On the first day of the NFL combine I knew this draft was going to be wide open. Most drafts you can sit there with a defined list of the top twenty prospects from each position. The 2008 draft was very unique; every time I made a list it would change two day’s later. I stated weekly I have no clue what the Steelers were going to do…If I would have told you one week ago the Steelers will draft the number two rated running back in the draft in round one and the third best wide receiver in the draft in round two without trading you would think I smoked myself retarded.

I traditionally grade drafts harshly…I rarely agree with the main stream media. I follow one team religiously The Pittsburgh Steelers…Some of you will disagree with my grading I accept and welcome it.

1^st Round

Rashard Mendenhall Running Back Illinois

I believe this is a great pick. He is a four tool back. He can run the ball between the tackles, bounce the ball to the edge…Mendenhall runs with a great body lean, low pads and great vision. Mendenhall is a very good receiver out of the back field…He has the ability to split out wide and run routes…Mendenhall is fantastic in blitz pickup.

He is a perfect compliment to Willie Parker. Mendenhall is twenty years young with little wear and tear on his body. The question marks you hear about Mendenhall are two fold. Ball security…This is an issue and he must improve…He was awful as a sophomore…Improved as a junior. Mendenhall didn’t play hard until he became a starter. I say bull poo.

Final thoughts…Mendenhall may have been the best back between the tackles in this years draft…I am elated with the pick.

2^nd Round

Limas Sweed WR Texas

Another great pick…Way to Go Colbert!!! Sweed is the big target Ben asked for. Sweed is a great talent…He was the top rated Wr on my board for this draft. Sweed is the only “Big Wr” in this draft who regularly gets separation to beat man coverage. Sweed is 6-5 he runs sub 4.5 with big soft hands…He understands how to use that big body to shield defensive backs and attack the ball at its highest point. Sweed is a very willing blocker with great character.

The Sweed pick made my first day…The major knock on Sweed is his route running. I disagree with that view…Vince Young and Colt McCoy are great leaders -  both have struggled with accuracy throwing the ball. Sweed is a hard worker…TO and Randy Moss struggle with route running as well…They had decent 2007 seasons…Sometimes big men don’t look pretty. Sweed’s wrist injury checked out.

Final thoughts…Two years down the road at this time we still will be talking how much of a steal Sweed was in round 2.

Round 3

Bruce Davis UCLA Linebacker

Davis has a motor that doesn’t stop…He is relentless getting up field and attacking the passer. He anticipates the snap count and beats tackles out of their stance. I don’t like this pick…I really like the player…I don’t see where he fits. Davis opened his career at outside linebacker for the Bruins…Was moved inside to defensive end his junior year and exploded for 24 sacks and 43 tackles for loss over 2 seasons. Davis drove PAC 10 tackles nuts.

Davis was supposedly very impressive at his pro day workouts and at the combine playing in space. If Davis can drop into coverage and make plays…This pick was brilliant. I expect Davis to rush the passer and give Woodley and Harrison a blow in nickel and dime looks in 2008. Davis has all the intangibles you look for in a player. He plays hard, he plays with a passion, he is a very sound tackler…He leaves everything he has on the field.

Final thoughts…There is no denying Davis can rush the quarterback and cause chaos in the opposing team’s back field…If the Steelers are right and Davis can drop into coverage he will be a steal.

Round 4

Tony Hills Texas OT

Hills was an awful pick. He does nothing well. He is weak at the point of attack. He has slow feet…He is undersized and lacks playing strength. I would not have signed Hills as an undrafted free agent. I can’t think of a single quality player Hills faced in college and he failed to dominate…He actually was dominated.

Slow weak and small don’t feed the bull dog in the NFL

Final thoughts…Think Paul Wiggins…Think Chris Conrad…Think Kris Farris…Yeah that bad

Round 5

Dennis Dixon Oregon QB

Dixon has NFL arm strength. Dixon has NFL heart and composure. Dixon has a lot of tools to work with. Pre Knee injury he was a legit 4.5 guy…He out ran most defenders he faced. Dixon is not a scrambler and he is willing to read a defense…He has stones like Ben…He will sit in the pocket and take a pounding to hit the open receiver.

I have an opinion on drafting a quarterback…The player must be able to lead…Dixon is a natural leader. The player must have enough arm strength to make the opposing team respect the vertical passing game…Dixon has plenty of arm strength. The player must be able to process information quickly and make sound decisions with the ball…This I am not sure of…The players must have 2 seasons starting with at least a 60% completion percentage…Dixon does.

Final Thoughts…Charlie Batch is 34 years young…Ben plays quarterback like a kamikaze…Dixon has a lot of tools to work with…Pre Injury he was considered a second round pick…I would have preferred a defensive end…Dixon could develop into a quality player and become an asset to trade away in the future

Round 5 B

Mike Humpal Iowa LB

Tough farm boy with plenty of heart…He is a far better athlete then most people expect. Humpal doesn’t have blazing straight line speed…He plays sideline to sideline with plenty of quickness…He reads blocking schemes as well as any backer in this draft. Tom Bradley defensive coordinator at Penn St compared Humpal’s skill set and passion for the game to a former Steelers linebacker…Jack Ham.

Humpal is a run stuffing machine. He reads… He reacts…He tackles…The whistle is blown…Time for the next play. Humpal also does a decent job in zone coverage…He struggles to open his hips and run with a back or a tight end…He won’t be asked to do that often in Pittsburgh. Humpal doesn’t look pretty…He just gets the job done.

Final Thoughts…At this time next year at least ten of you will own Humpal Jerseys…He is not flashy…He is just consistent…He also hits like a cement truck when he comes free. I expect Humpal to contribute on special teams in 08…He could replace Farrior in 09

Round 6

Ryan Mundy FS Woody High

If he makes the team I will be amazed.

Final Thoughts…See above

I would also like to take the time to welcome Perch to the staff.

The Steelers playoffs hopes look bleak, No Willie Parker, No Marvel Smith or Max Starks, No Aaron Smith. Troy Polamula, Ike Taylor and Ben are hobbled with injuries. The Jaguars outplayed and out coached the Steelers in every possible way on December 16. Other than an Anthony Smith interception the Jaguars played a perfect game and won by seven points. That’s the freaking key…The Steelers played awful on both sides of the ball and lost by seven points.

What will be different in this game? I don’t expect Hines Ward and Heath Miller to combine for five dropped passes. I don’t expect the Jaguars to run three draw plays for twelve yards plus on 3rd down and 10 yards to go. I don’t expect the Steelers to miss 21 tackles. What I hope is different in this game…There is more than one way to pressure a quarterback, the Steelers blitz packages are just not getting there, you can sit there and be a naive fool believing LeBeau hasn’t showed his entire blitz package…People he has…The Steelers don’t have the horses upfront to pressure the QB with the blitz. The Jaguars Wide Receivers struggle to beat the jam at the line of scrimmage on a good field…Heinz Field is a mess…I believe the Steelers best chance of success is blitzing five and playing the corners up in bump coverage on obvious pass downs. Offensively the Steelers have to come out attacking; this means 1st down passing, this means trick plays, this means winning the freaking battles at the line of scrimmage. The Jaguars are expecting to out will and out muscle the Steelers in their back yard…I said it before and I will say it again…The Steelers don’t lose street fights in their backyard.

Jaguars with the Ball…The Jaguars want to run the ball forty times, control the clock, and keep the Steelers offense off the field. The Jaguars have two great backs in Fred Taylor and Moe Jones-Drew, both backs run hard with a great forward lean…Fred Taylor has great feet with rare cutting ability for a big back, Jones-Drew is a homerun threat every time he touches the ball. David Garrard is a great manager, Garrard doesn’t have the passing skills to put this team on his back and win the game. Garrard’s arm doesn’t scare me…His ability to scramble for first downs does. I spoke of pressuring the quarterback earlier in this article…This is how I pressure Garrard…I play both of my starting cornerbacks up in coverage…No more then seven yards off the ball…I take away the freaking time routes…I force Garrard to make reads and throws into tight spaces. Playing the corners up also helps in the run game… Ike Taylor and Deshea Townsend fight through blocks as good as any corner combo in the NFL. The Steelers defensive line and outside linebackers must beat blocks…The Steelers inside linebackers must play solid fundamental football…They MUST form tackle, They CAN NOT over pursue the ball. If the Steelers play smart defensive football, if they rally to the ball, if they play together…They will choke off the Jaguars run game…If the Steelers choke off the Jaguars run game…They will kick this team’s ass back to Florida.

Matchups Run game Brett Kiesel and Travis Kierschke/ Khalif Barnes and Tony Pashos… Barnes and Pashos worked Kiesel and Kierschke over. Both were dominated in the run game. Kiesel and Kierschke must anchor against the run… The Jaguars run game is predicated on dominating the interior matchups. Both must control his gap(s) not only in base formations but also in the nickel, dime or any other exotic formation LeBeau can dream up…Make a big freaking pile, They can not get pan caked…They can not get driven five yards off the ball. If you’re going to win a street fight your front seven must kick ass. Kiesel needs to find his heart. At some point a player must stop being the nail and he must become the hammer. Travis Kierschke can give this defense 35 plays tops…The Steelers defense must get off the field.

