Pittsburgh Steelers

PB and J?

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:25:00 +0000

With the news that Plaxico Burress' trial has been postponed to September, there is great speculation that he may get a chance to play in the NFL this year. There is a need for the Jets to improve the talent and depth at the wideout position. I will examine what this latest development means in this article.

There are two main factors that will affect the outcome of whether or not we see the big receiver don the green and white this year. The first obstacle is Roger Goodell. While Burress was suspended last year for five games, that was a team suspension issued by the Giants. The NFL still has a right to issue a suspension for violating the league's good conduct policy. I fear this more than the legal issues at this point as it truly looks as if he will not be in court until 2010 at this rate. Once the courts in New York start giving you postponements, it can go on for two years easily. I fully expect another postponement in September if there is no deal worked out between both sides by then.

The second factor is what other teams remain interested in Burress as this all plays out. The two main teams are the Bears and Bucs. I feel that if either team stays interested and thus, drives the price tag up, the Jets will likely back off. This is a tricky scenario as Burress is in legal trouble in New York. While the team plays and practices in New Jersey (what a sham), Mayor Bloomberg would throw a fit should Burress get a big money deal here and be allowed to play before getting his trial. While this stinks of collusion, it is what it is. I suspect that Goodell will do as he always has done and wait until Burress is tried before giving his verdict on any suspension.

An even bigger concern for me at this point, is that Burress was 28 minutes late to the hearing yesterday. This is not a sign of remorse or an effort to change by a player who had this same problem with being tardy to practice with the Steelers and Giants. I would surmise that if somehow you did excuse him for the practice issues with a case of A.I. (practice? we talking about practice!!!), then for a major court case which could directly affect the rest of your life, you would think he would want to be parked in his vehicle waiting for the court to open.

If it was even just to put on the front of a good appearance. You don't want to mess around with a situation like that and Burress, whether he realizes it or not, showed a complete disrespect for the system in the fact that he was late yesterday. That in itself could scare teams off as well as cause a greater repercussion from the commissioner. In light of what happened with Donte Stallworth, you want to tread lightly with Goodell right now.

The funny thing is, if you look at the other options who may be available in Braylon "brick hands" Edwards and Brandon "I never did an Ike Turner" Marshall, Burress is actually the best proven talent between all three. There is no question that the others may have more upside, but for an immediate impact, Burress is clearly the man. I think he would be more likely to watch himself than not. There are too many high character players on the Jets and they are all seeming to welcome him with open arms.

Tim Hasselbeck even came out this week with a borderline slanderous statement ripping Burress. He basically flat out told teams to stay away from him, but seriously, look at this source. A career clipboard holding QB? We are all familiar with his wife's opinionated rants on "The View", so I suspect it is merely just him trying to seem like he wears the pants in that marriage (which we all know is not so).

I feel that unless Mike Tannenbaum didn't satisfy his gambling itch last year with Brett Favre, the team will not attempt to sign Burress right now in light of this latest news. There is still too much uncertainty in the air regarding the legal and league aspects of it all for the team to go out and sign him anytime soon.

While they very well could sign him this week and deal with the issues as they come up, it would be tough to justify making that move and then potentially losing him for say four games this year at a possible critical juncture. This is especially when you factor in all of the good publicity the team has been getting since drafting Mark Sanchez as well as working out any potential chemistry and timing with Kellen Clemens or Sanchez.

There is a lot of talk around town that the team's interest has cooled on signing him. The same was said last year about Favre until late one Saturday night, the news broke that he was acquired. There is talk that Chanci Stuckey has been catching anything thrown near him in workouts so far this year and running solid routes.

I don't mean this as a disrespect to he core of wideouts in camp right now, but we may be closer to getting a ham and egg surprise, than PB and J this year. Again, this is all dependent on Mr. T's gambling tendencies. After last pre-season, all that I can say is...

Has anybody been to Vegas with Mr.T lately?

NFL Top 10: Best Storylines heading into 2009

Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:55:00 -0500

I really love spending hours putting together the research for a long-winded heavy analytical post, but sometimes, a fan needs to appreciate the game from a different perspective. This isn't going to provide any insight into why teams will win and lose this year, but because it's June, and we're two months from training camp, I'll forgive myself.

Today, NFL Top 10 takes a look at the best storylines entering 2009, as well as those potential developing storylines that could shape the upcoming NFL season.

