were able to be privy to what Tomlin told the team.

'Put that ping-pong down! Ping-pong's for winners only....Oh, have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're changing a little something with end zone celebrations, too - no more flipping.' -- http://youtu.be/8kZg_ALxEz0

Ok, that wasn't actually Tomlin, but the sentiment is the same - no more games. It's nothing personal, it's strictly business. And two of the most important matters of business are the maturation of Le'Veon Bell and the continued development of the mercurial corps of wide receivers.

As far as Bell is concerned, Tomlin had high praise for him in his weekly press conference on Tuesday, saying that he Bell "ran well."

"I thought he did a great job of picking vision and putting the ball where it was supposed to be and running with the type of demeanor that we desire," Tomlin said. - http://tinyurl.com/k3dwvr6

Bell only ran for 34 yards on 16 rushes, but he set up brilliantly the team's lone touchdown of the day.

After running for seven yards on first down and two on second down, he helped quarterback Ben Roethlisberger pull off a textbook play action pass which resulted in a 55-yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders.

That said, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly made some salient points about his game when he tweeted that "Bell needs to make decision quicker and hit it; needs to realize he's not going outrun (for the most part) defenders to the outside."

"Bell just 2 games into career. He'll get better real quick....Le'Veon Bell," he continued, "has all the talent in world, but has to make better decisions and has to get accustomed to NFL game. It will come."

That it will.

Nonetheless, the Steelers will be facing their arch rivals the Baltimore Ravens who, despite the Packers' Eddie Lacy’s 120-yard performance last week, are still stopping the run. They currently rank seventh in the NFL in fewest yards per game and sixth in yards per carry.

So, if the Steelers continue to abandon the outside zone, at which Bell could very well excel, the short-passing game could help set up the run and the deep game.

Whether in the short game or via the long ball, the Steelers wide receivers were key again Sunday in the Jets victory and will continue to be Sunday afternoon.

This is nothing new as the offense, good or bad, has gone through them. Each of the main four wide receivers brings a little something different to the table that adds to the whole. Think of them as the four needed elements - Earth, Wind, Water and Fire - that contribute to our daily life.

Earth - Jerricho Cotchery:
Grounded, mature, seasoned and dependable. Over half of his career NFL touchdowns have come in the red zone. The elder statesman of the corps, and a rock steady contributor: he has the highest yards-per-catch average of the four.

Wind - Markus Wheaton:
This analogy is appropriate in more ways than one. Yes, he's very fast and can blow(ITALICS) past defenders, as we saw in the preseason. Also, though, he has barely been seen on the field - invisible, as it were, like the wind. Hopefully, as soon as his finger heals, only the former analogy will apply.

Water - Emmanuel Sanders:
The most polished of the corps. We have even referred to him in the past as "the future Hines Ward" because of his skill set, including his very good blocking ability. He can play both outside and in the slot and is a very fluid receiver...like water.

Fire - Antonio Brown:
Brown is becoming one of the hottest receivers in the league. He is second rated receiver in the NFL and also ranks second in receptions for first downs (27). His mercurial nature and sudden nature make him hard to catch, and also has the breakaway ability to burn defenders downfield.

The Ravens pass defense is ranked 16th in the NFL and their secondary has been susceptible to the big play at times.

If the Steelers receivers can get separation, it opens the door for them to be able to control the game in their favor. Add a seething quarterback who has lost his previous two games to them and it could be a recipe for victory.

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TIDBITS: Steelers Injury Report: LB Jarvis Jones (head) did not practice Wednesday; Marcus Gilbert, Brett Keisel, Heath Miller and LaMarr Woodley were limited. Sean Spence has begun to practice again, albeit on a limited basis. The Steelers have 3 weeks to IR him again or to add him to the 53-man roster.

