Gospel 7...What Is Best In Life

The Steelers continue to find ways to keep games close against inferior talent; last week against the Browns it was turnovers and awful special teams play…The Steelers can not afford to play a sloppy game against the Vikings…The Vikings have far too much talent on both sides of the ball for the Steelers to screw around.

 

The Steelers offense looks dynamic; Ben and the backs must protect the football…Turnovers kill teams. Bruce Arians has designed a lethal passing offense, like him or hate him the man has yet to fumble, force a ball into double coverage, or run the incorrect route…Arians play calling at times becomes predictable…I would prefer Arians to continue attacking with the passing game instead of calling the token safe run play. Teams continue to press the line of scrimmage and fill the box against base formations…If teams want to commit the eighth man into the box the Steelers have to throw the ball…That’s why the team paid Ben 100 million dollars.

 

The Steelers defense continues to be plain vanilla…I believe LeBeau has some schemes waiting for the Vikings. The Vikings took the Ravens to the woodshed for 3 quarters last week…The Ravens should have won the game. On paper the Vikings looked dominant against the Ravens…A perfect example would be Adrian Peterson’s 140 yard plus rushing day…When you look a little closer you notice Peterson had 80+ yards on 2 rushes…The Ravens ran around blocks, lost gap responsibility and Peterson made them pay…I’m not asking anyone to discount or take away Peterson’s long runs… “All Day” is a great runner the best in the league…A Ravens defense that is a mess held Peterson in check most of the day. The Steelers can’t afford to blow assignments or tackles…The Steelers defense must show up this week…The real Steelers defense.

 

-The Steelers are the only team ranked in the top 5 of total offense and defense in the NFL.

-The Steelers own a 7-8 all-time record against the Vikings (including postseason)...The Steelers have won the previous two matchups with the Vikings and three of the past five games.

-The Steelers have faced a 6-0 team three times, Each time the Steelers have won the game. New England (34-20 in 2004), San Francisco (20-17 in 1984) and Cincinnati (30-24 victory in 1975).

-Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has a 9-1 record against the NFC at home.

-The Steelers are 3-0 this year in the month of October. Pittsburgh is 7-2 in the month of October, dating back to 2007.Since 1999, the Steelers are 29-12 (.707) in October

 

The Vikings offensive principles are fairly basic; The Vikings run a hybrid of the west coast offense…Unlike most west coast teams the Vikings incorporate a ton of shotgun into their passing game. The Vikings run game is based off zone blocking and Adrian Peterson’s super talent. The Vikings don’t try to trick teams. They have a ton of talent to go along with very physical players. Brett Favre makes the Vikings a different team, in the past if you eliminated the Vikings running game the offense would sputter out and fail to move the ball; that is no longer the case. The Vikings offensive line is good not great, the wide receivers have vertical play making ability. The Vikings backs and tight ends are super physical. This is far and away the most talented and physical offense the Steelers have faced to date this season.

 

How do you stop this offense…Pressure! The Steelers must control the line of scrimmage, I don’t believe the Steelers can eliminate both the Vikings run game and passing game…The Vikings have too many play makers…I believe the Steelers can limit Adrian Peterson forcing Brett Favre to beat this defense through the air. The Vikings don’t push the ball down the field vertically…They rely on the short and medium passing game to create yards after the catch. The Steelers must make plays in space…The Steelers must rally to the ball and group tackle…I believe LeBeau will be forced to move the corners up in coverage…Brett Favre will take what is there…If the Steelers give the Vikings receivers 12 yard cushions Favre will take the easy completions and eat this defense up like Rich Gannon circa 2002. Pressure does not necessarily mean blitzing seven…Pressure in my opinion means challenging the opposing team…Taking away time and space…Forcing quick decisions by the quarterback.

 

The Vikings offense is not complicated…They run it extremely efficiently and very effectively. The Vikings utilize the screen game as good as any team in the NFL, The Vikings running game works so well because the Vikings tight ends and receivers are fantastic run blockers. The Vikings play action passing game is very dangerous because the Vikings run game works and every player carries out his fake. This is the Steelers first tough test of the season…I understand the Steelers lost to the Bears and Bengals…The Vikings are far more talented then either team.

