The Steelers have played mistake football over the first 165 Weeks. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Instead of comfortably coasting into the postseason with Baltimore in the middle of their own late-season slump by beating their lowly and inconsistent foes, the Steelers have basically made their last two contests “must wins” due to their inconsistent and undisciplined play.  Although I cannot say that I am completely surprised that Pittsburgh is in their current state though.

In fact, if you care to recollect readers, I was actually the NPC member who predicted a “7 Win season” back in September.  And yes, I continue to firmly believe that the Steelers are not worthy of a postseason berth after how the collective “team” has performed through the first 15 Weeks of the regular season.

But as we all know readers, the Steelers are “still alive” for a postseason berth, and even have a chance at another A.F.C. North title if Baltimore continues their current hilarious collapse.  Thus, tomorrow’s game will be Pittsburgh’s “ultimate gut check” as a “W” will allow them to control their own destiny for another week, and a “L” will dash the team’s playoff dreams.  I however just do not see the recidivist 2012 Steelers collectively “nutting up” tomorrow.

Sure, we can all “Bag on The Bungles” and talk about how “Ginger Spice & Co.” have yet to win a game over last two years against a top-tier A.F.C. foe (0-6 vs. Pittsburgh & Baltimore).  And hey, the Steelers have recent history on their side as their roster is littered with numerous players who have eons of big game and postseason experience.  But you know what readers?  Cincinnati is not going to just roll over when they see the Black & Gold hit their home turf.

The Bengals are currently fighting for respect, relevance, and to affirm to those around the N.F.L. that they have the “huevos” to compete at the highest level and can compete for a playoff spot every season.  They battled back from the “dead” (3-5) at midseason and have won 5 of their last 6 games to now sit in the driver’s seat for the A.F.C.’s #6 seed and set themselves up for a legitimate shot at an A.F.C. North title.  Cincinnati has a roster littered with fantastic young talent and although they have struggled at times with growing pains, they are not the “pushover” Bungles of the last two decades.  A.J. Green (85 Catches, 1,208 Yards, 11 TD’s) is one of the Top 5 players at his position, and Geno Atkins is leading a Defensive Front (10.5 Sacks) that can bring the heat with the best of them.  What better way for the Bengals to show the League that they mean business than to embarrass their long-standing rivals on their own home field.

As hot as the Bengals have been as of late, the Steelers on the other hand are as what I can only refer to as an  “undisciplined dumpster fire of madness” at this point in the season.  From the constant bickering between the team’s All-Pro Quarterback and Offensive Coordinator, to the supposedly “elite” and butterfingered Wide Receiver pissing and moaning about Targets, Touches, and Focus although he is on pace to eclipse his career mark in the category, to the Defense’s “Paper Champion” #1 status despite the fact that they cannot force Turnovers or collapse the pocket consistently, and the overall lack of discipline when it has come to being penalized and playing down to their competition, the 2012 Steelers are exactly the type of team the Bengals want to play right now.

Granted, there have been a few bright spots for the Steelers this season (i.e. Heath Miller, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, Ryan Clark, Max Starks, Shaun Suisham), but the “bad” have outweighed the accomplishments of the “good” at this point in the season.  Unfortunately for the Steelers, injuries have recently decimated the Secondary, and it now looks like the team will be without starting Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis as well.  Cortez Allen has potential to be a starter one day, but if “Ginger Spice” and Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden not picking on him consistently with A.J. Green I will be absolutely dumbfounded.  What is worse is the fact that Pittsburgh’s Run Defense has had a down-season as well, and Running Back BenJarvus Green-Ellis has saved his most productive football for the month of December (62 Carries for 313 Yards, 5.04 YPC, 1 TD).

Final Thoughts

To be honest, I actually picked the Steelers to win tomorrow when I sent my Week 16 selections via email to Kim.  My “homer nature” unfortunately got the best of me in that situation, because as I continue to analyze this matchup more and more, the less and less I like the Pittsburgh’s chances to win.  I will say that with #7 under Center that the Steelers have a chance to win any game at any time at any place.  Unfortunately, because football is a team game, and due to the team’s injuries and undisciplined nature, Big Ben and the rest of the team’s few over-achievers this year must play their best football to earn the victory and stay alive.

