Gospel 11...Kill The Black Bird

 I wish I had some answers for you this week…I’m looking for hope in a hopeless world just like all Steelers fans. I will say this…One single thing is not the problem; the Steelers have multiple issues that must be corrected if they expect to win games and compete for a championship.

 

I believe the first issue is coaching. If you listen to any great coach in any sport they will tell you the same thing…The only thing more difficult then winning a championship is defending your title. The Steelers found ways to win last year…That is not the case this year. Some people feel Mike Tomlin should go to the whip like Cowher did in 2005…Full pads practices with hitting two days during the week…I don’t believe that’s the answer. Some people feel we should change the offensive or defensive philosophy…The offense and defense will not change mid season…We are the Pittsburgh Steelers not the Seattle Seahawks or Philadelphia Eagles…We are a Championship franchise built on a fundamental belief in the coaches and players. My issue is simple…Tomlin has given this team far too much rope to hang itself. Example one…"We thought Ike had an interception, cheering a little bit, and all of a sudden — bam — they're at the line of scrimmage," Carter said. "They got out of the huddle fast. So we had to run, and I didn't know what call it was. I looked to Potsie (inside linebacker James Farrior, who calls defensive signals) to get the ball and I just ran to play my half (of the field). Example two…wide receiver Hines Ward said. "We're all into it, coaches included; they're just as much involved as we are."

 Are you freaking kidding me…You were to busy playing slap ass to lineup and get the call…Even worse than that you are admitting it to the press. The bullshit has to go…The Santonio Holmes bicep flex would cost him 5000K…Same thing with Hines Ward and his Dancing with the Stars routines…No single player is bigger than the team. Can anyone imagine Lynn Swann throwing Chuck Noll under the Bus? How about Plax throwing Cowher under the bus? Players play; coaches coach.

 

Second issue is the players…Players must make plays…The Steelers players have entitlement issues it seems this year…They expect to throw on the uniform and teams to roll over. The Steelers have been caught standing around waiting for something good to happen… The Steelers need to seize games…They must choke the life out of teams. This is the freaking NFL…The rah rah bullshit works in high school not in the NFL…Coaches get players ready to play by practicing technique and studying the other teams system…Not fireside speeches. The Steelers players must be accountable for the product on the field. Bruce Arians can’t throw the ball, Mike Tomlin can’t make a tackle, Larry Zierlein can’t make a line call or block, and Randy Fitchner can’t run a route.

 

My answer is discipline and holding players accountable…Not as convenient as blaming the coaches.

 

-Ben Roethlisberger has beaten the Ravens four consecutive times

 

-Bob Ligashesky's resume includes spotty tenures at Pitt and with the St. Louis Rams:

 

· In 2003, Pitt's special teams finished 116th out of 117 Division I-A teams in kickoff coverage, and last in the Big East in returns.

 

· In 2006, the Rams had the NFL's 28th-ranked kick coverage unit and allowed an NFL-worst three returns (one punt, two kickoffs) for touchdowns.

 

 -Santonio Holmes has scored a touchdown in five straight games against the Ravens. ...

 

- Baltimore's Ray Rice ranks second in the AFC with 1,248 yards from scrimmage.

 

-Ed Reed leads the NFL with 46 interceptions since 2002.

 

Ray Rice is the most dangerous weapon on the Ravens offense and it’s not even close. Cam Cameron is a quality play designer and he calls a decent game. The Ravens wide receivers are limited in their ability to make plays…Joe Flacco looks like the quarterback who couldn’t beat out Tyler Palko at Pitt. The Ravens offensive line is the strength of this team. The Ravens realize points will be hard to come by in this game…I expect the Ravens to empty the playbook looking for plays to vertically stretch the field. This is a make or break game for the Ravens…If they lose their season is over…I expect to get the Ravens best game this week.

 

The Ravens wide receiver core is not very good. Mark Clayton a former first round pick will face Ike Taylor…Taylor has quietly been the most consistent Steelers defensive back this season…I expect Taylor to methodically eliminate Clayton from the passing attack…The Steelers will most likely give up the underneath controlled passing game early….I don’t expect Clayton to be a factor in this game. Willie Gay will draw Derrick Mason in coverage…Mason is a professional possession receiver….Mason runs perfect routes…He lost his speed 2 seasons ago…He can’t challenge quality corners downfield at this point of his career…Mason is at best a softer version of Hines Ward. Ravens 3^rd wide receiver Kelly Washington has bounced around a bit…Washington is a far better special teams player than Wide Receiver…Washington runs terrible routes…He can overcome his poor route running because of his physical stature and athletic ability… The Townsend Washington matchup is a bit concerning from a Steelers perspective.