Big Snack Larry Foote and James Farrior/Vince Manuwai/Brad Meester Maurice Williams…Casey Hampton is a big game hunter. I expect a huge game from Hampton. All this negative talk about the Steelers run defense…Hampton has to take it to heart. At times some teams are now attempting to block Hampton man up…Hampton beats the center off the snap but he gets too ”deep” to play the run….In other words he takes himself out of plays. Casey needs to find the ball after he beats the blocker...Hampton needs to make a few plays…He must force the double team. Larry Foote can’t tackle to save his life…Son it’s football…Put your facemask on the ball carriers numbers, bring your feet, roll your hips, and explode. James Farrior is getting a bad rap from most Steelers fans. The defensive end play in front of him has been abysmal…Farrior needs to control his emotions and move on to the next play…Farrior is the heart beat of this defense…He is a play maker who is way overdue. Casey Hampton is the key…He must force the double teams…I believe he will. The Jags run game is built to run between the tackles you can’t risk Hampton 3 yards in the backfield dropping big shots on your backs…Larry Foote and James Farrior must make plays…They must form tackle…They must maintain gap integrity.

James Harrison Clark Haggans/ Mercedes Lewis Richard Angulo and George Wrighster…The Steelers didn’t fair well in this matchup in the previous game. Angulo is a run blocking machine. The Steelers outside linebackers must force stalemates…Lewis is a tall finesse tight end who struggles to get movement in the run game but does a fine job of sealing players in the run game. The Steelers outside linebackers MUST set the edge…They can not allow the Jags Te’s to turn them inside.

Defensive Backs on the skill position players of the Jags….The safeties must form tackle. If the Jags running backs beat the front seven the safeties must minimize the gain. They must keep gap integrity on run blitzes. The Jags Wr’s are big that doesn’t mean they like to run block. Wilfok is a quality blocker…Northcutt Jones and Williams want no parts of run blocking. Passing game….I spoke in detail about this earlier…I would make Garrard beat me. In obvious passing situations I would not send the house…I would come with five…I would play my corners up and get my hands on the Jaguars receivers…I would force Garrard to make tight throws. I would sneak Troy into a robber role allow him to break on the ball and make some plays. If the Steelers can force Garrard to read the field the front five will get there…Kiesel Harrison Woodley and Haggans have just missed sacks this year…half a second is all it takes. The defensive line must rush the passer…No standing around playing patty cake…The defensive backs and backers must punish the receivers every time they touch the ball…This defense has become slow and nice….That won’t cut it in the Steel City.

Keys to victory -Win the matchups up front. The Defensive line and Linebackers must BEAT blocks

-Tackle…Tackle…Tackle…

-Play fast but smart….You can not over pursue or blow your gap assignment

-Rally to and attack the Football

-No dumb penalties -No blown coverage’s

-Be the hammer not the nail.

-Find this year’s Kimo Von Bomber Pilot…A player who just takes bodies.

 Steelers with the Ball I am going to address one bullshit view right off the bat. This team is NOT better off without Willie Parker in the lineup. You can never have enough playmakers on the field. No Marvel Smith and Max Starks would mean instant death in most playoff games; not this one. Trai Essex is a fat piece of poo. He has played pretty well in some limited action for the Steelers in the past. The Steelers offensive line will make or break this game for the Steelers. If the Steelers Oline is dominated the Steelers will lose this game. If the Steelers Oline is decent they have a very good chance of winning this game. If the Steelers offensive line is dominant they will win this game…and win it by 10 points or more. Najeh Davenport must attack the hole and run down hill. Davenport must protect the ball…The Jaguars defensive line is pretty big…The Jags linebackers are undersized and quick…Davenport needs to punish them. …This is the playoffs …There is no tomorrow. I have a feeling Gary Russell sees more carries than most people expect…Russell must protect the ball. Both Russell and Davenport run with short choppy steps, that running style works best on a shitty field…And let’s face facts....Heinz field is shitty. I hope the Steelers attack the Jaguars with the passing game early. I’d go after Brian Williams and Sammy Knight in coverage early and often. Ben needs to read the field and takes what’s there…Hit the check downs…Manageable 3rd downs is the key to offensive success. Ben needs to throw darts…He needs to be the messiah. The Steelers secondary weapons need to have big games… (Matt Spaeth Carey Davis Cedric Wilson Gary Russell Verron Haynes). Everyone believes the Jaguars defense is going to dominate the Steelers offense…I say f@!k that…I will put my money on Hines Ward, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, and Nate Washington catching the ball from the best young quarterback in the NFL in Ben Roethlisberger…The Steelers offensive line will not dominate…They will show up for #7. Najeh Davenport is a 250 pound back with sweet feet…He has the opportunity to show how special he is.

Matchups Run Game Trai Essex and Willie Colon/Paul Spicer Reggie Hayward….Essex does just enough to block his man in the run game. I believe Essex will be ok in the run game against Hayward…Essex won’t blow Hayward off the ball…He will move his feet enough to create a crease and seal Hayward away from the ball carrier…If Essex gets off the ball and reestablishes the line of scrimmage in the run game I will be thrilled. Willie Colon really struggled with Paul Spicer last game. Colon must keep his head up; you can’t block what you can’t see…He must keep his feet moving. I am more concerned with Willie Colon in the run game then Trai Essex. Colon needs to dominate Spicer…He has little to no chance of doing so…Spicer is the bigger, stronger, quicker, far more intense player. Colon needs to come off the ball low and hard…He must block until he hears the echo of the referees whistle.

Alan Faneca and Kendoll Simmons/ Rob Meier John Henderson Grady Jackson…The Jaguars will flop their defensive tackles….I expect to see mostly John Henderson on Alan Faneca and Rob Meier on Kendoll Simmons. Simmons will struggle…Meier’s best fit would be 34 defensive end…He dominated Simmons in the previous matchup…Simmons is useless. Faneca and Henderson will be a war…Faneca actually did a decent job on Henderson in the first game. I would try something different this week …I would allow Simmons to cut the defensive tackle on any run play away…I would not pull my guards. The Steelers offensive line can not blow people off the ball…I would create creases and slow down the defensive line by cutting defensive linemen….Only one thing in this world that defensive linemen hate more then holding…That’s cut blocking.

Sean Mahan/Daryl Smith…Mahan needs to pickoff backers…He needs to be sly and chop defensive tackles….This is the playoffs…There is no tomorrow…That one chop block you get away with maybe the chop block that injures Henderson’s ankle or knee…Its football…Not golf…Shit happens. Smith is a drag down tackler and not very physical. If the Steelers Oline can create a crease...Davenport could truck Smith.

 Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth/ Justin Durant and Clint Ingram…The Steelers tight ends were horrible in the first game. Miller played his worst game as a pro. Spaeth was slow off the ball. If the Steelers have any chance of running the ball the Tight ends must win matchups. The Steelers Tight Ends are the bigger nastier players…There is no excuse for missing blocks. Both should dominate. Durant and Ingram struggle to beat blocks...Both players can fly to the ball when unblocked Running the ball between the tackles is going to be tough for the Steelers. I believe the Steelers can win matchups and get the edge on the Jaguars defense…The question becomes do the Steelers have a back who can get the corner? I guess we will see Saturday at 8:15 Passing game.

 If Ben is on…The Jaguars have no answer. Ben missed at least 5 easy completions against the Jags. Receivers dropped 4 catch-able balls. This is the area I believe the Steelers have the biggest advantage. Rashean Mathias is a very good corner…Hines Ward is just too nasty for him. Brian Williams struggles to run with small fast wide receivers…Say hello to my little friend Santonio Holmes. Scott Starks the Jags nickel corner is quick but small…He struggles to read routes…I believe Wilson or Washington could give him fits. Rookie Superstar Free Safety Reggie Nelson could barely limp from a deep quad bruise on Thursday…The Jaguars starting Strong safety Sammy Knight was over the hill 3 years ago. If the pass blocking holds up the Steelers should look to pass all over this defense.

Keys to victory -The Oline can not be dominated

-No dumb turnovers

-Ben must be the messiah

-Skill position players must make plays

-Aggressive play calling

Special Teams. The Steelers suck…The Jags are not much better.

Score

Steelers 31

Jags 24

I was sitting in traffic for two hours following the Steelers loss trying to figure out what went wrong; this is what I came up with: The Steelers coaching failed them. Arians was actually decent; I didn’t have many complaints about the offensive play selection. Dick LeBeau failed miserably; 12 yard cushions on that field was a disgrace. Hey Dick you think the Jags may run a 3^rd down draw against that retarded “ranger package”? The Steelers won the toss, they should have kicked the ball…You always let your defense set the tone in bad weather games. The Steelers receivers dropped balls, the offensive line missed blocks, the defensive front seven was owned, the Steelers could not have played much worse…They were in the game until the final minute.

Rams with the Ball

The St Louis Rams offense scares the s@!t out of me; Mark Bugler hasn’t played a quality game this season, Steven Jackson looked like John Riggins last week against the Packers, The Rams have a great trio of wide receivers…The Rams Achilles heel is the offensive line. I have a scary feeling Brian Leonard and Randy McMichael could make some plays this week against the Steelers linebackers and undersized safeties (height).

Matchups

Alex Barron and Brett Kiesel in the run game…Barron is an athletic offensive tackle who looks to wall defensive players away from the ball carrier…I believe Kiesel’s length and explosiveness should give Barron fits. Kiesel’s problem this season is simple...At times he gets too far up field and running backs cut back underneath him…The Jets and Jags really exploited this…Kiesel must control the point and find the ball carrier. This is a must win matchup for the Steelers.