If the Steelers were primed to make a postseason run this year, they would have illustrated more signs over the last two months and strung together multiple consistent performances.  It hurts to say it, but I see the 2012 season coming to a close from a competitive standpoint tomorrow afternoon for Pittsburgh.

Final Score:

Cincinnati: 34

Pittsburgh: 19

Readers: Time to chime in.  Am I wrong with my Bengals pick?  Why or why not?  In fact, I am interested to read exactly why you believe that the Steelers will emerge victorious tomorrow.  Share your thoughts below.

Stats Courtesy of: Pro Football Reference.com and Team Rankings.com

“PLEASE STOP IT!”

Granted, it would one incredible story if Pittsburgh decided to “nut up” and began to reel off “W’s” into January and February.  Unfortunately, unlike the teams I alluded to above, the 2012 Steelers will fail to accomplish anything during postseason play because of their shortcomings in two extremely important areas of the game: Creating a consistent pass rush, and recording ample amounts of Takeaways.

I. The Importance of a Consistent Pass Rush

If there is one thing that any Defense must be able to do when they face the best Quarterbacks in the Conference in postseason play, they must be able to collapse the pocket and take the signal-caller down with consistency.   It is not rocket-science ladies and gentlemen, if opposing signal-callers of playoff caliber teams are allowed to stand like statues and step into throws and up into the pocket without the fear of getting their “bells’ rung,” a Defense has little to no chance of success.  Don’t believe me?  Check out how the ’97 Broncos, the ’00 Ravens, the ’05 Steelers, the ’07 & ’11 Giants, and the ’10 Packers did:

’97 Broncos

Although the ‘97 Broncos will always be known as the team John Elway won the first of his two rings on, many forget how underrated their Defense was, especially their Defensive Line.  A 4-3 team built to pressure the Quarterback with their guys in the trenches, the Broncos had quite the beastly Linemen on their roster during the 1997 season.  Defensive Ends Neil Smith and Alfred Williams both logged 8.5 Sacks apiece, while the stout Maa Tanuvasa also registered 8.5 Sacks too from his Defensive Tackle spot.  With contributions from Keith Traylor (2.0), Rookie Trevor Pryce, and veteran Mike Lodish (1.0) as well, the Broncos brought the heat upon their opposition during 1997 and finished the regular season ranked 10th in the League in Sacks (43.0).  The Sack parade however carried over into January too as Denver’s Defense put up 11.0 Sacks during their 4 postseason games on their way to a Super Bowl title.

’00 Ravens

While the Ravens’ Defense did not necessarily possess many “Sack Masters,” (35.0 Sacks ranked shockingly 22nd in the League that season), they still had a number of players who could get to the Quarterback.  Defensive Ends Rob Burnett (10.5) and Michael McCrary (6.5) did a solid job of providing heat off of the edge with Linebacker Peter Boulware (7.0) that year.  Although their Total Sacks ranking amongst N.F.L. teams that season appears a bit pedestrian, Baltimore’s Defense only amped up the pressure when the postseason started as they recorded 14.0 Sacks, and only allowed 16 total points as a unit during their 4 game playoff run.

’05 Steelers

I do not need to go into too much detail to describe how adept the 2005 Steelers were at getting to the Quarterback, but for the sake of remembering the “good times,” I will refresh everybody’s memories.  Of course Pittsburgh’s Outside Linebackers’ were the Sack Masters’ that season as Joey Porter (10.5), Clark Haggans (9.0), and backup James Harrison (3.0) all terrorized the opposition that season.  The Steelers also received significant contributions from their Defensive Ends as Kimo von Oelhoffen (3.5), Aaron Smith (2.0), and backup Brett Keisel (3.0) all did their best to collapse the pocket in passing situations to boot.  Pittsburgh even received terrific efforts from their Defensive Backs as Troy Polamalu (3.0) and Deshea Townsend (3.0) showed how good they were when they were allowed to blitz.  Pittsburgh’s Defense was relentless with their pocket collapse during the postseason as they Sacked Peyton Manning 5.0 times in Indianapolis and recorded 15.0 Sacks during their 4 game run.