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"Mike Tomlin is absolutely correct. It's dangerous, but it is something I have been doing since I was young ... I felt at that moment ... at that time, it was something I needed to do." -- Emmanuel Sanders

When asked what he has in store for his next TD celebration, Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders said: "Not a flip." - Mark Kaboly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steelers Defense Unravels, Sends Team To 0-4 In Loss To Vikings

If this keeps up we may just start referring you to previous articles since we end up saying the same things about the same reasons for losses. That said...these are not your father's Pittsburgh Steelers.

For that matter...or as the cockney across the pond would say, come to that, they aren't even y'r older brub's Steelers.

At home, on the road or even in another country, the Steelers lost yet again. The beneficiaries of the latest gift were the Minnesota Vikings as they defeated the lowly Steelers 34-27 at Wembley Stadium.

The Steelers were the forced to endure the longest flight home ever - 45 years. Not that the plane that the team would take from London to Pittsburgh would have a Flux Capacitor, but in that the last time they saw 0-4 was in 1968. They're now 8-13 over their last 21 regular and postseason games.

And you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll feel every mile of the silent trip.

"Right now, you could say we're the worst team in the league. That hurts." - Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers fell to 0-4

Let's set aside for a moment the fact that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was responsible for both of the team's turnovers, his sixth in the last two games, the second ending a rally at the end.

Let's also set aside that Markus Wheaton isn't being used enough, maybe even replacing Felix Jones as the kickoff returner, and that Mike Adams is frighteningly bad - hands, feet, technique, strength...you pick - at left tackle.

This defeat was on the defense.

The Dick LeBeau unit that has been a rock for a decade has looked brittle and porous of late. The two main tenets are to tackle the catch and not to allow the big play. Poor positioning and poorer tackling have all but eliminated that. 

The Steelers defense was so pedestrian and lethargic that it looked like a promo for The Walking Dead.

They have allowed 74 points and four plays of over 50 yards in the last two games - a low not seen since 1999. They have only have four sacks (six individual players have that many or more) and no takeaways - the only with none. The Steelers as a team are now -11 in turnover differential.

Not only are there just four sacks, but neither Jason Worilds nor first-round draft pick Jarvis Jones have any between them. Jones, who looked early on to have a nose for the ball, hasn't even sniffed a quarterback yet.

Reigning NFL MVP Adrian Peterson was held to 69 yards on 18 carries in the previous meeting between the two teams. Sunday, AP (or AD or ADP) 60 yards on one touchdown run alone as he rode roughshod over the Steelers defense for 140 yards total on 23 carries.

The team's tackling didn't make it through customs. Case in point were two plays: cornerback Ike Taylor's complete whiff of AP and fellow cornerback Cortez Allen's terrible angle on wide receiver Greg Jennings' 70-yard touchdown catch.

But, what might just have been a microcosm for the Steelers' black cat-crossed fortuity on defense was the strip-sack by LaMarr Woodley that should have been their first turnover of the season. Instead, it slipped through Jones' hands and the Vikings recovered for a first down.

With the offense finally showing signs of life, the wheels are coming off a once proud and stifling defense. Remember, this was Matt Cassel, not Matt Ryan or Matthew Stafford.

And they remembered it also...every single mile home.

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TIDBITS: "I'll look at the tape," head coach Mike Tomlin said following the game when asked if he received what he was looking for out of Le'Veon Bell in Bell's debut. "Obviously, I thought he gave us a good effort from a conditioning standpoint. For a guy who hadn't played a lot of football, to absorb the number of snaps that he did was positive, but in terms of evaluating his play with a fine-tooth comb, I'll do that at the appropriate time."

Bell scored two rushing touchdowns in the game which were the Steelers' first two for the season.

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Sunday Blitz Recap: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9745129&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Rebuilding Mode: What Seven Factors Can Fix The Steelers? (None are "Fire Haley")

Usually, when Steeler Nation makes a 'stairway to seven' reference, it is for another desired Super Bowl win. Unfortunately, though, with the season starting the way it has, it now more accurately applies to the things needed to get out of the rut they're in currently. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves in a real quandary. It's obvious that this team has many issues and that they are in a rebuilding transition. Basically, they're in a fix.