 

I do not expect Troy Polamula to play this week…Tyrone Carter must pull his head from his ass and pay attention to the game. Ray Rice and Todd Heap present matchups issues for the Steelers. I expect Rice to draw Lawrence Timmons mostly in coverage…Timmons blew a coverage against the Chiefs in overtime…It happens. Timmons has been excellent in coverage for the most part this season…Ray Rice is a matchup problem for any linebacker…I have faith in Timmons to get the job done. Todd Heap on James Farrior or Tyrone Carter is a concern…One thing I can count on is Todd Heap to take a wicked shot in this game and pack it in early. LaRon McClain is a bruiser and a weapon the Ravens will attempt to use to exploit the Steelers defense…The Steelers backers must account for McClain in the passing game. No one runs on the Steelers…The Steelers must form tackle and rally to the ball with bad intentions. I fear the Ravens backs far more in the passing game than the running game. Todd Heap and LJ Smith have little to no chance of blocking Harrison or Wood in the run game…The Ravens lost their 3^rd tackle earlier this season so they have not run a ton of the Load formation (Tackle as a tight end in the run game).

 

Ravens left tackle Jared Gaither draws Brett Kiesel in the run game…Kiesel did a nice job last season against Gaither in the run game…Kiesel has the speed and the length to neutralize Gaither at the line of scrimmage…Kiesel beats Gaither off the ball establishes inside hand position and sits in his run gap...Gaither doesn’t have the power to his game to blow Kiesel off the line of scrimmage….I expect a ton of stalemates with the occasional win for Kiesel in the run game. James Harrison owns Gaither in pass pro…Harrison beat Gaither with speed and power…Gaither’s best chance to block Harrison this week will be a blind umpire who refuses to call holding penalties…Gaither can not legally block Harrison…The Ravens will be forced to help Gaither in pass pro by chipping with a back or keeping a tight end in to seal the edge. Ravens left guard Ben Grubbs is a far better pro than I expected. I expect Grubbs to limit Kiesel in pass pro this week…Grubbs is technically sound with very under rated foot movement. In the run game Grubbs and Ravens right guard Cris Chester will be forced to help oft injured Ravens center Matt Birk with Casey Hampton…Hampton has played at a pro bowl level this season…I expect Hampton to blow up some double teams this week in the run game. Cris Chester is softer than silk…He has zero physicality to his game…He is like a taller version of Kendoll Simmons. Chester will draw Travis Kierschke and Nick Eason in pass pro…I don’t expect much of Kierschke rushing the passer…Eason on the other hand has played a ton of snaps in the opposing teams back field this season…Nick Eason is my wildcard to watch for this week…The Ravens are going to be forced to account for Deebo, Wood, and Timmons…A player like Nick Eason or Ziggy Hood could sneak up and bite the Ravens in the ass.  Rookie right tackle Michael Oher has been as good as advertised…He is solid as a rookie starter and that’s saying something. Oher will be tested in the run game by Kierschke and Eason…I don’t expect much from Kierschke rushing the passer because of the effort he will have to put forth to dominate Oher in the run game…I expect Kierschke to take the rookie starter to school in the run game. Lamar Woodley is starting to heat up rushing the passer…That’s a bad sign for opposing offenses. I expect Woodley to have a big game this week…2 sacks…Oher is a quality player…He has yet to see a quality left outside linebacker like Woodley.

 

If the Steelers defense is more physical than the Ravens offense…They will dominate…If the Steelers defense expects positive results…They will catch a beating. The Steelers backers will be key in this game…Farrior and Timmons can’t afford to blow coverage’s or tackles…The outside backers must set the edge…They can not allow Rice to bounce runs to the edge of the defense. I have faith in the defensive line and the defensive backs to hold up their end of the bargain this week.

 

 

I know what your thinking…Bruce Arians sucks!!!! Not so fast my friends. The Steelers offense has problems…Play calling in my opinion is one of the problems…I don’t believe play calling has cost the Steelers a win this year. The Steelers offense must clean up their game…Too many penalties, dropped balls, missed assignments and TURNOVERS. The offense is built around Ben…If Ben is off the Steelers offense becomes stagnant and bog downed…This offense has far too many explosive playmakers not to score points.

 

Hardnose and I debate and discuss Steelers football constantly…The Steelers are transitioning to the spread offense…I don’t like the philosophy…I understand it. The rules of the game are geared towards the passing game…The quarterback is protected, the receivers are now protected, Linemen can basically get away with sodomizing pass rushers without holding penalties being called…I have seen the future and I don’t like it. Bruce Arians is not only today…He is the future of Steelers football.