’10 Packers

Two years ago, Green Bay’s Defense led by Coordinator Dom Capers benefited greatly from their relentless pass rush over the course of the season.  The Packers ranked 2nd in the League in total Sacks (47.0) as Clay Matthews (13.5) led the team and emerged as a complete force off of the edge.  Green Bay also received significant contributions from their Defensive Line as both Cullen Jenkins (7.0) and B.J. Raji (6.5) stepped up big for the unit.  Capers’ Defense put up 11.0 Sacks during their tear through the postseason, and I don’t think I need to bring up Super Bowl XLV, do I?  Remember that Pick-6 Big Ben threw to Nick Collins?  I do, because Ramon Foster was beaten on that play when the pocket collapsed at the Goal Line and Roethlisberger was forced to throw an errant pass.

PIttsburgh’s Defense will likely prevent them from going deep into the postseason. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

’07 & ’11 Giants

The ‘07 and ‘11 Giants were absolutely stacked on the Defensive Line, and used their pocket-collapsing awesomeness to keep their playoff hopes alive all season long.  In 2007, New York led the League in Sacks with 53.0 as their Defensive End rotation of Osi Umenyiora (13.0), Justin Tuck (10.0), and Michael Strahan (9.0) made life hell for opposing Offensive Tackles, and Defensive Tackle Fred Robbins chipped in with 5.5 Sacks of his own.  The crowning moment of the season for New York’s pass rush of course came in Super Bowl XLII as they Sacked Tom Brady 5 times are were instrumental in New York’s 4 game run to glory.

Last season, New York was able to consistently deliver pressure all season from a strong rotation along their Defensive Line.  Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul led the team with 16.5 Sacks, while Umenyiora (9.0), Tuck (5.0), Dave Tollefson (5.0), Chris Canty (4.0), and Defensive Tackle Linval Joseph chipped in also.  The Giants finished Tied for 3rd in the League with 48.0 total Sacks, and registered 11.0 Sacks during their 4 playoff games as they once again shut down Tom Brady and New England’s high-powered Offense on the game’s biggest stage.

’12 Steelers

Unlike the teams I listed above, the 2012 Steelers do not know the meaning of the word “pressure” or the phrase “pocket collapse.”  I will admit that it is not necessarily the Defense’s fault, especially since James Harrison has been hobbled for most of the season, LaMarr Woodley is injured yet again and will probably contribute nothing down the stretch as he is likely out of shape, and backups Jason Worilds and Chris Carter have been either inconsistent (Worilds), or non-existent and injured (Carter).  So far this year though, the Steelers rank 22nd in the League in Sacks (26.0), and their lack of a pass rush has caused their subpar Secondary filled with underperforming veterans, injured players, and inexperienced youngsters to be carved to pieces numerous times by the likes of Carson Palmer, an elderly Matt Hasselbeck, Philip Rivers, etc..

“I understand that you’re from San Diego and are a huge fan of both the Padres and San Diego State’s football team.  But why in the world do you cheer for the Steelers?  Shouldn’t you be a Chargers fan?”

I will admit that I get these types questions and comments all the time from curious people.  I cannot say that I blame them, especially because there are not very many out there with the same type of “fandom combination” like me.  But because it is Chargers Week, I thought that it might be fun to explain how and why I became a die-hard fan of these teams over the course of my childhood.

Young me in my Padres gear during the late-1980′s.  Mandatory Credit: The Di Tolla Family Photo Album.

As I alluded to before, I was born in and spent a large part of my formative years in San Diego.  While I did the usual for fun and weekend outings like the Wild Animal Park and Mission Beach as a kid, my favorite childhood memories were unquestionably spent at Jack Murphy Stadium as I rooted on the Padres and San Diego State’s football team.

When I look back after all these years, “The Murph” was like a home away from home for me.  From April until September, I went to Padres games as some of the best talent of that era (Roberto Alomar, Fred McGriff, Joe Carter, Gary Sheffield to name a few) played for the Friars and Tony Gwynn was putting together his Hall of Fame career.  Granted, there were “firesales aplenty” that many Padres fans from my generation were unfortunately treated to during that era when basically every talented player not named Gwynn was shipped out of town.  But because I loved baseball so much and still do, just going to enormous amounts of games and learning the nuances of the sport with my Dad were enough to sell me on the Padres.  The sports fun for me however was not over when baseball season ended each year.  No siree.