The problems that plagued the second half of the 2012 season have crept into the 2013 season as well. Injuries, miscues, turnovers and lack of turnovers on defense are ubiquitous. Players simply aren't making plays when they absolutely need to make them, and, worse yet, they're pressing to try to make them.

"I think you heard that a lot on the sidelines, 'Let's go make a play'" said safety Ryan Clark. "When it used to be, 'Let's just go play. We can't start pressing to do things because of what's on the scoreboard." 

Such "pressing" has been seen on both sides of the ball. Maybe most evident being the interception thrown by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. When trying to make a play downfield, his pass to wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery was high and behind him. It was essentially what iced the game for the Bengals.

What the Steelers wanted to do on offense was seemingly at odds with the play-calling, personnel and/or formations, also, though. To say they were out of sync offensively is blatantly stating the obvious. But something else stands out.

Over the course of his career, Big Ben has proven to be very good on third down, but not so far this season. Especially when facing third downs of over nine yards (9.08 to be exact) on average needed amongst the 12 third downs Monday night. Could that be related to sub-par play on first and second downs?

"Easily. Easily that’s scenario," said head coach Mike Tomlin "If you just took a snap shot of the third down opportunities in the game, third-and-eight, third-and-nine, third-and-10, globally speaking, you’re not going to convert a lot of those or not going to convert those at the type of rate that’s going to allow you to be successful." 

With all of this said, we have touched on most all of the seven things necessary to turn the team around enough to salvage the season. Let's begin with...

A LESS OFFENSIVE LINE -

The big uglies (which is a much nicer epithet than the "boobs" as Jayden calls them) actually played better Monday night. 

Right tackle Marcus Gilbert allowed an early sack, then allowed only one more quarterback pressure the entire game. Left tackle Mike Adams, though he allowed five QB pressures, didn't give up a sack. 

Fernando Velasco played at high level despite having one week of practice to get to know the terminology. Continue on this continuity curve and they could just be a formidable unit in weeks to come. 

DEFENSE NEEDS TO MAKE PLAYS -

This is basically self explanatory. The defense played well Monday, but not well enough. Sacks and turnovers continue to elude this team. 

LaMarr Woodley was fairly disruptive, Lawrence Timmons was Lawrence Timmons, Ziggy Hood, Steve McLendon and Cameron Heyward played strongly and Jarvis Jones had double the snaps of Jason Worilds. Jones is proving, via defense as well as special teams, that he should be on the field most of the time.

Despite this, more is needed. The defensive line had the majority of the QB pressures for the second time. There was pressure, but none turned into sacks. There was a strip-sack/forced fumble that was called an incomplete pass (another call the referees missed), but it wasn't challenged by the coaching staff. 

These need to be turned around in order to get off the field more often and into the hands of Big Ben so that he can run...

THE NO-HUDDLE OFFENSE -

Now, I realize that you can't run it all the time because the no-huddle playbook is limited right now. But, once more of their key personnel are available they'll be able to open things up more. This is where Big Ben can be...well, Big Ben.

Big Ben loves the no-huddle and the offense has looked better this season when running it. While it was supposed to be highly utilized last season and wasn't, this year the Steelers actually look like an NFL team when running it.

Against the Tennessee Titans, the Steelers scored their only touchdown from the no-huddle, and sustained three drives Monday night when in fastbreak mode. Since Big Ben is the best player on the Steelers offense, the ball should be in his hands as much as possible. i.e. the no-huddle offense. Employing it should be coupled with...

A QUICK-STRIKE PASSING GAME -

Having wide receivers like Antonio "The Energizer Bunny" Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, dictates that you mix up the patterns to match their skill sets. Either can play outside or in the slot. Both are fast - 4.5/40 and 4.4/40 respectively - and both are small-ish at around only six feet tall. 