 

 

 

The Steelers defense will have their hands full with the Vikings skill position players. Bernard Berrian is a speedster and a threat to score anytime he is on the field…Ike Taylor does a nice job of handling vertical threats in the passing game…Berrian is the type of receiver who only needs two catches to have an effective day…Ike Taylor can NOT get caught peeking into the back field…Taylor must lock down Berrian in the passing game…The Steelers have to be able to move Troy around…If the Vikings are hitting big plays in the passing game that forces Troy to the deep half in coverage and takes away his explosive play making ability. Sidney Rice is the possession receiver for the Vikings offense…He runs the ball control routes to move the chains. Rice is a big target who runs decent routes…Willie Gay can shut down Rice in the passing game…Rice struggles to separate from coverage…Rice will lose the battles for 50-50 balls…I believe Dick LeBeau will take some chances this week…I expect Gay to challenge Rice at the line of scrimmage…Rice can not run past Gay…I believe Gay can disrupt Rice’s routes forcing Favre to hold onto the ball and hopefully the rush gets there. The 49rs did a great job against the Vikings offense… The 49rs forced the Vikings to make plays into small windows… I believe the Steelers defense is far more talented then the 49rs…Brett Favre is a game manager at this point of his career…He would rather eat the ball take the sack than throw the interception…Favre continues to throw darts all over the field…If the Steelers play off the receivers Favre will eat this defense alive. The Vikings may have the two most explosive players in the NFL. Rookie slot receiver Percy Harvin can run like the wind….He can stop on a dime…Harvin plays the game hard…He had some character issues coming out of Florida…I thought he was the toughest receiver in the draft… Deshea Townsend on his best day could not cover Harvin man for man…Thankfully he won’t be asked to cover Harvin without help over the top often. Harvin is a very willing blocker…He will take a huge shot and hold onto the ball. Harvin has one problem…He has the heart of a 250 pound fullback in the body of 185 pound slot receiver….Harvin can’t stay healthy…He enters this week with a bad shoulder…I think he plays this week…I think his season is ended in the 1^st quarter of the game from a Ryan Clark hit…Ryan Clark will be the difference maker in this game…Clark has been quiet so far this season…I expect Clark’s wallet to be a little lighter come Tuesday. The Vikings rarely use 4 wide receivers when they do Greg Lewis comes into the game…I hate Greg Lewis…He has a knack for making plays at critical times. The old FC has a question…How can Kewain Ratliff continue to be active? He sucks…Play Keenan Lewis or Joe Burnett…I don’t buy into the experience argument...At some point you have to make plays…The only plays Ratliff makes are negative.

 

Adrian Peterson is a special back…He is the best pure runner in the game. He runs with speed power and grace…He has the Marcus Allen glide…Peterson at times runs too big…Peterson challenges tacklers…He throws out that nasty stiff arm…He will drop his ass and deliver a blow with his helmet to a defenders chest…Peterson is a 210 pound back…He is going to get caught sooner or later…Paging Ryan Clark…Cleanup on aisle 10. Peterson has a bum ankle I expect him to play this week…If he is limited Vikings 2^nd back Chester Taylor is a fine option. Most Steelers fans are familiar with Taylor from his playing days with the Ravens….Taylor is a one cut runner who fights for every yard. Both Vikings backs are quality receivers out of the back field…I promise the Vikings attempt to get Peterson or Taylor matched up with Woodley or Farrior in space. The Vikings use fullback Naufahu Tahi as a glorified guard…Tahi is an excellent run blocker with decent hands in the passing game…He is another threat the Steelers have to be wary of in the passing game. The Vikings tight ends are excellent run blockers…Both James Harrison and Lamar Woodley will have their hands full with Visanthe Shiancoe and Jim Kleinsasser….The Steelers outside linebackers must dominate these matchups if the Steelers expect to win this game. Shiancoe has become a very dangerous weapon for the Vikings red zone offense…He must be accounted for.