Alex Barron and James Harrison in pass pro…The Rams will help Barron with a back or a TE on any 5-7 step drop…Harrison is too quick and explosive for Barron to block without help. Harrison needs to add another counter move…His Rip is off the charts…He is quick enough to speed rush and close the deal off the edge...Harrison is a playmaker who is always around the ball…He plays with one speed… non stop…He earned that pro bowl recognition. Barron has played very well this year in pass pro… He has allowed 4 sacks…If the Rams don’t have to help Barron with Harrison…The Steelers could struggle to cover all the talented skill position options for the Rams.

Milford Brown in the run game…Brown is a big boy with limited movement skills. He will win most matchups in a phone booth…He struggles to block on the move. Brown will struggle this week facing a 34 defense. Brown will double team Casey Hampton on every run play to the left…I doubt the double team moves Casey Hampton. I will be very surprised if Brown makes many blocks against the Steelers inside backers at the second level.

Milford Brown in Pass Pro…The Packers had a field day blitzing linebackers inside against the Rams offense last week. Brett Kiesel must be a force this week…He needs to finish…He needs to cause havoc in the Rams back field. Brown is awful in pass pro…The Steelers must expose the interior of the Rams offensive line.

Brett Romberg and Casey Hampton…Hampton needs to be dominant in this game. McCollum is a fat slow weak midget …Hampton should spend a majority of the game in the Rams backfield. Hampton will force double teams…The players around him must make plays. The Steelers get zero pass rush from Hampton and Hoke…They need to show up rushing the passer...Hoke is a piece of s@!t who must be replaced…His effort against the Jags was absolutely pathetic.

Todd Steussie in the run game…People have been writing off Steussie for three years…All he does is continue to play and play pretty well…He is not the biggest or strongest guard…He is technically sound and rarely makes mental mistakes…He cheats like an All Pro and manages to get his man blocked. I doubt Steussie will be very effective with down blocks on Hampton.

Steussie in Pass Pro…The Steelers have nothing to offer at this position. Eason will play most run downs…Ryan McBean and Chris Hoke could wave in and rush the passer…Eason can only play 45-50 plays a game tops…The Steelers must force a lot of 3 and outs.

Brandon Gorin and Nick Eason in the run game…Both players stink…Eason is just useless against the run…I hope McBean has developed…This matchup could be key…If Eason gets caved this week…Steven Jackson could light up this defense.

Gorin and Woodley in Pass Pro…Woodley is a great pass rusher…He has a big bag of tricks…He sets up every rush…He explodes off the ball and wins hand position…I expect Haggans to sit this week…I expect Woodley to make at least 2 huge plays in this game.

Skill position battles….The condition of Ike Taylor will be huge this week. If Ike can go and if he can play effectively he can shut down Tory Holt who has lost a step. Deshea Townsend and Isaac Bruce should be a great matchup of savvy vets, Bryant McFadden and Drew Bennett should be another intriguing battle…Bennett wins most matchups with his size and strength…Bennett is taller than McFadden he is nowhere near as strong. At some point the Steelers must decide they have the talent to play the corners up…If they don’t teams will continue to run ball control routes negating the Steelers blitz packages. Larry Foote has improved a great deal in coverage…He needs to learn to form tackle…He continues to miss tackles or backs take him for a ride 6 yards downfield. James Farrior has played like Casper the Ghost the past 4 games…He needs to make plays…He needs to make game changing plays. The Rams will look to exploit the Steelers backers in coverage with Steven Jackson, Brian Leonard and Randy McMichael. The Steelers must rally to the ball…They must punish every Rams ball carrier. Steven Jackson when healthy is a top 3 NFL running back…The Rams running backs struggle with blitz pick up. Troy Polamula was all over the field against the Jags…Troy needs to show he is the best safety in the NFL the rest of the season. I have mixed feelings about Tyrone Carter at Free Safety, Lil Evil is reliable and he will attempt to kill the opposition but his lack of height scares me down the road …Anthony Smith will still see time in the quarter defense…Hopefully the Interception helped his confidence. The Steelers must take their chances if they want to be an attacking defense.

Steelers with the ball

The Steelers offense won’t have the excuse this week of “poor playing conditions”. The offensive line needs to show up…All games are won or lost in the trenches. The Receivers must make plays for Ben…Ben must be willing to check down to secondary receivers if the vertical routes are covered…Parker Davenport Miller and Davis are dangerous after the catch…If the secondary receivers are making plays that forces the defense to adjust and other routes open up. The Steelers offense must avoid turnovers and stupid penalties.

Matchups

Max Starks and James Hall…Max Starks has played very well this season in limited action at left tackle. James Hall wins most matchups with his strength and relentless pursuit of the ball. I expect Starks to dominate Hall in the run game…Starks is a fantastic run blocker…He lands his punch, buckles the defender and then he finishes. Hall is a nice sized 43 defense end at 280 pounds…Starks is just too big for Hall. Starks has done a nice job of moving his feet and finding the Blitzer in pass pro…Starks has played with a ton of confidence…He must concentrate on not lunging, landing his initial punch and moving his feet in pass pro…When Starks is on his game he has the ability to be a top 10 tackle in this league.

Alan Faneca Kendoll Simmons and Sean Mahan against Adam Carricker and Laroi Glover…I expect the Rams to move Carricker and Glover around a bit. I believe the Rams will look to exploit Simmons and Faneca in pass pro and Mahan in the run game. The Steelers will look to run counters to the weak side of formations against the Rams.  The Steelers could go straight power running game and jam the ball down the Rams throats The Rams front 7 is very quick…They’re not very stout… I know Alan Faneca will plant either Carricker or Glover in the run game. If the Steelers get lucky and trick the Rams with formations they will catch the Rams with Carricker cocked to the play side of the formation…Carricker is quick off the ball…He can’t hold the point. Simmons can even block Carricker with an angle. Glover is still a dangerous pass rusher…He never played the run well. My biggest fear is the Steelers interior offensive line play in pass pro…I believe the Steelers will be fine in the run game.

Willie Colon and Trevor Johnson…This is a very favorable matchup for Colon. Colon has improved a great deal in the run game over the past few weeks. Colon should be able to handle anything Johnson brings rushing the passer…Colon needs to dominate this match up in the run game. Colon has the bad habit of stopping his feet…When your feet stop the block stops. If Colon brings his “A” game Willie Parker could rush for 175 yards+.

Skill Position Battles…The Steelers must hold onto the ball and run better routes. The Rams have 3 very talented corners. I believe the Steelers will force the Rams out of Cover 2 and Cover 4 by the start of the second quarter with the run game. I expect Hines Ward to draw Ronald Bartell. Ward should be able to set up Bartell with quality route running…Bartell is a big physical corner…I believe Hines Ward is a little bit too crafty and strong for Bartell to handle on ball control routes. Ward must catch the ball. Fakhir Brown will draw Santonio Holmes…Brown may have the best jam of any corner in the NFL…Holmes must run quality routes, beat the jam and attack the football in the air…The Rams lack speed in the secondary…Holmes must make some plays in the vertical passing game. Both Steelers starting Wr’s must win matchups in the running game. Cedric Wilson will be the 3^rd Wr this week…Jonathan Wade is a decent nickel corner…Wilson needs to continue to make plays…It seems like every time the Steelers ask Wilson to make a play in 07 he does. Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth must dominate the Rams undersized outside linebackers in the run game. Heath Miller should make some plays down the middle of the field against the Rams safeties. Rams Middle linebacker Will Witherspoon struggles to beat blocks…He is a quality player rushing the passer and dropping into coverage…The Steelers must abuse Witherspoon in the running game. The Rams safeties Corey Chavous and Oshi Atogwe are classic cover 2 players…Both can hit…Neither can really run…Atogwe makes a lot of plays off tipped and under thrown balls(7ints on the season). Ben must make his reads…If nothing is there he must hit the check downs…Indoors Ben can get away with his Houdini act…Come playoff time outdoors…He won’t get away with it…The field conditions take away his mobility. Ben needs to protect the ball at all times…He just needs to play his game and relax…When things start going down hill…He wants the big play…He locks onto the big play. Willie Parker needs to attack the hole and protect the ball. I expect a huge game from Willie this week. Davenport is a quality change of pace back…He needs to be involved in the passing game. Willie Reid should be in the lineup this week…The Steelers need some plays from unexpected players…Reid Spaeth Davis.

Special Teams….Both Teams Struggle

Score

Steelers 31

Rams 17

Most Steelers fans are still feeling the effects of the Patriots loss, The Patriots beat the Steelers with coaching and play calling. I believe the coaching staff failed the players. I understand Anthony Smith ran his mouth and then he was used like a 25 cent whore. I understand Aaron Smith blew up his bicep. I realize the skill position players on both sides of the ball failed to make plays…The players job is to make plays, the coaches job is to put players in positions to make plays. I don’t believe in taking positives out of a loss. The Jaguars and the Steelers are the walking wounded this week. The Steelers must put the Patriots game behind them. Offensively both teams want to pound the ball between the tackles setting up the play action pass. Defensively both teams want to choke off the run forcing the other to throw the ball. I believe the Steelers are far more talented on both sides of the ball.

