Monday Evening Quarterback - January 19, 2009

 MythBusters

This is why we watch. 

This is why we give DirecTV gobs of money every season to make sure we see every game.

This is why we wear our colors in July. 

This is why we drive 1,000 miles to go to training camp. 

This is why we spend our free time on this website.

It's the Steelers in the Super Bowl, and there's nothing like it.

Those of you in Pittsburgh get to experience two weeks of joy and bliss in a city that has seen its share of ups and downs.  Those of us who left Pittsburgh get to foist our fanhood on our adopted hometowns.  Fathers and sons separated by many miles watched in unison as Troy Polamalu iced the latest win, separated by distance but reunited by their simultaneous celebration.

For the next two weeks, our exuberance will be tempered by all the usual suspects engaging in their favorite past time - paralysis by analysis.  Talking heads who have seen one or two complete Steeler games this season will suddenly become experts on all things Steeler - it's coming, it's going to be annoying and it's going to be completely unavoidable.  The Steelers are loved by their fans and hated by their rivals.  Especially in the media, a group who has grown to love the underdog so much that there's no such thing as an actual underdog anymore.

Here's what we're all going to hear.

The Steelers are too beat up physically after that Ravens game.

This one was out there early this morning - the headline for Peter King's column this morning read:  "Banged-Up Steelers to battle Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII."

Stunning.  Yes, Hines Ward left the game and didn't return.  Yes, Mewelde Moore sprained an ankle and was limited.  Yes, Ryan Clark has a headache this morning.  But did they re-schedule the Super Bowl for this Wednesday at 7pm and I just missed it?  Clark and Moore will be fine in two weeks.  Clark came back from a separated shoulder in two weeks just this month.  Moore's got two weeks to nurse an ankle.  Hines Ward of course is a bigger question mark, but it will take much more than a slightly sprained MCL (the report as of today) to keep him out of the Super Bowl.

The Ravens and Steelers beat on each other, but the Steelers are not beat up after bringing home the AFC Championship, and they've got two weeks to heal.  One could easily argue that the Super Bowl Steelers will be the healthiest they've been since training camp.  

The Baltimore Ravens shut down Pittsburgh's running game, creating a blueprint for the Cardinals.

The Ravens (like the Steelers) shut down every running game they come across, and it's a combination of scheme, personnel and simple want-to.  A very suspect regular season Arizona Cardinals run defense has suddenly become respectable in these playoffs, mainly due to want-to.  However, they shut down two strong running teams who quickly abandoned the run (Atlanta and Carolina), and one team that has little interest in running the ball (Philadelphia).  I believe the Steelers can and will establish the run against the Cardinals - they don't have a Haloti Ngata or a Ray Lewis plugging up the middle.

The Steelers depend on their blitz packages, and Kurt Warner beats the blitz.

The Steelers were dependant on their blitz packages for a few years, but not this year.  They have thrived on the ability to pressure a quarterback with 4 men, and that's exactly the formula that is needed against the Cardinals.  Warner is only effective against pressure when he's got an open man to throw to.  The Steelers have the luxury of flooding zones and letting their four man line torture Warner, who has a history of fumbling and making bad decisions when he's under duress.  If the Steelers can cover a little bit, those quick passes aren't going to be there, and Warner will wither.

Arizona has a balanced offense.

Maybe against the Panthers or Eagles, but not against the Steelers.  The Cardinals will not be able to get anything going on the ground against the Steelers, as their line isn't anywhere near good enough to present a problem.  The Cardinals will be quick to abandon the run, going to the spread and inviting the Steelers to wreak all kinds of havoc, creating turnovers and dictating to the offense.

If the Steelers are concerned about anything from the Arizona RB's, it's preventing Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower from gaining yards after the catch on checkdowns.  This is where the speed and pursuit of Steelers like Troy Polamalu, James Farrior and Lawrence Timmons will come into play.

The Cardinals beat the Steelers in the 4th game of the year in 2007, and that means something now.

No, it doesn't.  The Steelers were missing Hines Ward and Matt Spaeth right off the bat, and Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke and Troy Polamalu all left the game early.