10. Ray Lewis, Rex Ryan, and defense in the AFC
If the Baltimore Ravens are going to make good on my super bowl appearance prediction, they can't allow the media to even speculate that they might be missing Rex Ryan. The effect of defensive coordinator on a team's defense has certainly been overstated throughout the years, so we'll never know if the Ravens are actually missing Rex Ryan. They need a great defensive season from start to finish to dispel the argument that they will miss him. Meanwhile, the Jets will only be relevant this year if they can rely on their running game. And they will only be able to call on their running game if their defense is top notch. I think the expectations are still higher in Baltimore than they are for the Jets. But with three wins in September, Rex Ryan can change the expectations. Be warned.

9. Will Jason Campbell prove Dan Snyder wrong?
What we know -- the Redskins had significant interest in both Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez at different points this offseason. To their credit, they never publicly acted as if they were disappointed with Jason Campbell's development, but I don't think they were convincing enough with their non-action to dispel rumors. Anyway, Jason Campbell has one thing going for him, and that's the fact that he survived a Dan Snyder shopping spree while keeping his job. There's no actual precedent for that happening, but Campbell, for now, has the full backing of the organization, and all eyes will be on him to prove management foolish for entertaining other ideas this offseason.

8. Adrian Peterson
Can this happen? Will Adrian Peterson have three consecutive 1,300 yard seasons to begin his career? But more importantly, will Peterson develop to the point at which he can offer more value to his team than the occasional explosive play and consistent 5.0 yard rushing average. Obviously, the passing woes for the Vikings are really not Peterson's fault, but he hasn't exactly helped out his team with top notch pass blocking, and he's averaging fewer than 200 yards a year in the passing game. If Peterson becomes an all purpose option this season, the Vikings should return to the playoffs. If he posts another empty 1,200 yard with a middling 8-10 TDs, well, let's hold off on the coronation.

7. After 0-16, how long will the Lions losing streak last?
The Lions have a pretty brutal pre-bye schedule, but their first two opponents: New Orleans and Minnesota should not take them lightly. The Lions are looking at a team with a struggling run defense, and another team that could be missing both of it's all pro defensive tackles. Last year, the Lions' season got off on the wrong foot when the Falcons and 49ers shredded them on the ground, and this year, the Lions will snap their losing streak when their ground game starts to chew up it's competition. If history suggests anything, it's that it won't take them very long.

6. T.O. and North America's Team
The Bills have not really had this much firepower since they had a top defense in 2004, only to watch Drew Bledsoe and the Pittsburgh Steelers' second teamers dashed their playoff hopes. But, for the first time in 5 years, the talent to compete is on the roster. Like most small market teams, they are not without holes, specifically on the offensive line, but Trent Edwards' inconsistencies should be tempered now that he's throwing to two very established receivers. The defense should be typically strong under Dick Jauron, and the Bills can pound the rock, so this season is all about the passing game and the health of a somewhat thin offense. T.O. is somewhat of a 6 million dollar side show, but the increased attention will be very welcome for the Bills.

5. Will Drew Brees solidify his place among the games' elite?
Daunte Culpepper. Donovan McNabb. Carson Palmer. Tony Romo. Since Tom Brady and Peyton Manning exploded onto the NFL scene in 2004 as the two quarterbacks that every personnel evaluator would most like to have behind center, the pundits have attempted to christen a third member to this elite class every year. It hasn't worked. None of the names listed above have consistently produced at at elite level worthy of the highest of expectations. Drew Brees is looking to change all that this season. Another 4,000 yard season in which Brees takes the Saints back to the top of the NFC would mean that Brees should be mentioned in the same breath as Brady or Manning, who are the hall of fame quarterbacks from this era. We're that close to be talking about Drew Brees as a hall of fame level quarterback. You get the feeling if he's ever going to get to that level, this is going to be the year for Brees and the Saints.

4. Whilst the Steelers repeat?
That team that won the NFL Championship last year, the Steelers, return all the crucial parts of their playoff machine from last year. So the main question here is: who, if anyone, can topple these guys? History says the Steelers will not repeat, because just because you beat all 31 other teams to the Super Bowl title one year does not guarantee you success over any one team the following year. The odds are stacked against every team at the beginning of the year, super bowl champs included. But the Patriots did win 3 Super Bowls this decade. Is it even possible that a team who won three super bowls might not be remembered as the dominant team of the decade? The Steelers have a once-in-a-lifetime shot to do just that. Is it possible? It's not like the Redskins or Giants are considered the team of the 80's, nor were the Raiders or Cowboys considered the team of the 70's. No decade has ever seen two different teams win three super bowls, and the only ten year span in which two teams won three titles each were the 49ers and Cowboys from the late to mid 90's. The Steelers look to make history with the Pats this year.