 

I believe the Vikings offensive line is very over rated….They are talented; Left tackle Bryant McKinnie is a mountain of a man…He is very similar to Max Starks…If McKinnie gets off the ball he is a hammer in the run game and decent enough to get by in pass pro. I believe McKinnie and Kiesel will stalemate a ton in the run game…If Kiesel is able to hold the point of attack that’s a win for the Steelers. James Harrison has to own McKinnie rushing the passer…The Steelers must force Favre out of his comfort zone…Harrison should be able to use his speed and agility to beat McKinnie to the edge at will. Brett Kiesel and Steve Hutchinson should be  real interesting in pass pro…Hutchinson is very average in pass pro…He struggles with athletic skilled pass rushers…Kiesel is very athletic and semi skilled…I would not be surprised if Kiesel takes it to Hutchinson in pass pro. The Steelers must find a way to fill the interior run lanes… …The Vikings will be forced to help center John Sullivan…IC made a great point that the Steelers can hedge or cock Hampton to the left side of the formation to help protect Lawrence Timmons from blockers…Hampton will eat up 2 blockers or he will blow up plays in the back field…How can the Steelers protect James Farrior? Farrior is a tackling missing machine…I counted 9 missed tackles so far this season…You fail to wrap up Adrian Peterson he will make you pay. The Vikings right side of the offensive line is below average…Right guard Anthony Herrera is a try hard guy…He moves fairly well for a fat guy…He can get to the 2^nd level and block backers…Herrera can be exposed in pass pro…Herrera has balance issues…Ziggy Hood could make some plays rushing the passer this week…Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt is a massive man who is fighting an ankle injury…Loadholt is a decent run blocker…I expect Kierschke and Loadholt to be a war inside…I don’t believe Loadholt can move Kierschke off the line of scrimmage…Once again a stalemate is a win against the Vikings this week…The Steelers must fill their run gaps…They can not over pursue or miss tackles…I watched Kierschke closely last week…I was impressed…He stacks the line of scrimmage and beats blocks that’s all you can ask from a 34 end. Do the Steelers miss Aaron Smith…Hell Yes!!!…Kierschke and Hood will be tested this week…I expect both players to show up big time. Lamar Woodley’s picture was posted on the back of milk cartons this week… Both Vikings tight ends can run block…Wood must first abuse the tight ends in the run game he must beat blocks…Wood must form tackle…He must use the sideline as his friend in space…Wood must close the deal rushing the passer…To be fair Woodley has done a nice job against the run…Woodley will never look natural in coverage…Woodley can’t run with fast athletic players…That’s not part of his skill set. Lawrence Timmons is the best linebacker in the NFL against the passing game…Timmons can cover backs, tight ends, and slot receivers across medium zones…Timmons is the Steelers best backer in coverage since Greg Lloyd…Timmons will never be a thumper in the run game…His tackling has improved…Timmons still struggles to read blocking schemes…He has a rare ability to come under blockers and make plays…Farrior and Timmons concern me for different reasons…Farrior locks down the run game….He has struggled in coverage. The Steelers front seven has to win battles…They must control the line of scrimmage.

 

I have a strange feeling the Steelers defense lights up the Vikings offense. The Steelers defense will feel tested for the first time this season…I understand the Titans and Chargers early in the season were considered big games…The Vikings have the best quarterback to play the game, the best player in the NFL, and an undefeated record.

 

I would love to line up and pound the run at the Vikings…Death march down the field 20 plays 80 yards Mendenhall and Parker splitting carries…That’s not reality in today’s NFL…The rules are skewed towards the offensive passing game…The Steelers can win this game if the running game is MIA…The Steelers can not win this week if Ben plays a shitty game…The Steelers offense is talented…That talent must transition to the field…The Steelers play to the level of their competition far to often…The players lack the killer instinct to put inferior teams away...The Vikings are not inferior…I believe the Steelers offense will fire on all cylinders this week…The Steelers success begins and ends with the offensive line. I feel the Steelers defense will have to win this game…I know the Steelers can put up 24 points on this defense…Hence most of my article was dedicated to the defensive side of the ball.

