Last week, we took a detailed look at the first half of the Steelers 2012 regular season schedule.  In case you missed it, here is the direct link to the article.  Tonight, we delve into the all-important second half of the schedule, including five big AFC North battles and a high-profile game against the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.  The Steelers will play at least two prime time games during this stretch (possibly more depending on flex scheduling), bringing their 2012 prime time total to five games.

These articles are part of the exclusive “Latrobe Lowdown 2012″ series, an in-depth analysis on all facets of training camp and the upcoming season – the best all-encompassing look at the 2012 Steelers anywhere in the Pittsburgh blogosphere.

Here we go with Weeks 9 -1 7 of the 2012 Steelers schedule.

Week 9 – November 4, 2012  STEELERS @ New York Giants,   MetLife Stadium   4:25 pm

The Giants and the Steelers have both experienced championship success with their 2004 1st round pick quarterbacks.  Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning have accounted for four of the past seven Lombardi trophies with their teams, and both are carving out Hall of Fame careers with rabid fan bases behind them.  The last game between the two teams resulted in a 21-14 Giants victory, a rare Heinz Field loss for the Steelers on their way to their sixth Super Bowl title in 2008.  Tom Coughlin and Mike Tomlin are considered two of the best coaches in all of football, and they have the hardware to prove their claims.  This will be another hard-hitting game between two of the NFL’s keystone franchises.

Stories to watch for:

-  The 2004 NFL Draft gave football fans three of the best quarterbacks of the past decade – Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, and Philip Rivers.  Houston QB Matt Schaub also came out of that draft, albeit two rounds later.  While Rivers and Schaub have yet to win a championship, Eli and Ben have combined for four Lombardi trophies.  Just like the 1983 Draft, the 1994 class of quarterbacks will end up giving us at least two Hall of Famers in Manning and Roethlisberger, with Rivers needing to cement his legacy as a winner before he can be included in the conversation.  Any head-to-head match-ups between these three QBs will end up being looked back on as games with meaning.  Although the Giants and Steelers are in different leagues, the games between them are always hard-fought and full of pride.  This should be a “slobberknocker” of a tilt between two teams jockeying for division titles in Week 9.

-  The Giants have re-tooled for 2012 similar to the Steelers, shedding veteran players who contributed to their Super Bowl teams and handing jobs to young stars.  Players like RB Brandon Jacobs, WR Mario Manningham, and TE Jake Ballard are no longer calling MetLife Stadium home.  This Giants team will be relying on players like rookie WR Reuben Randle, RB David Wilson, and TE Adrien Robinson to fill some big shoes.  While many of the names will be the same as the previous 2008 game, this is the first match-up for a bunch of new stars for each team.

-  New York will be in the midst of a brutal stretch of games from Week 4 – 9.  Three NFC East divisional games with Dallas, Philly, and Washington highlight this run, which also includes a tough game at San Francisco.  The mettle of this Giants team will be determined in this stretch, and the Steelers get them at the tail end of a rough stretch.  Injuries and emotional letdown could be factors for New York.

-  The Giants have traditionally boasted tough defenses during their recent run of success, but 2011 was not a season to remember.  The G-Men finished 25th overall in defensive ranking, allowing 25.0 points per game.  As long as New York stays healthy on their front seven, they should easily be better in 2012.  DE Justin Tuck, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and LB Mathias Kiwanuka will provide a stiff challenge for the young Steelers offensive line.

-  Rookie return man Jayron Hosley is the next in a long line of former Virginia Tech special teams standouts to take the NFL by storm.  By Week 9, he should be firmly established as the primary punt and kick return man for New York – and the Steelers will be playing at least three – if not four – rookies on their cover teams.  Remember this match-up, it could be a rough one for the Steelers special teams.  Hosley is a dynamic runner and future star for New York.

Steelers Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley gets his first crack at the team that canned him from his head coaching job in 2011. You can be sure that Haley already has Week 10 circled on his calender.

Week 10 – November 12, 2012  Kansas City Chiefs @ STEELERS,    Heinz Field 8:30 pm (Monday Night Football)

For the first time in what seems like forever, the Kansas City Chiefs actually come to Pittsburgh for a prime time game against the Steelers.  This game takes on new meaning in 2012 as former Chiefs head honcho Todd Haley is now pulling the strings as the Steelers offensive puppet master.  Haley was fired from his job in Kansas City last season despite winning the AFC West in 2010.  His talented team was riddled by injuries last season, causing them to fall to a 5-8 record before firing Haley.  The team had lost Pro Bowl RB Jamaal Charles, starting QB Matt Cassel,SS Eric Berry, and many others to injuries early in the season.  Haley put his best coaching shoes on, managing to lead the team back to respectability after losing their first two games by totals of 41-7 and 48-3.  All told, it was a tremendous coaching performance by Haley and a scapegoat situation in terms of his firing.

Todd Haley is a passionate coach.  He feels he was wronged by what happened in Kansas City.  He now has control of an offensive with tons of weapons – which he will let loose in a hail of firepower against a young Chiefs defense in Week 10.  Call it “The Haley Bowl”.  Kansas City will not like what they see when they get off the bus at a mad house Heinz Field for Monday Night Football.