From September until November/December, I was witness to an incredible era of Aztecs football.  For those unfamiliar with the team or who played for them during the late 1980’s/early 1990’s, I watched players like Marshall Faulk, Darnay Scott, and Patrick Rowe put up video-game numbers against their W.A.C. foes in some of the most exciting college football games I have ever seen (52-52 tie in 1991 against B.Y.U. remains my favorite).

In fact, I can still remember when my heart sank when the Steelers chose Charles Johnson in Round 1 of the 1994 Draft, and not Scott.  Outside of when the organization passed on Brian Urlacher for Plaxico Burress, the move remains one of my least favorite Draft moments and I still wonder how awesome Scott would have been in Pittsburgh instead of Cincinnati.  And hey, I will admit that I was probably was one of the few (if only one) on the “Will Blackwell & George Jones” Bandwagon during the late 1990’s after the Steelers selected two former Aztecs (later busts) in the 2nd and 5th Rounds of the 1997 Draft.

Yet as interested in the Aztecs and Padres I was and still remain to this day, I never became a Chargers fan.  In fact, I basically never had a chance to become one.  Because my parents were not Chargers fans (Dad: Broncos, Mom: Steelers), the Chargers were never a relevant topic of discussion in my house when it came to professional football.  To me, the Chargers always were “The Murph’s” “other occupant” that I never went to see, and thus basically had no interest or desire to follow.

Me at 2 years old and showing my “Steelers” pride. Mandatory Credit: The Di Tolla Family Photo Album.

Due to the fact that I have always been a bit of a “Mama’s Boy,” and numerous members of my Mom’s family were Steelers fans, I inevitably chose them as my favorite professional football team to root for instead of the Chargers.  Guys like Greg Lloyd, Kevin Greene, Carnell Lake, Darren Perry, and Barry Foster became my favorite players to follow on Sundays.  Plus it was a huge treat to watch future Hall of Famers Dermontti Dawson and Rod Woodson shine and excel as well.  Luckily for me as a young fan, the Steelers started to improve and build a core of solid players in the late 1980′s who inevitably helped to lead the franchise some real success during the 1990′s.   So while there were terrific players in my own backyard, I could have cared less about guys like Junior Seau or Leslie O’Neal because they did not wear the Black & Gold or the Black & Red.

Probably the biggest example of my indifference towards the Chargers can be illustrated in how I felt during the aftermath of the ‘94 A.F.C. Championship Game.  Although it stung to watch one of the biggest upsets in Conference Championship history, Pittsburgh’s loss to San Diego not faze me in the same manner that the other postseason meltdowns eventually did under Cowher.  As crushed as I was, I figured that it was a heck of a lot less painful to deal with than if the Steelers had lost the week before in the Divisional Round to the rival Browns.  Plus, it was not like the Chargers had won anything recently, and I sure did not want to see Steve Young or the 49ers win their 5th Super Bowl title either.

I guess the best way I can express my feelings about the Chargers is that that I have always seen them as a team like the L.A./St. Louis Rams: No large rivalry to speak of, and no distaste of the team or franchise in any way.  When the Steelers play them, I hope Pittsburgh wins in dominant fashion, but I certainly will not and do not despise them in the same manner that I do like some of Pittsburgh’s more common and Divisional/former Divisional opponents (Baltimore, New England, Denver, Cleveland, Tennessee, Jacksonville, etc.).

Final Thoughts

No matter how odd the combination might seem to many, I am proud and have always been proud of the teams that I have rooted for over the years.  In fact, I currently hold a Staff Writer position at Fansided’s Padres-themed site “Chicken Friars.”  But just like the Padres and the Aztecs, there has always existed and will always exist an equal place in my “fandom heart” for the Steelers.

Anyways, I hope you readers enjoyed my little trip down “Memory Lane.”  I for one cannot wait to see whether or not the performance in Baltimore was a one-game fluke, or a turning point for the 2012 team.  Plus, congrats. on the possible axing of Norv and A.J., Chargers fans.  Hopefully the Spanos family will come to their senses and hire some non-incompetent boobs this offseason.

