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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mike Wallace's Homecoming Is A Must-Win For Steelers

“It’s like a playoff, must-win atmosphere,” said Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor. “Both teams are in the hunt for the playoffs....This is a huge game. It’s going to tell a lot. This game is like a playoff game.”

After being on the road the past two weeks, the Steelers will be glad to be home again. But they aren't the only ones who will have a homecoming.

Wide receiver Mike Wallace returns to Heinz Field Sunday where he averaged 17.2 yards per catch on 235 receptions in four seasons with the Steelers. He had more touchdowns of 40 yards or longer with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (14) than any other duo in franchise history, a number that was also second all-time in the NFL (behind Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne).

Though Wallace's receptions haven't diminished this season (his 56 catches have him on a career-high pace), his impact has. His yards per catch has dropped to 13.3 YPC and he has only three touchdowns.

Wallace seems, however, to have been peeking at the schedule - in what might be perceived as a dress rehearsal of sorts, he has 12 receptions for 209 yards and two of his three scores in the last two games.

But Wallace isn't the only threat. The aforementioned Taylor usually draws the assignment of the opponent's No. 1 WR, meaning he'd likely cover Brian Hartline. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has a lot of respect for Hartline, and rightly so as he leads the Dolphins in receptions (62) and yards (804).

But Taylor has surrendered more yards than any other cornerback this year, with 854 to date. Wallace, on the other hand, is a receiver who is 61st at his position in receiving yards, despite being the NFL’s 15th-most targeted receiver.

Regardless, the Steelers have given up seven passing plays of at least 50 yards this season, so whoever draws Wallace will get have to have safety help over the top. The last thing defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau wants is for Wallace to have another big game at Heinz Field.

"Mike's one of the faster receivers in the league and he's got good run-after-the-catch," said LeBeau. "You could say, make sure he doesn't get behind you, but if you get too far off him he can catch it in front of you, and he's hard to get on the ground."

So, as LeBeau would also point out, defensing the "ball in the air" and tackling the catch (if caught) thereafter is imperative. But there's something else that's even more important.

"I've said this many times," LeBeau added, "that the best pass defense is sack the quarterback, so he can't throw it."

Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill has been sacked 45 times this season and has a poor QB rating when under duress, which is similar to his QB rating (63.5) on throws toward Wallace. So hurrying, harassing and hitting him is especially important this Sunday. Whether LaMarr Woodley or Jason Worilds, a relentless pass rush is vital. - http://tinyurl.com/jvqrmcb

Historically, when taking into account players like Paul Warfield, Bob Griese, The Marks Brothers and Dan Marino on one side, and Mel Blount, Donnie Shell, Rod Woodson and Carnell Lake on the other, if I had told you that this Sunday's game was a matchup between the NFL's ninth-ranked pass defense and its eight-ranked passing offense, you'd probably have the opponents transposed in your mind.

But when the Dolphins visit the Steelers this Sunday, the Steelers passing game will test its mettle against the top-ten passing defense of the Dolphins. A pass defense that is spearheaded by seven-year cornerback Brent Grimes.

The soft-spoken veteran quietly leads the Dolphins with four interceptions, one of which he returned 94 yards for a touchdown, and with 14 passes defended. As of last week, he ranked as the second-best cornerback in league according to Pro Football Focus. He hasn't allowed a touchdown all season and quarterbacks have a rating of under 63.0 when throwing to his coverage area.

The 5'10", 180-pound CB has great hips and will likely draw the Steelers WR Antonio Brown. Grimes' ability to turn and run will be needed against the Energizer Bunny that is AB, who has the third-highest receiving grade per Pro Football Focus.

Because of what they run schematically, Grimes is used to being on an island, mainly on the left, and will need that experience against AB, though AB does move around the formation almost half of the time.

But a big reason Grimes and the rest of the Dolphins' secondary do so well is because of their front seven - a group mainly responsible for their defense having a takeaway in each game this season and for 37 QB sacks, led by their defensive ends.

In that case, it is that very aspect of the Steelers offense, AB's moving around the formation, that will be needed Sunday. Spacing will be important. Spread Miami out and keep them spread. Also, a bunch & 1 formation highlighting AB alone on one side should be effective as well.