The Steelers' special teams allowed a punt return touchdown to Steve Breaston - the Steelers' coverage teams are certainly much different and much improved from that game.

James Harrison was tentative and a step slow after being removed on a stretched in the Buffalo game.  Lamarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons barely played.

The offensive line was as leaky and incompetent as it's been in the past two years.

While the Steelers are a completely different team, not much has changed with the Cardinals, although the Steelers made a coaching decision for Ken Whisenhunt by injuring Matt Leinart, Whis' hand-picked starter coming out of his first training camp.  Anquan Boldin was out for the game, but he's becoming more of a negative for the Cards each week, getting pulled for Steve Breaston on the winning drive this weekend before blowing up on the sidelines.

The game has no bearing on the upcoming Super Bowl - the Cardinals eked out a tough win against an undermanned Steelers squad that was on their first big Mike Tomlin road trip.

Ken Whisenhunt has extra motivation because he was passed over for the Steelers' coaching job.

This is a complete fallacy.  Whisenhunt bolted for the desert a week before the Steelers' hired Mike Tomlin, failing to participate in a second interview for the job.  Whether it was because he didn't think he had a chance or because he wanted to make sure he got a head coaching job and didn't want to turn down a solid offer, we'll never know.  The point is, Whisenhunt was given a chance to compete for the position and he balked at the challenge.  Now, Russ Grimm was certainly passed over, and thank goodness he was.  Grimm hasn't received any play for head coaching jobs since that strange night when Mike Prisuta announced him as the Steelers' new head coach.

The Mike Tomlin/Ken Whisenhunt debate will be resolved.

No matter who wins, the debate won't be anywhere near over.  Ken Whisenhunt has done a sensational job of molding a team that was pretty much in place and squeezing every bit out of them in these playoffs.  Mike Tomlin has gone beyond that, creating a program that is sustainable moving forward, with a great mix of grizzled vets and young talent.  Where will Whisenhunt be after this offseason, with Warner possibly retired and Anquan Boldin in another uniform?  On the other hand, Tomlin is in the 2nd year of what appears to be a long tenure.  This is just the beginning, and it's coming during a year where so much (schedule, injuries, offensive line) was stacked against him.

THE SPURIOUS FIVE

1.  Arizona Cardinals

Who would have thunk it!  They shocked the world!  The Arizona Fitzgeralds are going to be media darlings for the next two weeks, and why not?

2.  Baltimore Ravens

If Samari Rolle had played, Holmes' touchdown would have never happened.  Did you know that Deion was the nickel back for the Ravens during Ben's NFL debut?

3.  Philadelphia Eagles

Kevin Curtis got robbed, and he might have scored.  Donovan McNabb could play the martyr in all this, and I wouldn't blame him - he's been unfairly persecuted since the day he was drafted (Ricky!  Ricky!  Ricky!).  But at the same time, he's had every opportunity to prove the critics wrong in big games and he's simply been inaccurate.

4.  Denver Broncos

The Broncos will be a top two seed in the AFC next year.  Mike Nolan can put together a decent 34 defense if he adds the right pieces, including a nose tackle (I'd assume Dewayne Robertson won't move back there after moaning about playing 2 gap with the Jets) and some safety help.  Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil both projected to 34 OLB coming out of college, and they've got a nice potential buck linebacker in D.J. Williams.  

5.  Minnesota Vikings

My other early top two seed sleeper for next year.  Speaking of McNabb, Minnesota is the perfect destination if he escapes Philly.  They've got everything in place, including a strong running game for him to lean on.

WEEKLY AWARDS

OFFENSE

Ben Roethlisberger

Just like he's done all season, he put the offense on his back and put up just enough points on the scoreboard to win the game.  I've been saying all year that at some point all the units on the offense are going to show up in the same game.  I'm glad they saved that complete performance they owe us for the biggest game of the year.  It all starts with Ben.

DEFENSE

Troy Polamalu

He played a great game long before he sealed it.  It's a pleasure to watch the guy play football.  By giving him the GOAT award a few years ago, we really meant Greatest Of All Time.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Jeff Reed

Not only was he 3 for 3 on field goals (including a 46 yarder) in a place that is unforgiving for kickers, he was excellent on kickoffs, mixing his pitches well.