Here’s to a great game, and Go Steelers!

The 2012 Pass Rush or Lackthereof

Harrison and the pass rush are needed badly this weekend. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The Steelers have had their fair share of issues when it has come to pressuring the opposition this year, and have been largely infrequent guests opponents’ backfields over their first 7 games.  Whether it has been due to injuries, poor schemes, or just downright sub-par play, Pittsburgh’s pass-rush has been as non-existent as ever this season.

Overall, Pittsburgh’s Defense has only registered 12.0 Sacks on the year (T-24th), and have their 33 year-old Inside Linebacker (Larry Foote), and spot-starter/rotational player at Outside Linebacker (Jason Worilds) leading the team in the statistical category.  The team’s $61.5 Million Dollar investment LaMarr Woodley has been largely ineffective (2.0 Sacks) due to his nagging hamstring.  Plus, I am sure that it has not helped that one of the big reasons behind his past statistical success, James Harrison, has been injured as well and is playing like the recently returned from a knee injury 34-year old he is.

While the Sack numbers are low, the lack of any sort of pressure on a consistent basis has left Pittsburgh’s weak and injured Secondary exposed numerous times and ripe for the plundering by the opposition.

Have we seriously not forgotten about the complete carving administered by a fresh-off the neck injury Peyton Manning in Week 1?   How about when Carson Palmer and the Raiders racked up 34 points and had ZERO punts in the 2nd Half in Week 3?  Michael Vick with a go-ahead 17 Play 79 Yard drive that lasted 8:18 late in the 4th Quarter of Week 5?  What about the 4th Quarter meltdown in Tennessee?  You know, the game in which Ike Taylor was absolutely abused by Kenny Britt all night?  Heck, the Redskins’ back-up pass-catchers were running free all Sunday long, and had acres of space at their disposal as “RGIII” stood like a statue for most of the game!

How the Giants Could Capitalize

The biggest reason why the Giants will be such a tough opponent for the Steelers’ Defense and their anemic pass-rush has to do with their Offensive Line’s performance this year.  Much like Pittsburgh’s, New York’s six-man combination of Center David Baas, Guards Chris Snee and Kevin Boothe, and Tackles David Diehl, Sean Locklear, and Will Beatty have congealed, improved, and played well over the course of this season.  In fact, after New York gave up 3 Sacks in their season opening loss to Dallas, the Giants’ Offensive Line has only surrendered 4 over their last 8 games.  On the season, the Giants have allowed the fewest amount of Sacks (7), and the stat is even more incredible when one considers the fact that New York has attempted the 7th most passes (296) of any team in the League!

In addition to their ability to keep the pass-rush at bay, New York’s Offense will be at a decided advantage if they hold the Steelers’ pass-rush back because of Pittsburgh’s numerous issues in the Secondary.  I tip my cap to the Steelers’ Secondary because without Troy Polamalu, they are at a decided disadvantage against most opponents, but still gave gutty performances over the last two weeks. Nevertheless, I still would really like to see is whether or not the members of Pittsburgh’s Secondary can step up their games’ against some tougher competition personnel-wise, not the likes of Ryan Whalen, Andrew Hawkins, Aldrick Robinson, Josh Morgan, an aging Santana Moss etc..

Watching starters Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis try to contain Victor Cruz (52 Catches, 650 Yards, 7 TD’s) and Hakeem Nicks (26 Catches, 380 Yards, 1 TD) will be a difficult task in and of itself if there is little to no pass-rush.  What I truly fear however is if Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, Lawrence Timmons, and whichever Safety combo is healthy (Ryan Clark could be out & Troy Polamalu is), cannot adequately cover some of New York’s secondary pass-catchers like Domenik Hixon, Martellus Bennett, Rookie Rueben Randle, or even the big Ramses Barden.  I am sure the Giants have seen how the Steelers’ Defense has been torched over the years when spread out and attacked with a quick and accurate passing game.  If New York does go this route, and Manning can actually take his time in the pocket, no Defensive Backs or personnel in pass-coverage, no matter how good they are, can hold the Giants Offense off for extended periods of time.