 

The Vikings defensive backfield is the walking wounded…3 safeties on the injury report…Antoine Winfield is out. I don’t believe the Vikings have a corner on their roster that could cover the Steelers receivers that includes a healthy Winfield. Karl Paymah will draw Hines Ward…This matchup looks great on paper…Paymah won’t be threatened by Ward’s speed…I expect a typical Hines Ward type of a game…He will run great routes, cheat to get open, catch the ball and move the chains…The Vikings are going to have to help Cedric Griffin over the top with Santonio Holmes…Holmes is too quick for Griffin…I expect Holmes to have a huge game this week. The Vikings feel Benny Sapp can shut down Mike Wallace…Good luck with that…Wallace can back pedal faster than Sapp can run normally. I respect the Vikings safeties…Madieu Williams has made some plays against the Steelers in the past…He also has been burned by 20 yards. Tyrell Johnson continues to show improvement…He is going to be tested over the top…I don’t think he can stay with Holmes or Wallace…I think both players eat up the cushion and beat him over the top. If the Vikings manage to limit the Steelers wide receivers in coverage can they account for Miller and Mendenhall in the passing game? Mwelde Moore gets to play his old team…The Steelers just missed the wheel route to Moore last week...I believe the biggest mismatch in this game is the Steelers skill position players against the Vikings back 7 in coverage. Ben needs to protect the ball…Ben needs to hit the check downs…Just take what is there…Let the receivers do some of the work after the catch.

 

Jared Allen is the best defensive end in the game…He plays the run like a mad man…He is quick powerful and ultra slippery rushing the passer. Allen doesn’t take plays off…His motor and his mouth run non stop…If Pussy Max Starks shows up Sunday…Allen will embarrass him…Starks plays one week like a pro bowl level player…The next week like a sissy tip toeing through the tulips. I will credit Starks with bringing his “A” game against quality competition in the past…I hope the nasty Starks shows up this week…I will know by the 4^th offensive play…Starks and Kemo have the ability to collapse the entire side of the offensive line…The stage is set for this offensive line to bust out…Home game…5 Star matchup….What a perfect time to give their critics two heaping shit burgers to munch on. The Vikings under tackle Kevin Williams is the most disruptive interior one gap player in the game…Pat Williams plays a cocked nose guard and he just eats up space…Both Williams boys have play making ability…Kemo Essex and Hartwig will be the determining factor in the success of the run game this week…If they can combo block and get some movement…I promise you DJ Johnson will annihilate Henderson at the point of attack. Kevin Williams is a flat out fantastic pass rusher…He will be a matchup problem for any linemen he lines up over. Pat Williams is a fat bastard who bull rushes the guard into the quarterbacks lap…I would cut both Williams boys continually in Pass Pro…You want to slow down a rush and gas a defensive linemen attack his pins. Jimmy Kennedy has resurrected his career in Minnesota…He is a skilled hard working linemen who gives the Vikings quality snaps. Willie Colon and Ray Edwards is a matchup the Steelers must win…It’s a matchup that concerns me…Edwards is the type of player who gives Colon fits…Long lanky semi athletic…Colon must keep his game simple and rely on his technique. Brian Robison is a wave rusher the Vikings bring off the bench…He attacks the edge with speed...His game is real basic. If the Steelers manage to get the Williams boys blocked in the run game I have faith in the Steelers tight ends to handle the Vikings backers in the run game. I would not be surprised if the Steelers hit some runs against the Vikings.

 

 

The Steelers coverage units suck…I believe the Steelers have the advantage in both the kicking and punt game. Logan could make his mark…All together now…Come on Steelers cover the freaking kick.

 

 

 

Steelers 34

Vikings 27