Jaguars with the ball

Call me crazy I don’t fear David Garrard throwing the ball, Garrard’s ability to scramble for first downs on 3^rd and 7 does concern me. The Jaguars offensive line and Wr’s are slightly above average; The Jaguars running backs are special. I believe weather will be a huge factor in this game…Jacksonville has played mistake free football for the most part this season…They have not played a single game in cold weather…The High on Sunday is 29 degrees with a chance of snow flurries.

Matchups

Khalif Barnes and Kiesel/Harrison…Barnes was benched in the 3^rd quarter of the Panthers game last week; he was replaced by 2^nd year player Richard Collier. I would not be surprised if Collier got the start this week (I expect Collier to start). Barnes is an athletic left tackle in the Chris Samuels mold, Collier is a specimen…. He is a bigger version of Max Starks. This matchup is tricky....Barnes can’t block Kiesel in the run game…Collier can’t block Kiesel or Harrison in pass pro…I expect ugly weather and a heavy dose of the run game from the Jags this week. Kiesel has played great against the run for the most part this season…If the Steelers add another defensive end that can rotate into the game Kiesel’s numbers would explode. Collier is a beast in the run game. He destroyed the front 7 of the Panthers last week. Kiesel needs to get off the ball and he must get his hands inside…Collier is a fat bastard; he will be ready for oxygen come the second quarter…Kiesel MUST hold the point. The Jaguars better not expect to throw the ball much if they start Collier at tackle…Harrison will beat him to the edge all game. Like I said…Collier is very Starks like…Slow feet…Long arms…Awful balance.

Vince Manuwai…Manuwai is a quality run blocker at the second level. Manuwai will spend his entire day helping with Casey Hampton on runs to the left...The Jags will struggle to get movement on Casey Hampton even with the help of double teams…Hampton needs to drop about 35 pounds in the off season…Until he does he will continue to be the best “40 plays a game player”. I believe Kiesel and Manuwai will be a key matchup in pass pro…Manuwai can be beat back to the inside…Kiesel has a nice Rip back inside and surprising strength and explosiveness.

Brad Meester and Casey Hampton…Meester is traditionally owned by Hampton. Hampton is too squat explosive and nasty for Meester…Meester will need help on every interior run play. Hampton could be a force against play action passing especially if the Steelers call the correct run blitz’s where the guards must peel of Hampton to pick up Farrior or Foote…Hampton can walk Meester 7 yards into the backfield. Hampton must DOMINATE this matchup.

Maurice Williams…Williams is a big boy…He looks the part. Williams stands straight up off the snap of the ball giving away all leverage. Williams moves very well for a man his size. Williams will be forced to help Meester with Hampton on runs to the right…I doubt they get much movement on Hampton. Williams is streaky in pass pro…Kierschke and Eason could make some noise rushing the passer.

Tony Pashos and Travis Kierschke/Haggans…Pashos is a solid tackle…He doesn’t excel in the run game or pass pro…Pashos will win most matchups with Kierschke and Eason in the run game early…Pashos fades as the game goes on…I expect the Steelers to wave in Eason with the hope of dominating this matchup as the game goes on. Pashos has allowed 6 of his 8 sacks in the 2^nd and 4^th quarters. Pashos destroyed Haggans last year. I mean Pashos beat him down…Haggans needs to play much better this year.

Skill Positions… The Health of Townsend and McFadden could be huge this week. I don’t expect a lot of passing from the Jags; they do have four quality Wr’s. Dennis Northcutt has found a home in Jacksonville…I expect Ike Taylor to shut him down. Earnest Wilford is a big target with awful speed and streaky hands…I expect Townsend to hold his own…I would not be surprised if Townsend attempts to jump a route or two…Wilford has a bad habit of rounding patterns off. Reggie Williams has become a solid weapon for the Jags…Williams is a huge target with soft hands and the ability to make plays in the passing game vertically…If Bryant McFadden’s ankle is right he will handle any Jags Wr. Matt Jones is a Red Zone weapon…6-6, 40 inch vertical, speed to burn…He has a quarterback/ point guard mentality…He doesn’t like to get hit…He will drop easy catches if there is chance he will be lit up. One of the key matchups will be the Steelers outside linebackers in the run game. The Steelers must dominate the matchup against the Jags Te’s…No Smith is a huge loss…That beast Collier will get the best of Kiesel…Harrison and Haggans must dominate Lewis and Wrighster. Lewis is becoming more of a weapon in the Jags passing game…Lewis is a huge target…He likes to run big coming across the middle…Lewis will make some plays…If he attempts to run big across the Steelers defense…He won’t finish the game conscious. The Jags have the best running back duo in the NFL (Vikings fans could argue the point)…Fred Taylor has sweet feet, great cutting ability and unreal vision packed into a 235 pound body.  Freddie doesn’t like the cold…Taylor’s ability to disappear in cold weather games is one of the reasons he never made a pro bowl. Moe Jones Drew is a little ball of dynamite…The key to stopping Jones Drew is simple…Don’t let him get started…Jones Drew has the ability to hide his five foot three body behind offensive linemen and get lost…Jones Drew is every bit as explosive as Willie Parker. David Garrard is the classic game manager. He won’t make mistakes…He will rely on his defense and running game to make most of the plays. Garrard’s arm strength and accuracy are nothing special. The Steelers must keep him in the pocket…They can not allow 3^rd down scrambles for 1^st downs.

Steelers with the ball…I hope the Steelers open the play book up and attack the Jags defense at all 3 levels.  Run game, Ball Control passing game, and vertically…It won’t happen. The Steelers offense must score…And they must score touchdowns. Weather and field conditions will determine a majority of the play calling. The Steelers offensive line must operate as a cohesive unit and win matchups; the Receivers and backs must make plays, and all skill position players must protect the ball. Ben must lead this team…Ben must play like a top 5 Quarterback.

Matchups

Marvel Smith and Paul Spicer…This is the key matchup. Spicer is just as big and strong as Smith. Spicer is a quality pass rusher. I expect a ton of stalemates. If either player dominates this matchup it would be huge for his team. Smith looked healthy and nimble against the Pats last week...If Smith brings his “A” game…He will handle Spicer.

Alan Faneca and Rob Meier…Faneca should dominate this matchup; He won’t. Meier is just the type of player who could give Faneca fits. I believe the Steelers should run the ball at the right side of the Jags defensive line…No pulling or cute shit…Big on Big blocking…I believe Faneca can dominate Meier in a phone booth type of matchup. Faneca is god awful in pass protection…Meier is a decent interior rusher…Meier will beat Faneca for a sack…Mark my words.

Sean Mahan…Your play is schizophrenic…Some games you’re decent…Some games you suck…Hopefully your decent personality shows up this week. Mahan will have to help Simmons with John Henderson…Henderson may rag doll both. If Mahan can get to the second level and block Jaguars linebackers the Steelers running game is going well. Mahan needs to keep his head on a swivel in pass pro…He is surrounded by bad (Faneca) and worse (Simmons).

Kendoll Simmons and John Henderson…Do you hear that? That’s Ben and Willie praying Henderson has back stiffness on the plane ride. Simmons sucks…Henderson is way over rated…He will kill Simmons.

Willie Colon and Bobby McCray…. The Jags defensive line is the walking wounded. At the time of my article this seemed like the best fit. Colon should have a favorable matchup no matter who the Jags line up out there. Colon is limited by his size. Hopefully Colon can get some movement in the run game and the Steelers can attempt to attack the Jags defense on the edge. Colon needs to step up in pass pro.

The Jags are missing 3 starters in their front 7…The Steelers offense must win the war of attrition.

Skill Positions…The Steelers skill position players must dominate blocking in the run game. Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth must take Justin Durant and Clint Ingram to the wood shed. The Jaguars safeties compliment each other perfectly; Sammy Knight is an extra linebacker in the run game…Knight is limited in coverage…What he gets his hands on he intercepts. Rookie Reggie Nelson is one helluva of a player. He has great range in coverage and he hits like a Mack truck…He is a Brian Dawkins clone. The Steelers should look to isolate a Receiver/TE on Knight with a vertical route. Daryl Smith is a very good strong side linebacker…He is way too undersized to play in the middle in the NFL. Steelers Killer Rashean Mathis will draw Hines Ward in coverage. I expect Ward to really take it to Mathis in the run game. Ward must run quality routes and fight back to the ball…Mathis will take chances in coverage. Brian Williams and Santonio Holmes could be interesting…If Holmes can run…There is no way Williams can run with him. If Holmes is healthy the Jags will be forced to drop Nelson 13 yards off the ball. Cedric Wilson continues to make plays for the Steelers…Nate Washington continues to disappoint. The Jags nickel and dime backs Starks and Glenn are both undersized. Starks struggles to locate the ball in the air and tackle…Glenn can’t run anymore…He can break on a pattern and break your heart. The Steelers skill position players must make a ton of plays. Willie Parker ran very well last week…He ran hard and protected the ball…He must do the same thing this week. Dookie must continue to run hard…He needs to become more of a weapon in the passing game. Ben must make his reads and deliver the ball accurately and on time. Protect the ball boys.

Special Teams

The Jaguars are very good…The Steelers suck. I would squib every kickoff. I would punt out of bounds. I would not allow Special teams to beat me. The Steelers return game sucks.