Final Thoughts

I for one could not be happier to see this Defense face-off against the Giants this weekend, because we as viewers will be able to better gauge exactly how improved/not improved this unit actually is against a formidable foe.  In addition, I am intrigued to see if there are any signs of life from the pass-rush, and continue watching how Harrison is responding on a week-to-week basis off of his injury.  Pittsburgh might be a formidable Defense on paper, but I still have my reservations about this unit.  They not only have displayed issues with accumulating Sacks and creating pressure, but they also have had their problems taking the ball away (7 Takeaways T-31st), and getting off of the field on 3rd Downs (44.05% Opp. Conv. 28th).  I just hope that the pass-rush will bring their “A Games’” this weekend to help the Defense improve in these aforementioned areas.  Otherwise it will be a long day if Eli Manning is allowed to scan the field and pick apart Pittsburgh’s inconsistent and injured Secondary with his bevy of pass-catching weapons.

Chime in Readers:  Will the Steelers’ pass-rush show up this weekend?  Will it show up at all this season?  Will the Defense step up against a more formidable foe?

Stats Courtesy of: Team Rankings.com, ESPN.com

Green is already one of the best Wide Receivers in professional football. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

As it stands now, the Steelers are staring a 2-4 start dead in the face and must take on the rival Bengals in a crucial Sunday Night Football matchup tomorrow.  To have any sort of legitimate shot of winning this game though, the Steelers’ beleaguered Defense must find some ways to contain Green and the Bengals’ Offense.  Unfortunately for Pittsburgh’s Defense, Green’s skill-set and overall logic will make the upcoming task a close to impossible one.

Green’s Incredible 21 Game Start

It is typically the norm for most Rookie Wide Receivers to struggle early on in their careers’.  Whether the issues are with adjusting to the physicality and talent level of their competition, and/or just fine tuning their overall skills in general, even the most talented and highly touted of Rookie pass-catchers have their struggles.  A.J. Green is an exception to the previously mentioned norm.

After he burst on the N.F.L. scene last year as a Rookie, Green has continued his stellar production in 2012 (43 Catches (T-3rd), 628 Yards (League-Leader), 6 TD’s (T-2nd)).  Over his first 21 games dating back to last year, Green has amassed an amazing 108 Catches for 1,685 Yards and caught 13 Touchdowns.  What is even more impressive is the fact that last month’s A.F.C. Player of the Month is on pace this year to shatter his solid numbers from last season (65 Catches, 1,057 Yards, 7 TD’s).  If Green continues to produce at his current 2012 level, he is set to challenge franchise season Receiving records with a stat line of 115 Catches (Record), 1,675 Yards (Record), and 16 TD’s (Carl Pickens’ 17 is Record) this season.

In my opinion, Green scares me more than any other Bengals pass catcher I have seen on the Bengals franchise with his awesome combination of size (6’4″ 207 lbs.), speed, and hands.  He is a more imposing and developing into a better deep threat than Pickens and my childhood pass-catching hero (#6 of the SDSU Aztecs) Darnay Scott from the 1990′s, and is far-and-away more talented and productive than Ocho-Psycho or T.J. Houshmandzadeh over the 2000′s.  If Green continues to gel with his Quarterback, and Cincinnati’s other pass-catching options become consistent threats around him, he has all the tools to really develop into a special player.  Yet as talented as Green is, and as much as I already fear what he can do against the Steelers, he could really be primed for a ridiculously awesome night because of how dreadful his upcoming competition has played over the course of this season

Pittsburgh’s Porous Secondary, and Is There Anything The Defense Can Do?

First of all, I hope somebody called the “Waahm-Bulance” and ordered some Large “Curly Cries” for Steelers Cornerback Ike Taylor.  Heck, I hope somebody introduced him to some important stats he chose to overlook when he blasted the media recently.  I probably would have stopped (rightfully) criticizing the Defense for all of their faults and deficiencies this season, because honestly, I can only rip on the same issues they refuse to fix so many times before I get bored and ultimately frustrated.

Yet after his little radio show tantrum against subversive and ill-informed media types, Ike just bought himself and the rest of the under-performers on Defense an unlimited supply of healthy criticism from this blogger until they actually decide to “nut-up” against some of their supposedly inferior foes.  Unfortunately for Taylor and his fellow Defensive Backs, tomorrow night’s matchup might not be the most ideal situation for them to excel after how poorly they have played this year.