GOAT

Joe Flacco

It's not Joe Cool, it's Joe Drool, which is what the announcers did until they realized that the only person drooling more than them was him.  He made two throws that were just Kordell Stewart dumb.  Looking off a DB is about more than just moving your eyes.  You've got to be looking an actual receiver.

QUOTABLE

"I don't plan on missing this game, trust me."

- Hines Ward

STATS, STAT

34 months.  That's the age difference between Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco.  These guys are both young and both are still learning, but Ben has a 4 year head start and a nice collection of hardware.  Flacco has a tough challenge ahead - his teammates won't be so forgiving next year.  He had a solid rookie season, but he gave away the games they lost and he was hidden in the games they won.

MAKING THE ROUNDS

1.  Oh, Limas.  To your credit, you battled back and made 3 big plays.  But this team needs you to relax and let the game come to you.  Ben hasn't lost his trust in you.  Why lose trust in yourself?

2.  Willie Parker carried the load in a very difficult game, one that he knew wasn't going to be easy.  He was asked to plow the middle time and time again without much help from his offensive line, and he finished every run.  The Steelers needed to retain a semblance of balance, and Parker gutted it out against a great run defense.

3.  Cam Cameron thought he was going to catch Dick Lebeau off guard by going pass-heavy early, only to discover that Lebeau was sitting back waiting for Cameron's utterly predictable impersonation of a wrinkle.

4.  The offensive line didn't have a good game (Stapleton and Colon were especially bad), but it didn't matter for Ben, who managed to evade the rush for most of the night.  Against the Ravens, it's the speedier extra blitzers who typically give Ben trouble, not the every-down pass rushers other than Suggs.  The line matchups against the Cardinals are much more favorable for the Steelers, though Darnell Dockett has the quickness to run Ben down when Ben slips out of the pocket, which is a different dimension from what the Chargers and Ravens brought.

5.  As we head to Tampa in search of our birthright, it's important to remember how lucky we are.  To us, this Super Bowl appearance is business as usual.  To the Cardinals, it's unknown territory.  Soak this one in and enjoy the fortnight lead-up.  Get indignant at every talking head who stirs the pot and puts the Steelers down.  Watch the Cinderella become the media favorite, while the Steelers mind their own business.  Most of all, hold on to this football season - there's only one game left to win.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

6.  Here's to hoping that Rex Ryan's departure hastens the dismantling of Baltimore's defense.  At least one from among Ray Lewis, Bart Scott or Terrell Suggs will change teams this offseason, as they're all free agents.  Will the Ravens spend money on older vets who might not be around by the time Flacco matures, especially when Haloti Ngata has become their best defender?  Ngata is a free agent after 2010, and he's going to hit the jackpot after Albert Haynesworth sets the scale this offseason.

7.  The Eagles' defense met their perfect match in the Cardinals, their tiny cornerbacks made helpless by the sheer size of the Cardinals' wideouts.  Jim Johnson's blitzes couldn't get there, and when they did Warner had outlets.  Size matters not, unless you've got 5'9" corners trying to bump 6'3" WR's.

8.  I'm not shocked at all that Jon Gruden was fired in Tampa.  I'd be more shocked if he quickly gets another NFL job, and that includes as an offensive coordinator.  Gruden's style has a built-in statute of limitations - he tears players down to bring them up, and that only works once.  With his NFL prospects being somewhat dim, the college ranks appear to be his eventual destination, where players might not grow weary of his schtick in their four years on campus.

9.  Let the Terrible Towel knock off watch continue - the Cardinals handed out imitation homer hankies before the NFC Championship.  

10.  The genius GM hit the bricks.  All of their talented compatriots have left, leaving Bill and Tom to turn out the lights.  I really hope that the Pats haven't received the last of their karmic punishment.  More, please!

IN THE CROSSHAIRS

Levi Brown.

Brown has allowed 19 sacks in the past two seasons, including 11 this year.  He meets his old friend from the Big Ten, Lamarr Woodley, in the Super Bowl.  Woodley should be able to beat Brown in a variety of ways.  If the coverage holds up, he'll get some shots on Warner, who is a true-born fumbler.