Score

Steelers 24

Jags 17

The Steelers don’t lose with FC in the house

I received a few personal messages this week asking what special things I had planned for the “Gospel”…My response was fairly direct. Nothing…Every week I go all out. I am proud to write for this site…The 1974-1975 season was so special for the Steelers. First Super Bowl victory…What a draft…Swann Lambert Webster Stallworth Blount as a UDFA…Another great moment in Steelers history goes unnoticed by most…Mama Hardnosed Mama IC and Mama FC welcomed bouncing baby boys into this cruel world. So it’s not your terrible towel that brings the Steelers the luck…It’s us…If you would like to make a donation to… “Get the Boys of Fury Rich Quick” we accept Cash, Checks, Master Card, Visa, Discover, and Pay pal. Every week I am challenged to produce a quality article by the fellow writers at this site…Every week their articles seem to improve…To keep up I try to step up my game…I would like to thank Fury and Josh for the opportunity to post my thoughts. My Gospel will actually be shorter this week; everyone has an opinion on this game…The media circus is in full swing… With that being said…Let’s talk Steelers Football.

Steelers with the Ball

The Steelers offensive linemen can make whatever excuses they want…They’re not winning matchups. The Steelers running game must be a major factor in this game, running the ball is an attitude…The Steelers offensive line must move the Line Of Scrimmage. Willie Parker needs to protect the ball. Parker has lost faith in his offensive line …Parker needs to run behind his eyes…Then he must attack the hole. Santonio Holmes return will be huge. Hines Ward is a stud. Cedrick Wilson continues to make plays. The Steelers Te’s must run block their asses off…They need to win matchups with the Patriots outside linebackers in the run game. I would look to attack the Patriots safeties down the middle of the field with the inside receivers or Te’s. If Willie Parker can run a route this is the week to show it. The Steelers offense must score touchdowns. The Steelers offense must protect the ball.

Matchups (The Pats showed a 43 defense last week…I will break down matchups based on a 34 look and 43 looks)

Marvel Smith in the run game…I am going to assume Marvel Smith is close to 100%. The Seymour Smith matchup should be a war. Smith is a physical left tackle; Seymour is a physical defensive end. Seymour has zero finesse to his game, Seymour wins matchups in the run game with leverage and hand placement…Smith must get off the ball…I expect a ton of stalemates with Seymour…Hopefully Smith can get some movement in the run game and reestablish the line of scrimmage.

Marvel Smith in Pass Pro… Marvel Smith needs to get out of his stance and land his punch…He can not bend at the waist…Jarvis Green is a quality pass rusher…Adalius Thomas can beat a tackle to the edge or rip hard back inside…Smith must keep his balance…Smith must keep his feet moving.

Alan Faneca in the run game…If the Patriots move Seymour inside Faneca must kick his ass…Jason Brown and Jonathan Ogden of the Ravens kicked Seymour’s ass in the run game…Faneca has no excuse. Faneca has his chance to get paid…He must dominate the line of scrimmage and take bodies…His performance so far this year has been disappointing. At the second level Faneca must eliminate Bruschi or Seau. Faneca will have a chance to help his buddy Sean Mahan in the run game…He must down block Vince Wilfok into the left inside linebacker. I believe Faneca has his best game of the year this week against the Patriots.

Alan Faneca in Pass Pro…Same deal as Marvel Smith…Balance is the key…Faneca needs to keep his weight back, move his feet and rely on his natural size and strength. No defensive lineman is running up Faneca’s chest if he is properly positioned. The Patriots can not pressure Ben up in the middle…It just can not happen if the Steelers expect to win this game

Sean Mahan and Wilfok….Vince Wilfok is licking his chops…Mahan needs to be technically perfect to win matchups against Wilfok. Wilfok is a nice combination of size and speed…Wilfok plays mostly 2 Gap…The Pats will slide into some 1 gap fronts allowing Wilfok to penetrate up field. This is a terrible matchup for the Steelers. I expect Mahan to be thoroughly abused.

Kendoll Simmons in the run game…I believe Simmons shows up this week. Simmons play has been awful…I expect an inspired game from Simmons this week in the run game. He will spend most of his day helping Mahan with Wilfok or flowing to the second level to pick off a linebacker…Simmons is a make or break player for the Steelers this week…Simmons must win some matchups this week in the run game. The Pats may trade to slide Wilfok over Simmons…This could play into the Steelers hands…Willie Colon is improving on down blocks.

Simmons in Pass Pro….Simmons is just awful…Simmons needs to get back to the basics. I expect Simmons to hold his own this week…Simmons will be tested… Ty Warren is a quality pass rusher…I believe Simmons accepts the challenge and shuts down  Warren or Mike Wright in pass pro.

Willie Colon in the run game…I believe Ty Warren could destroy Willie Colon…It’s also possible Colon could destroy Warren. Warren and Colon are the same size…Colon needs to get off the ball… HE MUST KEEP HIS FEET MOVING…THE BLOCK STOPS WHEN YOUR FEET STOP WILLIE.

Willie Colon in Pass Pro…Mike Vrabel is pure technique and hustle…Colon sees that every week in practice from Clark Haggans…If Colon gets off the ball he should be ok against Vrabel…Ty Warren is a carbon copy of Shawn Ellis from the Jets. Ellis was too strong for Colon…Colon needs to keep his head back and weight balanced…Warren has a variety of rush moves with enough strength and speed to beat Colon to the inside or to the edge.

(For the Steelers to have success running the ball the Right Side of the Offensive Line must play their best game of the year)

Skill Position matchups….The Pats safeties struggle in pass coverage…Both hit like cement trucks in the run game. Bruschi and Seau are ancient…Neither player can run and make plays in zone coverage at this point. The expected return of Santonio Holmes should be huge. If Holmes is healthy Ellis Hobbs can not cover him man to man…The key is the Steelers ability to run the football…If the Steelers have success running the ball, the Patriots can not sit back and play soft zone coverage with the corners. I believe the Steelers will look to take some shots vertically in the passing game early and often. Hines Ward and Asante Samuel should be an interesting matchup…Samuel is fantastic in off man coverage…Samuel can really break on the ball and read routes…Hines Ward runs mostly 12-14 yard ball control routes…Ward must take advantage of his size and physical toughness against Samuel…Ward must come back to and attack the football when it's in the air. The Steelers will spread out the Patriots and attempt to run the ball…For this to work Hines Ward Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington must make quality blocks. The Patriots nickel and dime packages are one of two things…Attacking where they bring 7 and challenge the Wrs to get open…Or very passive where they bring 3 and drop 8…Nate Washington and Cedric Wilson will both have favorable matchups…They must make plays for their quarterback. Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth must make quality blocks on the Patriots Outside linebackers…Parker can only get the edge if Miller and Spaeth set it…Thomas and Vrabel are beasts against the run…Both Steelers players have the ability to block either of them. I believe the Steelers will attempt to dictate matchups…I don’t believe the Patriots have a player on their roster who can consistently cover Heath Miller. Willie Parker is due for a huge game…Parker has the ability to turn any run into a touchdown…Parker needs to protect the ball and trust his eyes…After he picks the hole he needs to hit it like a bat out of hell. Carey Davis sucks run blocking…I recently read a comparison to John L Williams…I wish. Hopefully Davis can make a few plays in the passing game. Najeh Davenport needs to really show up big for the Steelers... Davenport could be a huge wildcard for the Steelers this week. Ben you are the messiah…Protect the ball...Play your game…Make your reads….Trust your Oline…Drive a stake through their hearts. If Ben is on and his receivers make plays for him…No defense can stop this passing attack.

Patriots with the ball…The Patriots offensive attack is sick. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the game. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Donte Stallworth can score anytime they touch the ball. Tight end Ben Watson maybe the fastest Tight End in the NFL. Lawrence Maroney is struggling but he has the ability to take over a game. What no one is talking about is the Steelers defense. The Patriots Wide Receivers can really run…They don’t like to get hit…The Steelers defensive backs pride themselves on their ability to knock your ass out…Some defenses have a defensive back or two that can lay the wood…Both Steelers Corners and Safeties can lay the wood…The first 3 defensive backs off the Steelers bench in the nickel and dime looks will try to kill you. The Patriots have faced great defenses…They have not faced a defensive backfield like the Steelers bring to the table…If Brady isn’t perfect you will see a Patriots Wr helped off the field.
The Steelers must stop the Pats running game out of 2 Te’s…Kevin Faulk is a weapon for the Pats in the screen and draw game…Front 7 players must be alert and they must keep there rush lanes.

Matchups

Matt Light and Brett Kiesel in the run game…Both players are warriors...I don’t believe Matt Light can blow Brett Kiesel off the ball…Kiesel will struggle to beat blocks and make plays in the Patriots backfield against the run…I believe Kiesel and Light will see some time in pass pro…I believe Kiesel could give Light some trouble…Light struggles with length and speed…Kiesel has a lot of length and decent speed for a big man. I will call this matchup a draw...There is a decent chance Brett Kiesel could make some plays.

Matt Light and James Harrison in Pass Pro….This is a very interesting matchup. Harrison is crazy strong with his Rip...Matt Light is above average in pass pro…I have a strong feeling James Harrison becomes a house hold name after this week. I expect a mammoth performance from Harrison. This is a big game…James Harrison seems to be a big game hunter.

Logan Mankins in the run game…Logan Mankins is the best guard in the NFL. He will not move Casey Hampton with down blocks…He could poke him in the eye. Mankins is just a nasty beast with bad intentions in his heart every single play. Mankins is dominant at the second level…Hampton must force the double team every single interior run play.