A short, quick passing game within the no-huddle simply works to their advantage. They have shown that they can make plays underneath and in crossing patterns, and are at their best after the catch. Once they do that, they should then...

PLAY MARKUS WHEATON -

Markus Wheaton is fast. He can also play outside or in the slot, and his quickness is sudden and blatant. We saw flashes of it in the preseason and that skill set, that approach to danger, is one of the things missing from the offense right now. 

His speed (officially 4.45/40, but also ran an unofficial 4.34/40) isn't quite that of another MW of note, but he still has speed to burn. A track star in high school, he won 400- and 800-meter races at junior national track meets before also performing well in state high school meets.

Wheaton may not duplicate 39 passes for 756 yards and six touchdowns, but his ability to stretch the field has already been seen and Big Ben (and Tomlin) has said that we'll "start to see him getting in more this week." That element would then allow them to...

LET THE PASS SET UP THE RUN -

There's an old NFL saying, "the run sets up the pass." But, I'll never forget an NFL Films program where an NFL old-timer who was being interviewed about the early days of 'the forward pass' quipped with a smile, "the run sets up the pass? Bull(BLEEP)! The pass sets up the run!"

He was essentially correct, and it's a notion the Steelers should employ. As they use the no-huddle and a short, quick passing game, it would open up running lanes because of defenders being spread out more. 

Add to that the fact that Felix Jones is more of a cutback, in space runner, and you have a fairly good formula. Plus, Le'Veon Bell, whence he returns, was used to running behind bad offensive lines at Michigan State.

None of this means anything, though, without...

THE RETURN OF HEATH MILLER - 

The latest version of the unsung hero is desperately needed. Heath Miller led the Steelers last season with 71 receptions (in 15 games) for 816 yards. David Paulson and David Johnson have four catches for 50 yards between them. 

However, what is more important is his blocking ability. He is one of the most complete tight ends in the NFL and remains very underrated. Tomlin said in his weekly press conference that they aren't "expecting Heath to step out of a phone booth with a cape on", but he would heal a lot of ills. Big Ben has already said that Heath "should run for president", so why shouldn't he put on a cape too? 

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TIDBITS: Much ado about nothing - Antonio Brown got into a "heated" discussion with offensive coordinator Todd Haley over his lack of touches. As Tomlin pointed out, the limited touches could be mostly attributed to the Steelers running only 55 plays compared to 79 for the Bengals. 

“We’re just not getting enough snaps,” Tomlin said. 

It didn't stop Brown from voicing his dislike. Water under the bridge, though, as Brown has come out and said that he and Haley are "good." - http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/74835/antonio-brown-says-he-and-haley-are-good

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Cortez Allen and Brett Keisel (calf) missed practice Wednesday. Le'Veon Bell, Jarvis Jones (heel) were limited.

Heath Miller was a full participant in practice Wednesday and it is a possibility he starts Sunday barring any setbacks.

Six Takeaways From Camp, Games As Steelers Prepare For Chiefs' Dress Rehearsal

Another Training Camp at St. Vincent College came to a close Saturday, and the second preseason game is in the books for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They spent over two weeks together at Camp looking to set the foundation for the 2013 season. They have also played two exhibition games in which they didn't exactly look like February 2nd participants.

The integration of the rookies and young players hasn't exactly gone as one would hope, the offense appears pedestrian at best and there is a precipitous drop off in experience and talent once the starters leave the field on both the offensive line and on defense. 

Fielding a team of healthy starters and mixing in the youth on the team will take time. In fact, it may take more than preseason for all to gel, especially with the team dealing with such transition. 

That said, there are elements that were either positive points, or points to focus on in the next game against the Kansas City Chiefs. What were they and what are the things to look to?

Head Coach Mike Tomlin went in to camp needing to find out about his team. The 2013 camp was touted as the most physical camp since the Chuck Noll era. Tomlin set the tone early by having live tackling drills with pads whenever possible. The drills helped give the coaches a better barometer of the players and helped establish an attitude in the RUNNING GAME.