3. Jay Cutler/Josh McDaniels
Jay Cutler's wish to be cut free from the tyranny of a 33 year old head coach he had yet to meet before may have adverse effects on his career in the long run. Jay Cutler was basically guaranteed long term success with the Denver Broncos. However, with Chicago, it's going to feel a lot like his college days with Vandy. Understand, the Bears have talented players on offense with Cutler, but it's not at all like Denver, when every player the Broncos roster was capable of stepping up when called on. Cutler is going to find himself frustrated with the limitations of Devin Hester, with the never-ending search to find a go-to third down receiver, with Desmond Clark's maddening inconsistencies, with an offensive line that will blow simple protections from time to time, and with a running game that will go AWOL for month-long periods. Meanwhile, McDaniels has an incredibly promising offense, but he's basically given up on it's two most dependable players: Cutler and TE Tony Sheffler. So for McDaniels, his key will be developing a super star or two out of a bunch that includes Kyle Orton, Knowshon Moreno, and Brandon Marshall. Good luck and godspeed, coach. You've got the best chance to win this trade, but you better hope for the best...and that someone tackles on defense this year.

2. The Colts' Playoff streak in limbo
Since Tony Dungy came to Indianapolis in 2002, the Indy Colts have posted the following EA Sports-like win totals: 10, 12, 12, 14, 12, 13, 12. I mean, holy God. They've made the playoffs 7 out of 7 years, in the prime years of the greatest quarterback to ever play the game. 6 consecutive 12 wins seasons. 9 playoff appearances in the last ten years. Put it this way: The Indy Colts of the last 7 years are every bit the comparable to the Atlanta Braves, 1991-2005. But Dungy is gone, Marvin Harrison is gone, Ron Meeks is gone, and at least temporarily, Howard Mudd and Tom Moore are gone. The only QB in NFL history who compares to Manning, Dan Marino, had a prime of his career that, while not as impressively consistent as Manning, lasted though age-34 (1995) before he lost his all-worldly level of play.

That would suggest Manning has two more years at this insane level of productivity. But Peyton's hallmark has been that incredible consistency: if he plays to whatever age Brett Favre does without missing a start, he will break his consecutive starts record. But the one certainty in sports is that the last years of a super star will be played at a lower productivity level than his middle years. Even, yes, in the case of Barry Sanders. The big question here is that, if Peyton Manning plays at a 9 or 10 win level this year instead of a 12 or 13 win level, are the Colts good enough to pick him up and make the playoffs again. If not, the streak is in jeopardy, again.

1. The Patriots vs. the World
While the questions around Manning circle around how long he will be able to play at a never seen before level of play, Tom Brady has to prove he can pick up exactly where he left off. Brady's window to win championships will last about three more seasons. And he returns in 2009 with a cast of receivers that he has never lost with in regular season play. Again, Manning enters this season with a quite wonder about his remarkable abilities, but his expectation is much lower. With Brady, it's almost as if 12-4 and anything short of a championship season and 1st team all-pro status would mark a disappointment for the young QB. If Matt Cassel can go 10-5, Brady should be good for at least 13 wins. Or so the logic goes. Tom Brady will ultimately be judged by how he does in the postseason, but it looks like the only team on the Pats' schedule this year that will beat them is themselves.

Who's the NFL team of the decade?

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:34:54 +0000

Brad Gagnon at The Score put out an interesting challenge on his blog last week, calling on sports fans to answer, Who's the team of the decade?

My answer is obvious, but not just for the reasons you might think.

Brad makes a great statistical case for the Patriots over at his place: they have won the most Super Bowls (3), are tied for the most conference titles (2), tied for the most division titles (6), have the best regular season record (102-42), and the best playoff record (14-3). They also own the first perfect regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and before that, a streak of 21 consecutive regular-season wins, more than that if you count the playoff games in between.

Then Brad has to go and sully my glowing feelings of pride by noting, correctly, "It's safe to say that the Pats would've had this thing locked up had they beaten the Giants in Super Bowl XLII."