Additionally, five total receiving targets keeping the secondary occupied opens lanes for Le'Veon Bell. When running to the strong side, the Steelers have extra help with tight end Matt Spaeth being activated Saturday. If the Dolphins vacate to defend the pass, then running to the left would be an option as well.

Either option is predicated upon the patchwork offensive line. Cody Wallace will start at center, the Steelers' third this season, and starting right guard David DeCastro is not likely to return to the lineup. So, the probable lineup will be:

LT-Mike Adams
LG-Ramon Foster
C-Cody Wallace
RG-Guy Whimper
RT-Marcus Gilbert

It is Steelers' tackles Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert, though, who will have the biggest jobs as they will have to contend with Dolphins' DEs Olivier Vernon and Cameron Wake respectively. Olivier leads the Dolphins with 10.5 sacks and Wake has 6.5 sacks of his own. They will be a handful for the Steelers tackles, especially Adams. - http://t.co/XnRkddmQ0e

"They have multiple guys that can rush the passer," Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said. "Adversity, and how you handle it, is really the key thing. You can handle it in a couple of different ways. [Adams] has chosen to handle it in a positive manner and it's allowed him to work harder and get better, knowing that his opportunity would come up again." - http://tinyurl.com/lbg55z8

It will likely come down to how the Steelers handle the Dolphins' pass rush as to set their offense in motion. In four career games against the Dolphins, QB Ben Roethlisberger has a 108.2 QB rating.

All of Big Ben's Houdini-like tricks will be needed in order to help combat the newest hits taken to the OLine. If he can and if the Steelers current No. 1 WR can outplay their former No. 1 WR, they can take the game and take one step closer to a potential playoff run.

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TIDBITS: Steelers Injury Report - Missing practice for the Steelers on Friday: Keisel, Beachum, DeCastro and McLendon. Woodley was limited. Adams and Le'Veon were full participants.

The Steelers medical staff will continue to monitor Le'Veon Bell’s status through the week to make sure he continues without symptoms. At present, he is probable.

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Steelers activate TE Matt Spaeth from the IR/Designate list, get a little blocking help: http://t.co/6xpjkpfcYq

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Earlier this week, the Steelers signed C/G David Snow to active roster; C Brandon Jones replaces CB Devin Smith on PS. They have signed center/guard David Snow. They were granted a roster exemption for OT Butler after he was placed on the Exempt List.

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

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

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

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

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

OFFENSE (25 players):

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

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

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

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

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

DEFENSE (25 players):

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Not exactly the 2008 Steelers, but it is progression. 

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

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

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

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

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

Time is ticking, Pouncey.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How The Steelers' Adrian Robinson-For-Felix Jones Trade Affects The Respective Positions

Regular readers of this blog know of the infatuation I had with Adrian Robinson, the promising young outside linebacker who was the darling of the 2012 minicamp and Training Camp. Well, now the love affair is over. The Camp darling, if a 6'1", 250-pound man can be a "darling", has become trade bait as the Pittsburgh Steelers sent him to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for running back Felix Jones. 

The departure of Robinson and the addition of Jones shifts the seedings of the Steelers' linebackers who are battling for roster spots, and complicates those of the running backs and tight ends. 

To start, the linebacker position is one where the Steelers were fortunately well stocked, and they knew that keeping Robinson on the final 53-man roster would actually be difficult. Why? Two reasons. One is because he played in 12 games last season, as a result he hasn't any practice squad eligibility remaining. So if he were to be cut, he'd simply be gone with no compensation or anything to show for the time he was in town. 

The other reason is this year's Camp darling, Alan Baxter, the bantam but bulldozing undrafted rookie outside linebacker out of Northern Illinois. From all reports, Baxter is an outstanding athlete with a Howitzer for a first step, but in still very young (22 years old) and lacks the size (6'0", 238 lbs.) and strength needed at this level. But, it's his athletic explosiveness that the Steelers' defense has missed the last two seasons. Just as importantly, he has practice squad eligibility. 

Those factors made Robinson expendable. Because, otherwise, there would've been difficult decisions to make for the last two linebackers spots. Now, at worst, Baxter is now a lock for the practice squad, with Brian Rolle being in the discussion as well. At best, Baxter's explosiveness knocks the heretofore unproductive Chris Carter off of the roster.