Logan Mankins in Pass Pro…Zero sacks allowed….Mankins is perfect in pass pro…I see no way Kiesel even sniffs Brady against Mankins…This could be the game Mankins gets lazy or sloppy in his technique….I just don’t see it.

Dan Koppen and Casey Hampton…I don’t know how to explain it…Koppen can handle Hampton pretty well without help…The Steelers have little to no chance of stopping the Patriots offense if Koppen can handle Hampton without help. Casey Hampton has to play every snap at full speed…He needs to walk Koppen in the back field every single freaking snap…Hampton must force the Patriots offense to account for him every down.

Stephen Neal in the run game…Neal is a former standout collegiate wrestler (Just for you Fury) who transitioned into a fine offensive guard. Neal understands leverage and hand placement…Neal is not the strongest player in the world and he can be handled if the defensive player gets his hands inside of him…Neal is fantastic at the second level and he will destroy the Steelers inside linebackers if Hampton doesn’t force the double team.

Stephen Neal in Pass Pro…Zero Sacks allowed…Neal like Mankins is perfect in his pass set…I believe Aaron Smith could give Neal some problems from a size strength speed perspective…Neal is coming off a broken leg and shoulder problems…Smith when rested is a mad man with the straight bull rush, swim and Rip moves. This could become a key matchup…Someone needs to pressure the Quarterback from the interior…This matchup looks the most promising to me.

Nick Kaczur and Aaron Smith in the run game….I expect Aaron Smith to control this matchup. Kaczur is a decent positional blocker…He has little to no chance moving Smith in the run game.

Nick Kaczur and Clark Haggans in Pass Pro…This is a matchup the Steelers must exploit…This is the weakness of the Patriots pass protection…I would give Woodley downs rushing the passer…Haggans plays hard on base downs…He can’t rush the passer with reckless abandon when winded…A Fresh Lamar Woodley off the bench could pay huge dividends.

Skill position matchups.

The Steelers defense has to lay the wood every chance they get. Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the NFL….He must go down and he must go down hard. Brady’s receivers must take a hit every time they touch the ball. The Steelers must eliminate the Patriots run game. The Steelers defensive line and outside linebackers must generate pressure. Lebeau has to take his chances with Moss…I play Ike in man coverage and help over the top. I take away the short passing game from the Pats by playing my corners up. I challenge the Patriots… Troy Polamula is another wildcard…I have a feeling Troy has a big game this week. Tackle and attack at full speed…Leave nothing on the field Boys.

Special Teams.

The Steelers suck and the Patriots are very good. All together now…Cover the Freaking Kick Steelers.

Score

Steelers 30
Pats 24

The Steelers Dolphins game wasn’t pretty…The Steelers won; that’s all that matters. The Steelers offensive line played pretty well…A few astute posters pointed out that field conditions limited the pass rush…They would be correct…Colon Starks and Faneca played quality games regardless. Simmons and Mahan struggled. The Wide receivers made plays on the ball…Ben was 18-21; he threw an interception, you have to give the devil his due, Joey Porter made one helluva a play on the ball. Willie Parker made me proud on Monday night…The field conditions could not have been worse for his skill set…He ran hard and protected the ball. The Steelers defense was great…The Dolphins offense does suck…The Steelers defense made play after play.

The Bengal’s offensive skill position players are back to full strength with the returns of Rudi Johnson and Chris Henry. Willie Anderson is expected to miss this week’s game…His replacement Stacey Andrews is a quality run blocker; he has slow feet and poor balance in pass protection. The Bengal’s defense has taken advantage of some opportunistic turnovers over the past few weeks…They do not have the defensive personnel to get stops against quality offenses.

Steelers with the Ball.

I am going to make this simple…The Steelers run game will not be effective until the Steelers passing game proves it can make defenses pay…I would throw the ball until teams back out of 8 man fronts. Bruce Arians takes some heat…I admit I am one to strike the match and chop the wood to make that fire burn hotter…Arians needs to say screw it and call his game…Bill Cowher and Chuck Noll have left the building…It’s a new era of Steeler football…You can not win games in today’s NFL by out willing teams. The Steelers will be missing two key offensive weapons this week in Marvel Smith and Santonio Holmes. The Steelers can not turn the ball over or make mental mistakes. The Bengal’s defense really sucks.

Matchups

Max Starks and Justin Smith…This could be an ugly matchup for the Steelers…I don’t believe it will be. Starks will dominate the run game, Starks is just too big and strong for Smith. Justin Smith is relentless in his pursuit of the ball, Starks needs to keep his hands inside and his feet moving in the run game. Rushing the passer Justin Smith is a three move guy…He will speed rush to the edge, He will speed rush to the edge and Rip back inside, he will straight bull rush…If Starks get his big ass out of his stance he will stone all three rush moves by Smith. On paper this matchup should scare most Steelers fans….The game is not played on paper…Starks looked hungry and determined in his first start of the year…Being benched has two effects on a player…He will either hump the pooch or come out fighting…Starks looks like he choose the latter.

Alan Faneca and John Thornton…This matchup traditionally goes something like this…Thornton beats Faneca for a sack; Faneca then destroys Thornton for the rest of the game. Faneca is finally healthy; his play has improved steadily over the past three weeks. Faneca needs to concentrate on his balance and hand placement in pass pro. In the run game Faneca is fantastic if he gets off the ball…He doesn’t destroy defensive linemen like Logan Mankins or Leonard Davis…He walls the defender away from the ball carrier. On the move Faneca is like a heat seeking missile. This matchup should be a huge advantage to Faneca and the Steelers.

Sean Mahan…After weeks of attempting to defend the play of Mahan…I have given up. Mahan is a piece of crap. Mahan should be fine this week in pass protection, both Bengal’s defensive tackles are average pass rushers with below average explosiveness and quickness…In the run game the Bengal’s have undersized Landon Johnson playing the “Mike” linebacker…Johnson struggles to disengage from blocks…There is no reason Mahan can not block any linebacker at the second level…Mahan missed a ton of blocks at the second level against the Cards and Ravens…That can’t happen…I have one question… Where have you gone Jeff Hartings?

Kendoll Simmons and Demato Peko…Both players suck…I believe Simmons can handle Peko enough in the run game that Mahan should have a free release to the second level. Simmons needs to get off the ball…He needs to move the line of scrimmage. If Simmons wins this matchup the run game should open up. In the passing game Peko has two rush moves…Straight bull rush, and a Swim move to the inside foot of the Right tackle…Simmons needs to keep his balance and trust his technique…No poster enjoys calling Simmons a piece of crap more then me…Simmons takes a bum rap in pass pro at times…Ben must give up on the play and chuck the ball out of bounds.

Willie Colon and Robert Geathers…Geathers has played all over the field for the Bengal’s defense. Colon did a decent job in the run game against Geathers in their first meeting. I believe the light is coming on for Colon…Colon needs to dominate this matchup in the run game…Colon needs to drive through defenders. Colon struggles big time at the second level…He needs to work keeping his weight back on his heels instead of on his toes so he can bring some ass when attacking backers…He overextends, grabs a face full of mud while missing the block. In Pass Pro Colon needs to understand defensive line stunts and games…Colon is rarely beat with skill…He usually beats himself with poor technique or bone head plays.

Skill position matchups.

Ben Roethlisberger is everything I ask for in a quarterback; he is mobile with a strong accurate arm and a fearless disposition…Ben is also a great leader…Ben leads with his play not with is mouth. Ben tries to make too many plays...As a result he takes some shots and makes some questionable decisions with the ball. Ben needs to protect the ball and attack the defense…Take what’s there. Willie Parker made me proud Monday night. Willie needs to run with his eyes… the boys upfront are starting to come around. Parker needs to continue to protect the ball. The Bengal’s linebackers are undersized and not very skilled. The Steelers offensive line and Tight ends must dominate the Bengal’s front seven. Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth should be able to dominate Dhani Jones and Rashard Jeanty in both the running and passing games. No Santonio Holmes could be a huge loss this week. Cedric Wilson and Nate Washington must make plays in Holmes absence. Hines Ward has killed the Bengal’s throughout his career. Delta O’Neal and Jonathan Joseph the Bengal’s starting corners both gamble…Both are very susceptible to double moves, both struggle with physical wide receivers that attack the jam. Leon Hall the Bengal’s nickel corner has been awful in coverage…Strong whispers that he will be a bust. The Bengal’s dime corner Kewain Ratliff makes his fair share of plays against the Steelers. The Bengal’s safeties are polar opposites… Strong safety Dexter Jackson is a hammer who wants to kill everything on the field…He hits like a linebacker; the problem is he also runs like one. Free Safety Madieu Williams is softer than yogurt and wants no parts of the physical aspects of the game…He can make plays on the ball and he is a Bengal’s defender who concerns me.

Bengal’s with the Ball.