Furthermore, he points out, on a purely statistical basis, the Pittsburgh Steelers could rival the Patriots' record in the postseason if they win the Super Bowl this year. "Consider New England to be the team of the first half of the 2000s, while Pittsburgh's the team of the second half," he concludes.

But I disagree with that. Even if the Steelers were to win this year's Super Bowl and dominate the second half of the decade on paper, there's simply no way for them to dominate the zeitgeist of the decade the way the Patriots have.

That's what we're really talking about when we're talking about the team of the decade - like Time Magazine's Person of the Year, it's not who's been the most successful or the most liked, but the most influential and / or emblematic. We're talking about the first team that will spring to mind when you think of the decade, for better or for worse, and there's a lot more to that than wins, losses and rings.

Even if the Pittsburgh Steelers establish another dynasty in the salary-cap era, it'll still be just that: another one. The Patriots were the first to do it, when it was thought to be impossible.

They began the decade in the spotlight with the controversial defection of Bill Belichick to New England from the New York Jets. Before he'd ever set foot on the field in Foxboro, Bill Belichick was at the center of attention in the league, and he's hardly left it since.

The next year, the Patriots ended a 42-year-long championship drought (read: the entire history of the franchise) in an improbable run featuring the rags-to-riches story of Tom Brady, and the parallel drama of Drew Bledsoe as he recovered from devastating injury. Once again, they were the source of controversy after the Tuck Rule game. They went on to become the underdog of Super Bowl XXXVI.

It went beyond the stories on the field, though. Playing in the first Super Bowl to be held since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, as the league's Super Bowl DVD from that year puts it, "the team flying highest was wearing red, white and blue." Bob Kraft also captured the sense of identification between team and country with his line after the upset victory: "Today, we are all Patriots."

And so on, through the dynasty years. It wasn't just that they won - it's that they won with a new style, a new scheme, and incredibly shrewd player development. They were called a "model franchise". Other teams openly aspired to mimic their success.

As if all the wins and the cultural resonance weren't enough, the Patriots were also at the center of the NFL's greatest rivalry of the last decade. It was a trifold rivalry - between two teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Patriots; between two head coaches in Tony Dungy and Bill Belichick; and between the two premier quarterbacks of the decade, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. These two teams have played the most contentious, fraught series of playoff contests in the AFC over the last 9 years, and when Peyton Manning finally got his day in the sun, he had to go through the Patriots in the AFC Championship first.

Of course, I'm biased. I know there are people out there who would despise the idea of another superlative attached to the Patriots. People who absolutely can't stand the entire franchise, and all it stands for.

But in the end, that's what really seals this for me.

The Patriots are the touchstone team of this decade, not just because they have been successful or loved, but also because they have also been hated and failed. Throughout the perfect regular season, when the records they were breaking weren't making headlines, SpyGate was. I heard that season, on this blog, from fans I never normally hear from, like Baltimore Ravens fans. Suddenly it was important to everyone in the league whether Bill Belichick was a cheater.

The controversy spread to envelop the St. Louis Rams, an otherwise obscure former Patriots video assistant named Matt Walsh, a Boston beat reporter named John Thomase, and his newspaper, the Boston Herald, after Thomase broke news on the eve of the Super Bowl against the Giants alleging the Patriots had videotaped a Rams walk-through prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. While Walsh eventually failed to supply any evidence, the repercussions of this bombshell lasted well into Spring Training the next year. A $100 million lawsuit was filed in New Orleans over the alleged cheating in the championship game. Senators in Washington got involved. Eventually, the Herald was forced to print an embarrassing public retraction and apology for fanning the SpyGate flames.

The Patriots media juggernaut has another dimension, too, and another face: Tom Brady. Open this week's Sports Illustrated and you'll find him inside the cover in a two-page ad for bottled water. Open one from a few weeks ago and you might spy him in a Stetson ad. Pass by People, Us Weekly and the like on the newsstand, and there's Brady, his wife, his ex-girlfriend, and his baby, being gabbed about and debated over to rival the SpyGate controversies. People who don't watch football have an opinion on him and his family. He is a crossover star, instantly recognizable, on a par with the likes of Derek Jeter and Brett Favre. I can't think of anyone from this decade's Steelers who's earned that description.

Love them or hate them, if you're a football fan, you've spent a lot of time this decade thinking about and arguing about the Patriots, no matter what team you root for. They've been the underdog, the model franchise, the dynasty, the fallen heroes and the villains, all in a few short years. When we look back on this decade with all its turmoil, only the Patriots will embody it all.