That was the easy one. 

Though in Eagles Camp this offseason, Felix Jones was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys one spot ahead of former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Jones rushed for 2,728 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per rush in five years with the Cowboys. -
http://tinyurl.com/kabzvlp

This is a depth move, a stop gap, pure and simple. As If It Ain't Steel said individually on social media and as we alluded to in our previous blog, Le'Veon Bell's injury isn't a simple tear or "day-by-day" thing. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/08/six-takeaways-from-camp-games-as_22.html

In his press conference, head coach Mike Tomlin never said that Bell didn't have a Lisfranc injury, he said that "it's a mid-foot sprain. I guess the Lisfranc is involved in it in some way, but it's not a Lisfranc tear like Matt Spaeth experienced that will require surgery." 

"Not having a Lisfranc tear like Spaeth" simply means Bell doesn't need surgery. It's an injury like any other that has varying degrees and grades. He did finish that, though, by saying that the doctors informed that it is correctly termed a mid-foot sprain, but that sentence was capped by, "not that I know." And since he doesn't know, listen to someone who does as Christina Rivers expertly breaks down the injury and what it means for Spaeth and Bell. -
http://tinyurl.com/k9347m7

So, don't go jumping for joy (and causing your own mid-foot sprain) as if Bell will be back against the Carolina Panthers. This type of injury can be tricky and can still put him out for some time. The trade for Jones is proof of that. 

The 5'10", 215-pound Jones adds speed to the Steelers' backfield - the kind of speed possessed by neither Isaac Redman nor Jonathan Dwyer. So, their signing him indicates they weren't exactly content with one of them, probably Dwyer whom they tried to trade during the NFL Draft, and that one of them may not make the roster. They could pair Jones with one of the two as a sort of thunder and lightning approach in order to anchor the running game until Bell returns. 

The Steelers will protect their interest when it comes to Bell, and will presumably ease him back into action once cleared. That presents a problem when settling on the final 53 who will make the roster. 

One scenario suggests that the Steelers will keep three running backs and a fullback. That would allow for three tight ends and six wide receivers. Another suggests keeping four RBs, three TEs and five wideouts. 

If four RBs are kept, that would mean that one would be cut once Bell and then Spaeth, who'll likely receive the eight-game IR designation, return to action. 

Either way, the Steelers' benefiting from an embarrassment of riches at one position may allow them to avoid simple embarrassment at the other. 

Steelers Training Camp: 10 Days, 10 Takeaways (Offense)

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has never shied away from the fact that he loves Training Camp set the tone with his favorite drill—backs on backers—in addition to the offensive linemen battling the defensive linemen in one-on-one drills.

Despite being "football in shorts", the Steelers made a positive first impression as they came out a focused, but relaxed, team that is poised to bounce back from a disappointing 8-8 record last season.

They then got into pads and the cracks could be heard all the way in Allentown. Tomlin has actually been praised for the physicality of his 2013 Training Camp. Why has it been so physical?

"It’s just appropriate in today’s NFL. We have off days. We only get a chance to practice once a day," Tomlin declared. "There are fewer and fewer opportunities to sort themselves out. We’ve got some young guys. We’ve got to sort through a lot of young guys and we’ve got to take advantage of opportunities to show improvement. That is what it is about."

Add practices running nearly two-and-a-half hours to live contact drills and you have the tone set for a physical season. What else are we seeing as tones being set? And what players play important roles? Part one focused on the defense, and here we'll discuss the offense.

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben has been taking on much more of a leadership role this offseason and Training Camp. He's had great practices, aside from a couple of interceptions, last Thursday through Monday. He seems so much more serious with teammates and their roles, their routes, their blocks, etc... Basically, he sees his window and doesn't want it to close. If It Ain't Steel is glad to see Big Ben is stepping up as a true leader.

In doing so he is being rewarded with a couple of things that he has been wanting in the form of more deep routes. After some tinkering to the offense, Big Ben is much happier as he is able to air the ball out often. Both Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders have been getting plenty of looks and the passes have been very successful so far. As has someone else.