The Bengal’s key offensive package is a 3 Wr set (Johnson Shoe Bomber Henry) Single back (Rudi Johnson) one TE (Kelly). The Bengal’s believe they can run or pass against any team in the NFL when healthy; If a defense plays nickel they will run Johnson, if a team plays base defense, the Bengal’s will throw the ball; The Talent level is there…Carson Palmer is a deadly quarterback when he has time in the pocket to set his feet and read a defense. Rudi Johnson runs hard. The Bengal’s trio of Wr may be the best in the NFL. The Bengal’s offensive line has struggled. I believe all 5 players are average at best…They can run block...They struggle with speedy attacking defenses. I believe the Steelers defense will have some success…I do not believe they will dominate the Bengal’s offense. No Troy this week means Carter will get the start. Lil Evil is solid…He struggles at times with the deep ball…He is a solid tackler who will look for the kill shot against any player…Reggie Kelly, Rudi Johnson, Chris Henry it doesn’t matter…If the player is wearing an orange helmet he is going to get killed...Anthony Smith kills the Bengal’s…Ike Taylor plays lights out against Chad Johnson. The Steelers will force the Bengal’s to throw the ball…I am not sure if the Bengal’s Wr’s can take the beating from the Steelers back 4.

Matchups

Levi Jones and Brett Kiesel in the run game…Kiesel owned the Bengal’s in the run game in the last meeting. Kiesel is really coming on as the season continues. The biggest improvement in Kiesel’s game is hand placement…He get his hands inside the offensive tackles chest and controls him. Kiesel can be exposed against the run on the inside…He doesn’t have the bulk or power to hold up…The Steelers should look to substitute in Kierschke or Eason more in the base defense this week.

Levi Jones and Silverback Harrison in pass pro….Silverback continues to have success because he is relentless and very strong. I believe Harrison will give Jones fits. Harrison just makes plays all over the field…He is a far better player then I ever expected. I have never been happier to be wrong about a player.

Andrew Whitworth and Brett Kiesel in the passing game….One of the main reasons I want to sub in for Kiesel is simple…Kiesel is on fire rushing the passer…4 sacks in his past 4 games. Kiesel is an effective interior pass rusher when fresh…Kiesel is dragging ass in the second and fourth quarters from playing the run…I believe Eason or Kierschke can give the Steelers ten to fifteen more plays against the run…The result will be an increased pass rush from Kiesel and Smith. Whitworth is a big hoss…He struggles to slide his feet and pick up interior pass rush games…Kiesel could have a field day against Whitworth rushing the passer.

Whitworth in the run game…He is a six foot five three hundred and forty five pound beast. He did a nice job moving Casey Hampton off the ball with down blocks in the first game. Whitworth won’t get to the second level against the Steelers and pick off linebackers…He will destroy any Steelers defender in his sights in the run game…Casey Hampton better bring his “A” game….He must feel the down block and hold his ground. Whitworth has horrible balance…When he locks on he wins. Whitworth holds every freaking play…Something the Steelers coaching staff should make the referees aware of.

Eric Ghiaciuc and Casey Hampton…The Bengal’s will attempt to down block Casey Hampton with the play side guard…Something they had some success with in the first game…The Steelers will be prepared this week and they will bring both inside linebackers…I believe the only way the Bengal’s can block both Steelers inside linebackers will be with their guards, Ghiaciuc will be forced to block Hampton without help… Ghiaciuc has ZERO chance of moving or even “kind of blocking” Hampton without help. Casey looks like he is carrying a 4^th grader in his belly…Casey needs to be able to play 70% of the defensive snaps at a high level…At this time I believe he can play 45% of the snaps at a high level.

Bobby Williams in the run game…Williams is a fat slob…Read above for blocking schemes.

Williams and Aaron in pass pro….Aaron Smith is a wrecking machine rushing the passer…He has zero finesse to his rush game. He is straight bull rush, He is a straight Rip…Smith will collapse the pocket…He will close the deal with hustle…It will never look pretty but it is effective.

Andrews and Smith in the run game…Andrews is a house…He struggles with technique. Aaron Smith should be able to play with his pads under Andrews most of the game…Smith won’t make plays behind the line of scrimmage…I doubt he is blown off the ball. I expect a ton of stalemates which equate to Steelers wins in the run game.

Andrews and Clark Haggans in pass pro….The Steelers need to make some noise from the left outside linebacker slot…Clark Haggans started the season hot…He hasn’t sniffed the quarterback recently. I expect Wood to sit out this week. Arnold Harrison did a nice job last week rushing the QB to give Haggans a blow.

Skill position matchups….

I discussed most in my opening…Things I would look for.

-Lawrence Timmons to continue to make plays. He is always around the ball. His arm length and explosiveness will make him special.

-Tyrone Carter to continue to play well…Carter is a great system player…He happens to fit the Steelers defense to a “T”

-The Steelers linebackers will play lights out in this game.

-Bryant McFadden’s return is huge for this defense. Fad looked great breaking on the ball.

-Townsend will sack Palmer…Townsend slid over the slot last week…Shea is a great Blitzer.

The Steelers will hurry Palmer…Palmer will panic and head into the tank.

Special Teams

Reed is a quality kicker

Speds is a stud.

The Steelers coverage and return units suck…So do the Bengal’s.

Score

Steelers 30

Bengal’s 24

I want you to sit there and be honest…Are you over the Jets loss yet? I’m not. Players must make plays on both sides of the ball. First and foremost the Steelers must get healthy; I would sit both Troy and Holmes until there 100% or the playoffs start. I would begin adding wrinkles to this offense…My wrinkles would be personnel groupings on both sides of the ball…I would slide Heath Miller out in the slot at times, I would give Timmons and Woodley a package or two...The Steelers offensive line needs to do a far better job as a whole. The Steelers will make the playoffs…Mike Tomlin’s first season will be considered a success. When you’re sitting there being honest with yourself…You know the Steelers should be undefeated. This team was not prepared to play a road game since the opening day of the season (The Bengal’s suck).

The Steelers with the Ball.

The offensive line must improve…We all know that. The Steelers offense will continue being stagnant until they move defensive linemen and linebackers off the line of scrimmage. The play calling sucks. Arians needs to realize teams are not respecting the vertical passing game…Throw the ball until they move the eighth man out of the box. Heath Miller should catch 5-6 balls a game. Willie Parker seems lost…The Steelers offensive line sucks…That is no reason for Parker to lose his confidence. The Wr’s must make plays…No Holmes will be big this week…Nate Washington and Cedric Wilson must make plays in his absence. Ben is protecting the ball…I can’t complain about Ben. The Dolphins are a shitty defense. They show both 3-4 and 4-3 looks…With no Zach Thomas I expect the Dolphins to play more 4-3 then 3-4.

Matchups

Marvel Smith and Jason Taylor…Jason Taylor is a tall quick slippery pass rusher who doesn’t like to play the run. Marvel Smith’s play this season has been up and down…For the most part Marvel Smith has done as little as possible to get his man blocked…Marvel Smith is extremely lazy with his feet…Smith must explode off the ball and take the fight to Taylor in the run game. Smith must get into his pass set and move his feet when the Steelers throw the ball. I expect Smith to hold his own…The reality of things is Smith should dominate Taylor…I don’t see that happening

Vonnie Holiday and Alan Faneca…Faneca will dominate this matchup in the run game. Holiday was very effective playing the run on the edge…He doesn’t have the power or ability to anchor inside against the run. Holiday is a decent interior pass rusher…Faneca still struggles with power rushers who will take his inside shoulder…Faneca needs to flat out dominate this matchup…I expect Faneca to have a big game this week…Lets hope Faneca’s dominant play is contagious.

Sean Mahan and Keith Traylor….I expect the Dolphins to cock Traylor over top of that bum Mahan this week following the success Robertson had last week. Mahan won’t move Traylor in the run game…I believe Mahan has the ability to wall Traylor away from the play…Faneca and Simmons must win there matchups in a dominating manner if the Steelers expect to run the ball between the guards. Traylor is a slow fat sloth rushing the passer…Robertson is a very good interior rusher…I expect Mahan to have a solid but far from spectacular game.

Simmons and Traylor/ Wright…Simmons sucks…The Dolphins will have the tough choice of which bum Steelers linemen to cover in base fronts. Simmons has made some quality blocks on the move this season…He must win matchups at the line of scrimmage. Simmons must fold up inside linebackers in the run game; something he fails to do. Simmons play in pass pro has improved over the past 3 games…Lets hope Simmons’ balls drop and he starts playing with some passion.

Willie Colon and Matt Roth…Colon needs to play with a mean streak…Shawn Ellis took his heart last week against the run and pass. Colon should be able to dominate whoever the Dolphins line up across from him in the run game (Holiday Roth Taylor)…Colon needs to keep his head on a swivel in pass pro…He needs to trust his feet and his natural ability…When Colon is on his game in pass pro he slides his feet and stones the rusher when he loses confidence he begins to reach and grab exposing his chest and knocking himself off balance. Colon needs to dominate…He plays beside a bum that can not be an excuse…Colon also needs to realize he  has a 36 game starter breathing down his neck in Max Starks.

Skill position battles.