Big Ben Takes in a Cavs Game in Cleveland

Fri, 29 May 2009 01:49:45 -0500

While if you watched the game for any length of time, you probably saw it, but in case you wondered where Ben Roethlisberger spent his Thursday night - he was in Cleveland - rooting on the Clevleand Cavaliers and LeBron James. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger is not only a basketball fan, he's a Cavs fan as well.

Big Ben was shown on TNT a number of times in his courtside seat, and shown as well clapping when "King" James made a couple of amazing shots in the Cavaliers victory over the Orlando Magic in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Magic still lead the series 3 games to 2, with the next game being on Saturday in Orlando.

This is not the first time that Roethlisberger has been seen rooting on the Cavaliers, as he was also in attendance for a preseason game in Pittsburgh between the Cavs and Celtics last October.

In a funny twist of fate, Ben and Cavs star and NBA MVP LeBron James are also battling off the court, as the two are in a contest being put on by Spike TV called the "Guys Choice," and Roethlisberger and James are going at it for the "Most Unstoppable Jock."

To vote for Ben, you can click HERE

Why The Steelers, Not The Patriots, Are The Early Favorites in 09

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:58:56 -0500

The National Football League witnessed history in the 2008 season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals to become the first franchise in the leagues history to win six Super Bowl Championships.

An accomplishment no one can say they have achieved, the Steelers fought through one of the toughest schedules in NFL history, including defeating the San Diego Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens, and the Arizona Cardinals to capture the trophy.

For years the Steelers have been known for the most dominant defense in the league, and have carried this tradition for decades.

In the playoffs, however, Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, and Santonio Holmes led the spark of offense the Steelers received when the defense couldn't make the stops in certain situations.

The Steelers entered the offseason with confidence, signing Hines Ward and James Harrison to contract extensions. Locking up both of these players will help continue their dominance for the next few seasons.

Pittsburgh was very quiet in the offseason, they made very few acquisitions and released line backer Lary Foote into the free agent pool.

There also wasn't much action taken place in the draft, with the Steelers trying to fill a few of their needs they have.

Their only weakness? The offensive line, which was once again very inconsistent throughout the season.

As the 2009 NFL season inches closer, with training camp soon beginning, the Steelers have to be the early favorite, don't they?

With everybody coming back, including a healthy Hines Ward and full strength Willie Parker, you must at least give them the edge, correct?

Try telling this to many of the football fans of the NFL, who believe that the New England Patriots are the early favorite this season.

Hold on a second; why are they the favorites?

The story of the Patriots is a rather interesting one in 2008.

In week one against the Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Brady, the centerpiece of the franchise, tears ligaments in his knee, resulting in the end of his season after not even playing a full half.

The world began to shock, stumble. The Patriot's dynasty to many was a lost cause, never again will we see a dynasty such as this one in New England.

Once again, more shock occurred, when Matt Cassel took the reigns of quarterback for the Pats, and finished with a Pro-Bowl caliber season.

Even though they were Bradyless, the team managed to finish 11-5, just a game short of a playoff birth.

During the season, Tom Brady did have the surgery, and at first, it was nerve racking.

It appeared to be that more issues with the knee occurred, and the odds of multiple surgeries seemed necessary.

With months of rehab, however, another surgery was not needed, and Brady hit the practice field in late winter.

At this point in time the league is currently in mini-camp mode, an unusual time for a player to use this opportunity as much as a player like Tom Brady does.

It seems it is going the Patriots way in the early going, and Mr. Brady will be ready for opening weekend.

People, just because we are going on the Patriots word that Brady will be ready to go, it means that we are just going to make them the favorite in the early going?

Sure, the entire structure of the team is coming back for another season, but the most important part is still in question.

Brady is most likely going to be comfortable through mini and training camp.

Yet, it is a completely different story from the games.

A rough start could occur for Brady in the early-going. How will his knee affect his play when having to play all four quarters at an exceptional speed?

To judge him based on success in camp does not mean anything, the public needs to see how he performs the entire game.

Remember, this is the knee, which will have to adjust to the multiple defensive ends and line backers coming his way.

Does this mean the Patriots have no shot at success this year? Of course not.

When and if the Patriots perform up to their expectations, they do deserve the credit they will receive.

However, it is the best bet to give the Steelers the reign as the early favorites to win it all.

A healthy quarterback, a top defense.

Until somebody knocks them off, you have to give the lead to the Super Bowl Champions.