Le'Veon Bell’s injury was "clarified" Thursday at Tomlin's press conference. NFL.com's Albert Breer quoted him as saying on his Twitter (@AlbertBreer) account: "Good news, tho still a problematic injury. RT @steelers @L_Bell26 has a mid-foot sprain, will not need surgery to repair it. - @CoachTomlin."

"Problematic" is right, because the injury could involve a brief rehabilitation, or it could be as injury expert and media contributor Dr. Ray Solano, who is familiar with Bell's situation, tweeted.

In comes the solid play of Jonathan Dwyer in Bell's absence. Dwyer's acquitting himself as well as he did is very significant. Now that Bell is sidelined for some time, Dwyer will get his shot at not only a roster spot, but at moving up on the depth chart as well. It may even force the Steelers to keep an fifth running back or to cut someone else in his stead as both Isaac Redman and LaRod Stephens-Howling seem to be destined to make the roster.

Hopefully, OFFENSIVE LINE coach Jack Bicknell, jr. lit into his linemen this week, because they all looked terrible. Save maybe Ramon Foster, the starters all committed an infraction of some sort, and their backups weren't any better. Guy Whimper was particularly atrocious. 

While Bicknell's zone-blocking scheme seems to be a hit with the players, we need to see if it’s a hit in a game. We also need to see who the capable backups are. Kelvin Beachum is the first lineman off of the bench and will sub for multiple spots. After Beachum, though, nothing is clear. That needs to be settled Saturday night. 

BEN ROETHLISBERGER and TODD HALEY are now on the same page. And according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Big Ben is getting more needed flexibilities and freedoms within the offense. Such trust between coach and player early on can only help later on. - http://tinyurl.com/kvcdfhs

The Steelers players as a whole seem to have a better understanding of the offense and Todd Haley seems to have a better understanding of his players. Now, we simply need to see that new harmony pay dividends for the Steelers offense.

The Steelers are fine at WIDE RECEIVER even with the season-ending injury to Plaxico Burress. The Steelers have Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Jerricho Cotchery and rookie Markus Wheaton. 

The obvious rising star is Wheaton, and draft pick Justin Brown seems to be the fifth WR, but the Steelers have an interesting battle going on between Derek Moye and undrafted free agent rookies J.D. Woods and Reggie Dunn. If It Ain't Steel's thoughts on who makes the roster to come. Nonetheless, watch this battle Saturday night. 

The TIGHT END position is a curious one to decipher at present with both Heath Miller and David Johnson now off of the PUP list and Matt Spaeth still out for the next 7-9 weeks. With Johnson returning to practice for the first time on Wednesday, it has yet to be seen if he will push the healthy tight ends on the roster. Namely David Paulson (who lacks real blocking ability), Jamie McCoy (who is playing H-back), and blocking TE Michael Palmer. - http://tinyurl.com/lxzqeaf

Players to look for to get EXTENDED PLAYING TIME to evaluate is the next thing to focus on considering that during his press conference today, Tomlin confirmed he intended to play starters for at least a half, and play the rest 'by ear'. - http://tinyurl.com/mm9hzd3

Aside from J.D. Woods mentioned earlier, outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and safety Shamarko Thomas have had good camps and good games. Safety Robert Golden looks to be a ballhawk and capable back up, defensive end Al Woods has really looked good at both end and nose tackle. Coaches and players both have raved about his play. Nicholas Williams, Vince Williams and Marshall McFadden are to be looked at closely as well. Lastly, going into the 3rd preseason game, Hebron Fangupo has a slight edge over Alameda Ta'amu at nose tackle. So, keep an eye on that position as well.

Looking backward at the performance last Monday night helps us to look forward to Kansas City. In doing so, we will find out if the coaches are making sure the standard remains the standard.