On the season, Taylor has been flagged for numerous penalties (including 3 last week), and was most recently abused by the stone-handed yet still talented Kenny Britt last Thursday night in Nashville.  As poorly as he has played over the last six games (includes dumpster-fire Wild Card game), Taylor is without a doubt the most experienced, as well as most talented Cornerback on Pittsburgh’s roster.  This is bad news for the Steelers, because Green is likely the most talented pass-catcher the team will face all season, and has the size, speed, and physical nature to give the Cornerbacks fits on the back-end.

Green’s presence alone will force the Steelers to key on him and likely give Taylor over the top Safety help for most of the night, although Taylor apparently is not expecting or asking for it.  If the Safety help does indeed occur, which it should for Taylor’s sake, other Bengals like Jermaine Gresham or Andrew Hawkins can find acres of open space to work with and attack Pittsburgh’s Secondary.  If the Steelers Defense is to do anything besides actually cover Green and his pass-catching friends to stop Cincinnati’s passing attack, they will need to have a fine collective performance from their pass-rushers as they attempt to put pressure on Dalton in obvious passing situations.

Sadly, I wouldn’t hold my breath on the pass rush from the Outside making an appearance though.  Think about it: An overweight LaMarr Woodley on a bum hamstring?  James Harrison still a bit hobbled?  Then mix in the likely strategy involving zero creative Defensive Back blitzes courtesy of Coordinator Dick LeBeau.  Plus, I am sure that the 5-Techniques (Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward, Brett Keisel: 2.0 Sacks combined) will continue to underwhelm in terms of their pocket collapse.  Unless the players/schemes I mentioned before can find a way to excel, or Jason Worilds can establish himself as a consistent threat off the edge, hungry Rookie Adrian Robinson is actually allowed to play a Defensive snap or two and attack the Quarterback in passing situations, and Brandon Johnson wants to exact some revenge on his former team, the Bengals make-shift (17.0 Sacks on the season) Offensive Line could cruise to a decent night.

Pittsburgh’s pass-rush however might find some success blitzing Cincinnati if they decide to attack the interior of Cincinnati’s Offensive Line tomorrow.  Remember readers, the Bengals are missing their starting Center Kyle Cook, and some well-timed A-Gap blitzes courtesy of Lawrence Timmons or even Johnson could give Cook, Rookie Right Guard Kevin Zeitler, and 1st Year starter Clint Boling at Left Guard some issues if they are disguised/executed properly and quickly.  The interior blitzes could be something to watch for fans, and might be an X-Factor to help this Defense stay in the game, force mistakes, rattle Dalton, prevent him from finding his pass-catchers like Green, and give the Steelers a fighting chance.

Final Thoughts

After what Kenny Britt did to Taylor and the Secondary, Green might enjoy a career night under the lights at Paul Brown Stadium tomorrow night.  If Dalton is not looking in Green’s direction all night long and BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Cedric Peerman are not tearing things up on the ground, I will assume Jay Gruden drew his game-plan up in crayon or studied extensively at the “Bruce Arians Academy for “Offensive” Coordinators.”  The matchup between Green and any of Pittsburgh’s Defensive Backs (whether it is in Man or finding holes in the soft Zone) is too obvious not to exploit, and could make this an ugly game to watch throughout the night for us Steelers fans.

I still hold out hope that this will be the week that Pittsburgh’s Defense turns things around, and the Secondary finally shows signs of improvement.  The optimist in me will say that this current 10-day rest period has helped the Defense reflect, re-group, and hungry to make the necessary adjustments.  The “Negative-Nancy” pessimist in me says that  with Green and his presence looming, Sunday night might not be the most comfortable of situations for the Steelers Defense.

I hope the optimist in me is right.

Readers:  Will the Steelers contain Green?  If so, how?  And to what extent?  Or, will Green have a big day?  If so, how big?  Franchise-record big?  League-record big?  Should Ike Taylor continue to start?  Seriously, share your thoughts on tomorrow’s game below, and post your predictions and why you feel a certain way.

Stats Courtesy of: Team Rankings.com, ESPN.com,