This will be my first and only Gospel of the Pre Season. Speaking of the Pre Season…I think it’s a crock of crap…That’s just my opinion…Let’s talk some Steelers Football.

Steelers with the Ball

The front seven is where games are won and lost; Every Steelers linemen will be tested against the Vikings.

Marvel Smith wants an extension…He will face a test this week with Jared Allen. In my opinion Jared Allen is the most dominant front seven player in the NFL…Its not even close; what makes Allen so special is his ability to maintain leverage in the run game…There are plenty of quality pass rushers in the NFL…Allen plays the run as good as any defensive end in the league…3-4 ends included. Allen is the most feared pass rusher in the NFL for good reason…He is a complete pass rusher; He can beat a tackle to the edge with speed and quickness…He can beat a tackle back to the inside with strength technique and a great understanding of leverage.

The Steelers will find out if Kemo can replace Alan Faneca this week. Kevin Williams is a stud…He is as strong as a bull, quick as a cat with rare play making ability for an interior player. This is a great test for Kemo…If Kemo comes out and wins most of the matchups or even stalemates a majority of the time it will do wonders for his confidence (And the confidence of Steelers nation)…If Kemo comes out and lays an egg…It could wreck his confidence…This is Kemo’s first test…He will not face a better interior defensive linemen this year.

Justin Hartwig this is the game of your season…If Hartwig shows he can seal the Williams boys on the backside of interior runs and not get walked into Ben's lap in Pass Pro he will win the job…If Hartwig gets rag dolled… Mahan will keep the job.

Kendoll Simmons you could have a long night. Pat Williams is fat…He is also very quick, strong, and explosive…The type of player who takes Simmons to the woodshed traditionally. I have big concerns about the Right side of the offensive line. Simmons' best chance… Pat Williams has food poisoning…This matchup is ugly…Real ugly.

Willie Colon and Ray Edwards…Edwards is the weak link of the Vikings defensive line…He did lead the team in sacks in 07 playing RDE…This season he switched to LDE to accommodate the signing of Jared Allen. I believe Colon will be ok this week in the run game…Edwards is going to use his length and quick first step to eat up Colon rushing the passer.

Other things of note

The Vikings play a version of the Cover 2 Defense…Last year Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier mixed in a ton of blitz…With the addition of Jared Allen this season I don’t expect a ton of blitzing from the Vikings.

Tyrell Johnson is a super talented rookie safety for the Vikings…I expect the Steelers to attack the middle seam of the cover 2 with Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth…Johnson and the Steelers Tight Ends could have some nasty full speed collisions across the middle of the field.

Two of the toughest players in the NFL will square off when Hines Ward and Antoine Winfield line up across from each other…Both are grizzled vets who play the game at full speed every down…Ward and Winfield should be a war in the run game.

Cedric Griffin is in big trouble with Holmes if Roethlisberger has time…Griffin is a battler… That’s all he is…I view Griffin as the most over rated player on this defense.

The Vikings linebackers are thumpers with some athletic ability. The Vikings linebackers success is dependent on the play of the front four…That is true for most teams…I believe it’s more necessary for the Vikings. The one thing the Vikings do well as a team is tackle and run to the ball… EJ Henderson and Chad Greenway are liabilities in coverage…Ben Leber struggles to beat blocks in the run game. All three play the game smart…They won’t beat themselves with mental mistakes…The Steelers must find a way to get them blocked if they plan on having any chance to run the ball.

Skill position players for the Steelers.

The success or lack there of, lies squarely on the shoulders of the offensive line and Bruce Arians.

My general thoughts are simple…Stay healthy and don’t turn over the ball.

The Steelers on defense.

The Vikings utilize a run based version of the West Coast offense…They Zone block everything and sneak in the play action pass/ bootleg looks after they pound the ball down your throat with the run game. I don’t expect Jackson to play at all this week…Which means Gus Frerotte will get the start…I believe Frerotte brings more to the table at this point and is a bigger challenge for the Steelers defense to contend with.

Front Seven Matchups.

The Vikings not only have the best defensive line in football, they have the best offensive line.

Brett Kiesel and Bryant McKinnie…This should be a tale of two games. McKinnie will control Kiesel in the run game. McKinnie is a huge man with a large mean streak…He punishes finesse defensive ends in the run game. As good as McKinnie is in the run game…He struggles in Pass Pro…Kiesel should have an advantage if he can pin his ears back and rush the passer.

Matt Birk and Casey Hampton…Birk is at the end of the line…He is a great technician who wins most battles in a phone booth with smarts instead of brawn…He plays a lot like Jeff Hartings…He just win his matchups. If Birk has problems it’s when he is covered by a squat powerful nose guard…That’s a fair description of Casey Hampton. Hampton must eat up blockers and force the double team… He must be aware and maintain gap integrity …He can not allow himself to be washed down the line of scrimmage giving up the cut back lane.

Aaron Smith and Ryan Cook…Ryan Cook where have I heard that name? Cook is a big strong nasty mauler who wants to battle every down in a phone booth…Smith will have a long night if he tries to go rock sock um with Cook in the run game. I believe Smith will have success in this matchup because he will use his quickness and sound technique to keep the short armed Cook out of his pads…Smith will enter this game with a similar game plan as when he faces Willie Anderson of the Bengal’s or Jon Runyan of the Eagles…Be first off the ball…Maintain balance and leverage and force everything back inside.

The Key to Stopping the Vikings run game is penetration and gap integrity…Basic fundamental assignment based football.

Things to look for

Effectiveness of the Vikings guards on down blocks against Casey Hampton. Steve Hutchinson for all his hype struggled in previous matchups with Casey Hampton…Hampton bullied the bully.

Can the Steelers line and outside backers expose the Vikings tackles in pass protection?

Can the Steelers win matchups and play the game on the Vikings side of the Line of scrimmage?

The Steelers best chance to stop super star greatest running back who ever lived Adrian Peterson (That’s sarcasm) is by limiting his time and space…If Peterson has time to pick a hole and cut back…He will gash the Steelers…If the Steelers control the line of scrimmage and force Peterson to make quick reads…He will have little success running the ball against this defense.

The Vikings skill position players other then Peterson on offense suck. You control the running game the Vikings have no answers on offense.

Closing statement

The goal is no injuries…The outcome is meaningless.