 

The Ravens don’t have a healthy defensive back on the roster. Ed Reed is a marvelous free safety…He reads routes and attacks the ball as good as any defensive back I have seen…Reed is playing with one arm. I expect the Steelers to attack the Ravens defensive backs. Santonio Holmes draws Dominique Foxworth…Foxworth is a quality athlete with very good straight line speed….He struggles to open his hips and react to the ball…Foxworth is a very poor tackler…I expect Holmes to have some success in this game…I do not expect Holmes to dominate this matchup .Hines Ward will be matched up with rookie Ladarius Webb who gets his first start at corner in the NFL…I expect Ward to take the kid to school…The Ravens will be forced to play zone coverage to cover up the backers lack of mobility in coverage…Ward does struggle with man coverage…He eats up zone coverage….I expect a big evening from Ward. The Ravens will struggle to find a defensive back who can cover Mike Wallace…I hope the Ravens attempt to cover Wallace with kick returner Cris Carr…Wallace has to learn his craft…He has to learn to gear down and sell routes…His play making ability is off the charts…No team has a 3^rd corner who can consistently cover Wallace. I expect the Ravens to matchup Strong Safety Dwan Landry with Heath Miller…I love this matchup from a Steelers perspective if Miller decides to catch the freaking ball.

 

A matchup to watch for is the Steelers tight ends against the Ravens outside linebackers in the run game. I expect Terrell Suggs to miss the game…Paul Kruger a rookie from Utah is expected to replace him…Kruger is a bum against the run…Ravens right outside linebacker Jarrett Johnson is also injured but expected to play…Johnson is a quality player who sucks against the Steelers…Some players struggle against certain teams…Johnson was terrible against the Steelers last season…Johnson is a stud against the run…I would expect Johnson to dominate either Spaeth or Miller in the run game…History says otherwise. Ray Lewis is not half the player he once was…Lewis can no longer run…His reaction time has slowed greatly…Ray Lewis should have retired 2 years ago. Tavares Gooden is no Bart Scott…Gooden looks to run around blocks…Bart Scott went through blocks…The Ravens defense can’t make stops when it matters because the linebackers are old or soft…Gooden happens to be soft. Rashard Mendenhall must protect the ball and attack the hole…I would love for Mendenhall to truck Ray Lewis…Not likely to happen. I expect Mendenhall to be a major factor in the passing game this week…The Ravens don’t have a linebacker on the roster who can cover Mendy.

 

Max Starks level of play has been on a downward spiral the past few weeks…I thought Starks played his worst game at left tackle as a Steelers starter last week. Starks needs to find his inner nasty SOB. I expect Haloti Ngata to play this week…Max Starks will be tested…The Ravens may make the mistake of cocking Ngata to Starks inside eye…If the Ravens allow Starks to get an angle on Ngata through alignment in the run game they deserve to have the ball jammed down their throats…I don’t believe Starks can move Ngata in the run game without help. Paul Kruger is not very impressive rushing the passer…He is a poor man’s Justin Smith without the cement to anchor. I expect Starks to engulf and overwhelm Kruger in pass pro. Rookie Ramon Foster will get the start at left guard for the Steelers this week. Foster will be tested…I expect the Ravens to cover Foster with Ngata or Kelly Gregg on obvious run downs…Foster has a lot to prove…I have to favor the Ravens in this matchup…I also expect the Steelers to pull the guards far less this week…The Ravens have enough team speed to chase down the counters with backside pursuit. Foster will draw Ngata in pass pro…Ngata is a pure power rusher…Foster is a jumbo hombre…I doubt Ngata can bull rush Foster 5 yards into Ben’s lap…I think Foster should be ok in pass pro when he is covered…I’m concerned with Foster’s ability to pickup the blitz looks of the Ravens. Kelly Gregg will dominate Justin Hartwig on interior run plays…The Steelers will be forced to help Hartwig with Gregg…I expect the Ravens to cover the center and both guards…I expect to see some 46 defense from the Ravens…The Steelers should not even mess around with the interior run game against 46 looks…Hit the ball control passing game or the edges with the run game….The Steelers must dictate the matchups and the terms of battle. Trai Essex will also have his hands full with the Ravens front 7…Essex will draw Dwan Edwards in pass pro…Essex has to learn to get into his pass set quicker…Essex has fallen back into the bad habit of reaching for the rusher…When an offensive linemen over extends at the point of attack he gets embarrassed…He has zero balance and he falls down like Humpty Dumpty…If Essex stays fundamentally sound he will shut down any rusher the Ravens line up across from him. Willie Colon has a favorable matchup in the run game with Dwan Edwards…Edwards is not real big, or athletic…He is a hard worker…A grinder…Colon has to keep his game simple and win the battle of leverage…If Colon comes of the ball hard and low he should dominate Edwards at the point of attack. Willie Colon beat down Jarrett Johnson rushing the passer last season…Johnson’s success came on line stunts where Stapleton missed blocks…Essex’s understanding of blocking assignments is a strength…I expect Colon and Essex to handle most of the Ravens pass rush games.

 

The Steelers success begins and ends with #7.

 

 

The Steelers suck.

 

 

Steelers 17

Ravens 7