Markus Wheaton: Wheaton missed OTAs because of NCAA graduation rules, so he came into Training Camp already behind. He has quickly caught up and moved up the depth chart, though, and got time as the slot receiver during the first week of camp.

A terrific route-runner, Wheaton has the speed and quickness to get deep to make the big play, and he has shown it by being very dangerous all over the field.

As long as his development continues, it won’t be very long until Wheaton is a regular on offense.

Le’Veon Bell: Bell has had a terrific Camp so far, and it should not be very long before he is a major part of the offense. He has been the star of the backfield so far, and is making a real push for the starting job.

He also has exceptional hands and has been one of the focal points of the passing game. He continually makes plays in the open field.

His bread and butter will be carrying the rock. And though he doesn't possess world-class speed, he has been running with speed and authority and has been the best back during team drills. He has even been receiving time with the first team offense. Bell is light on his feet and is able to get to the outside and cut back also.

Speaking of getting outside and cutting back, the outside zone-blocking scheme has been a focus under new offensive line coach Jack Bicknell, jr. They've run it all Camp in some form and the players are adjusting well to it. Plus, athletic offensive linemen like Ramon Foster, David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey, make it more viable scheme.

The other starting OLinemen, Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams, also have a bit of a competition going on. According to WDVE’s Mike Prisuta, Adams lined up at left tackle for three days straight. But, since the Steelers run to the right more often than any other direction, they'll most likely move Adams back to that side knowing that he is the better run blocker.

That does bring us nicely to the next point into the light also, that being the lack of depth. Kelvin Beachum may play three positions Saturday night against the New York Giants, and guard Justin Cheadle figures to get time against the Giants also. That's pretty much it. The injuries have brought that to light better than anything.

While there haven't been any significant injuries to star players, there have been several dinged up.

The most significant injury was to Cortez Allen who had minor knee surgery last week. Another semi-major injury occured when Nik Embernate went down with a torn ACL and MCL.

Then you have DeMarcus Van Dyke and Terry Hawthorne have both missed time, and Curtis Brown is on crutches, making for a very thin secondary.

Embernate reminds us how fragile the front line is. Who'll back up Gilbert? What happens if Beachum goes down? D'Anthony Batiste nor Guy Whimper will remind anyone of Jonathan Ogden or even Jonathan Scott. It is, therefore, an issue that needs to be resolved.

Soon.

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TIDBITS: Matt Spaeth, who came back to the Steelers from the Chicago Bears this last offseason, was hurt in Wednesday’s practice in Latrobe. He was seen later with ice taped to his foot.

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Via Steelers Digest's Bob Labriola, @BobLabriola on Twitter, "2 roster moves. ‪#‎Steelers‬ signed RB Alvester Alexander & CB Devin Smith; waived RB Curtis McNeal & DE Cordian Hagans."

Steelers Awarded Three Compensatory Draft Picks

The NFL Owners Meetings are being held and the Steelers got some unexpected good news to come from them. 

Scott Brown, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, posted from his personal Twitter account, @ScottBrown_Trib, that the "Steelers awarded three compensatory picks in seventh round. That gives them four seventh-round picks in this year's draft."

I, myself, was expecting two compensatory picks: one for Matt Spaeth and one for Nick Eason. So, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that a third was awarded, that one being for Keyaron Fox for whom I didn't expect one. 

Brown also tweeted that the picks are "awarded based on a formula that takes into account free agents losses and gains from the previous year." It's a bit of a Chinese arithmetic situation we're dealing with here and I don't know the particulars. Suffice it to say, playing time and such play into it, thus it being a compensation. 

Spaeth signed a contract with the Chicago Bears and played quite a bit for them. He only had seven catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns, but he a total of over 350 snaps. Eason signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals and played in quite a few games resulting in well over 200 snaps. Fox was the wild card. He signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins and barely played just on defense, so compensation was expected. 

But, like I said, Chinese arithmetic. 

Brown tweeted the fact that, with the addition of the compensatory picks, "Steelers can draft players they may have otherwise had to bid on in as undrafted free agents." So, while it does provide a boon, "extra picks in seventh round hardly a reason for Steelers to do cartwheels."

True. But every little bit helps.