No Santonio Holmes limits the ability of the Steelers offense to attack defenses vertically down field. Nate Washington and Cedric Wilson must make plays for Ben…They need to run quality routes and catch the freaking ball. Mike Lehan the Dolphins corner who is expected to cover Washington and Wilson sucks…He can not open his hips and run…He is awful judging the ball in the air…The Steelers should target him early and often. Hines Ward will be covered by the ultra soft Will Allen. Hines should be able to run ball control routes against Allen all game long…Hines has too much heart size and machismo to be covered by Allen. The Dolphins nickel and dime corners are complete opposites…They both suck…Just for different reasons. Nickel corner Travis Daniels can’t run…He is slow reading routes and breaking on the ball…Dime Corner Andre Goodman is soft and tiny…He wants no parts of the physical game…I believe the Steelers can and will have success with multiple Wr packages against the Dolphins. The Dolphins will be missing emotional and physical leader Zach Thomas this week. Channing Crowder will replace Thomas…Crowder is great when unblocked…He can’t beat a block to save his life…Crowder is awful in coverage and struggles to tackle…He is the Dolphins answer to Larry Foote of the Steelers. Joey Porter has lost a step…We all know about Porter so I won’t waste your time speaking of his talents and deficiencies. Heath Miller should have a field day in this game…The Dolphins maybe forced to cover Miller with 2^nd year free safety Jason Allen…It wont work out for the Dolphins…Miller is too damn big for Allen. Cameron Worrell the starting strong safety for the Dolphins hits like a Mack truck.  He is very limited in coverage. Willie Parker needs to find his groove…The offensive line has sucked…Parker needs to run hard and slip some tackles. Ben needs to be Ben. The Steelers need to turn around their season…This is step one…The offensive line must dominate…The skill position players can not turn over the ball…That idiot Arians has to put players in positions to be successful.

Dolphins with the Ball.

The Dolphins offense sucks. Rookie quarterback John Beck takes on a Dick Lebeau led defense. Dolphins scat back Jesse Chatman has a bad ankle…He will be a game time decision… The Dolphins offense is so bad and lacking in talent that Ricky Williams could see some carries if Chatman can’t go. The Dolphins offense has one weapon that scares me…Ted Ginn Jr. That’s it.

Matchups

Vernon Carey and Brett Kiesel in the run game…Carey is what the Steelers hope Colon develops into…A stocky nasty mean wrecking ball. Carey is very quietly having a great season. I expect Carey to dominate this matchup both in the run game and in pass pro…Carey has allowed two sacks in ten starts…He dominated some quality defenders this season.

Carey and Harrison in Pass Pro…This is the heavyweight matchup…Both players are nasty men…This could be real ugly…Neither player will back down…I expect Harrison to get the edge once or twice…He won’t beat Carey up his chest or over the top…I would not be surprised if Harrison closes the deal once against Carey.

Chris Lewinski in the run game…Lewinski sucks…He really does… Lewinski will spend most of his day helping Satele with runs left… Lewinski struggles to get to the second level when he gets to the second level he struggles to block a moving target.

Lewinski and Kiesel in Pass Pro… I expect Kiesel to have a multiple sacks in this game…Kiesel has posted sacks in back to back games…Kiesel’s quickness will give Lewinski fits.

Samson Satele and Casey Hampton…The Big snack is taking some heat from last week…He should…Most people are missing the point though…Hampton must be able to play 70% of the defensive snaps in a game…He needs to be in good enough shape that the defensive staff has the faith to play him in the nickel and dime. Hampton should rag doll Satele all over the field…Hampton needs to wreck the line of scrimmage. Satele is a decent finesse center…He couldn’t block Hampton with a back hoe if Hampton comes to play.

Rex Hadnot in the run game…Hadnot is not the biggest man…He plays every down hard. Hadnot will spend most of his day helping Satele in the run game. Hadnot is a decent blocker on the move…James Farrior must keep his head on a swivel…Hadnot will knock his ass out if he catches Farrior napping.

Hadnot and Smith in Pass Pro…Aaron Smith needs to show up this week. Smith has been non existent rushing the passer…The only whiff he got last week drew a 15 yard penalty. Smith needs to place Hadnot in John Beck’s lap on every 5 step drop.

LJ Shelton and Aaron Smith in the run game… Shelton is built like and plays like an NBA power forward. Smith should dominate the matchup at the line of scrimmage. Shelton will not move Smith one step backwards in the run game if Smith is healthy. Smith has to beat the block and make plays.

LJ Shelton and Clark Haggans in Pass Pro… Shelton will engulf and shut down any Steelers edge rusher who is slow off the ball…Shelton is slow out of his stance…Shelton is slow getting into his pass set…Haggans needs to get off the ball…Then Haggans must attack Shelton’s outside shoulder clearing his hips…Then Haggans must close the deal. If Haggans is slow off the ball…Shelton will eat him up.

Skill position matchups.

The Dolphins have zero talent on offense. Not a single player scares me. If the Steelers tackle avoid penalties and mental errors…They will dominate every matchup. Farrior and Foote must beat blocks and tackle…Harrison and Haggans must seal the edge and beat blocks…The Corners can’t make dumb mistakes…Little Evil and Kill Switch must play aggressive but smart.

Special Teams.

Ted Ginn is a bad man…1 return for a Td…4 called back. The Steelers coverage units suck.

Score

Steelers 27

Dolphins 0

I would rather be lucky than good. The 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers are a little of both.  Teams are taking away the running game…If teams continue to commit 8 in the box and run blitz… Ben Roethlisberger will continue to light up their defense…Sooner or later teams will realize Ben is the real deal. The Oline play has been putrid in the run game…The unit must improve. The Defense has played light outs. If I had a wish…My wish would be Brett Kiesel never plays another down with his hand off the ground…Kiesel is an athletic 300 pound man…He is not athletic enough to play in space. Kiesel has done a fine job in the run game…He has pushed the pocket…Woodley or Timmons would fill that “ghost” role far better. The Special Teams flat out suck. It’s not the scheme it’s the performance of the players. I have no problems with Warren Reed or Sepulveda …The Return and coverage unit’s blow. Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff must have this Steeler squad ready to play this week on the road.

Did you know?

-Ben Roethlisberger has thrown a touchdown pass in 14 consecutive games dating back to last year

-Hines Ward has five career two point conversions

-Pittsburgh leads the all time series against the Jets…16-2

Jets with the Ball

The Jets have little talent on offense. Running back Thomas Jones is a former thousand yard rusher; Wide Receivers Laveraneus Coles and Jericho Cotchery are reliable targets in the passing game, Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson are quality young offensive linemen to build a team around. The rest of the offensive squad sucks. Quarterback play has killed the Jets this season. Chad Pennington couldn’t win the nine year old division of the Punt Pass Kick competition. His Replacement and current starter Kellen Clemons is your typical Jeff Teford protégé…Very good college player who sucks in the NFL. The Jets will attempt to run the ball to set up the play action passing…It won’t work. The only fears I have this game are simple. Coles beats Townsend deep or Leon Washington busts some big plays (screens draws returns). The Jets maybe the least talented offense that the Steelers will face this year, I see no way this offense puts up 13 points in this game.

Matchups

-Ferguson and Kiesel in the run game… The Jets media guide list’s Ferguson at 305 pounds…I am not buying it. My guess is closer to 290 pounds. Kiesel should dominate this matchup and eliminate the Jets stretch play to the left. Kiesel is the bigger stronger man…Ferguson not only struggles in the run game he tends to be dominated. The Jets opened the season against three 3-4 defenses. Ferguson was destroyed in every matchup.

-Ferguson and Harrison in pass pro…As bad as Ferguson is in the run game he is equally as bad in pass protection. Ferguson allowed 11 sacks in 06…He has allowed 6 sacks in 9 games in 07. Harrison should be able to beat Ferguson to the edge, or up his chest with a straight bull rush. Harrison is mighty strong as most NFL left tackles are finding out…Harrison’s strength is his second best asset…His best asset is his motor…He is relentless rushing the passer. Rosie Colvin took Ferguson to the woodshed in the opening game of the season…I believe the Jets will be forced to keep a TE in to help Ferguson with Harrison or face the risk of losing Clemons for the season.

- Adrien Clarke in the run game…Clarke is a big boy with some run blocking skills. Clarke will spend most of his day doubling Casey Hampton in the run game along with Mr. Over-rated Nick Mangold. Clarke actually looks like a player to me. Don’t get me wrong, Clarke won’t move Hampton with down blocks…Clarke won’t get to the second level…Clarke won’t get walked 2 yards in the back field either.

-Clarke and Kiesel in Pass Pro…I keep waiting for Kiesel to explode rushing the passer. This could be the week. Clarke was a seventh round pick in 05 for a reason…He has limited movement skills. Kiesel won’t beat Clarke with the power game; He can beat Clarke with a finesse game if he sets up his rush. Clarke is susceptible to swim moves and quick interior rushes back inside (Think Alan Faneca).

-Mangold and Hampton…I can’t wait to view this matchup. Prior to the Patriots game this season Jets coach Eric Mangini claimed Mangold could block any nose tackle in the NFL man up in the run game without help…That lasted exactly one quarter. Patriots Nose tackle Vince Wilfok beat Mangold like he owed him money. It was an epic thrashing of a slow, undersized, fat, under skilled, over rated offensive linemen. I expect Hampton to give Mangold the same type of beating in this game. The Jets love the 3 step drop passing game…One problem…Clemons fails to get the ball out on time. Hampton could finish this game with a sack or two…I have zero doubts he places Mangold five yards in the back field every down he is not double teamed.

-Brandon Moore in the run game…The Jets have their answer to Kendoll Simmons…His name is Brandon Moore. Moore sucks when he is asked to block someone (generally a bad thing for an offensive lineman). Moore is also undersized and under skilled. The Jets rarely attempt to run the ball over right guard…Moore is just a waste of a human being. Moore made his first career star