Stories to watch for:

-  I suppose we could talk about Haley vs. the Chiefs all night, but I think you get the point.  This is a big game for our new Offensive Coordinator.  he will have the troops ready for this one.

-  RB Jamaal Charles rushed for 1,467 yards in 2010, his second year in the league.  Two games into 2011, he suffered an ACL tear that ended his season.  Now healthy, Charles should be considered a prime comeback of the year candidate.  He is a shifty, quick back with a powerful frame.  This will be a big-time match-up for DE Ziggy Hood, who will be taking the all-important role that Aaron Smith excelled in against opposing run games.  Hood will need to step it up for this game.

-  The Chiefs boast many players with Pittsburgh ties, so this game will be another homecoming, similar to the Philadelphia game we discussed yesterday.  WR Steve Breastson, WR Jonathan Baldwin, and back-up QB Tyler Palko will all have plenty of fans in attendance at Heinz Field.  As they do for every one of their former football players who come back in an NFL jersey, the entire town of Aliquippa will break open their piggy banks to get tickets for this game – all to see favorite son Jon Baldwin make his triumphant return to the Steel City.

-  Regardless of records, the Chiefs always play the Steelers tough (forgetting the 45-7 drubbing the Steelers put on them in 2006).  In 2009, the Chiefs gave the Steelers one of their most crushing losses, a 27-24 final in Arrowhead Stadium.  Last season, despite the massive injury toll and the fact that 3rd string QB Tyler Palko was starting the game, the Chiefs hung tight all game before losing 13-9.  This rivalry is another one of those hard-hitting, smashmouth AFC tilts, and it will play out that way once more.

Week 11 renews the bitter rivalry between the Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, once again in a prime time showdown on Sunday Night Football. RB Ray Rice rushed for 1364 yards and 12 TDs last season.

Week 11 – November 18, 2012  Baltimore Ravens @ STEELERS,    Heinz Field  8:20 pm (Sunday Night Football)

The NFL continues to treat their fans to prime time match-ups between the Steelers and Ravens, the most heated rivalry in football.  It seems that every season these teams play at least one National TV game, always resulting in another hard-hitting tilt.

The 2011 chapter of this rivalry didn’t go according to plans for the Steelers.  In Week 1, the team traveled to Baltimore for a game that every coach, player, and fan would like to erase from their memory banks.  The Ravens dominated the Steelers in every phase of that game, winning 35-7.  The two teams met for their second game at Heinz Field on November 6, a Sunday Night game that Baltimore won on a Joe Flacco touchdown pass to Torrey Smith with 0:14 left in the 4th quarter.  The two losses to the Ravens cost the Steelers a shot at another AFC North title, and forced a 12-4 Pittsburgh team to have to travel to 8-8 Denver in the Wild Card round, and we all know how that turned out.

After playing both games with the Ravens prior to Week 10 last season, the Steelers won’t see their rival until Week 11 in 2012.  Once again, fans can expect this series to determine the AFC North champion, and hopefully for the Steelers, a bit of revenge.  Baltimore QB Flacco had only two previous wins against the Steelers before last season, including two two playoff losses at Heinz Field.  His comeback drive in Week 9 was labeled a career defining moment for Flacco by Ravens fans, who had been disappointed with the way their franchise QB had played against the Steelers up until that point.  Even after winning both games last year, Flacco sits 4-6 all time in the series.

Stories to watch for:

- This game will be a major challenge for rookie OG David DeCastro, who many expect to be starting his first game against Baltimore.  The Ravens will direct much of their blitzing defense towards the rookie, hoping to prey on his inexperience on this stage.

-  Besides DeCastro, many new faces will be making their first significant appearances in a Steelers vs. Ravens game.  For Baltimore – rookie OLB Courtney Upshaw, fellow OLB Paul Kruger, and OG Bobbie Williams make their first starts against Pittsburgh.  For the Steelers, DeCastro and fellow rookie OT Mike Adams, and CB Keenan Lewis will make their first starts against the Ravens.  This rivalry has a way of creating new stars, so all eyes will be on these young players experiencing the full brunt of Steelers vs. Ravens for the first time as starters.

Rookie QB Brandon Weeden is the planned starter for Cleveland in 2012, replacing Colt McCoy as the next Browns starting QB.

Week 12 – November 25, 2012  STEELERS @ Cleveland Browns    Cleveland Browns Stadium 1:00 pm

The Cleveland Browns enter the 2012 with new hope, turning to rookie QB Brandon Weeden and rookie RB Trent Richardson as the cornerstones to another re-start for the hapless Browns.  Both 1st round picks will be counted on to lead the charge of a Cleveland team that is under new ownership, as former Steelers minority owner Jimmy Haslem III takes over, vowing to bring “winning back to Cleveland”.

The Browns have continued to fail against their former top rivals, only winning four games out of 25 against Pittsburgh since their return to the NFL in 1999.  Weeden, who many feel was the product of a pass-happy offense at Oklahoma State, will attempt to convert to a pro style set.  Richardson is the first running back drafted in the 1st round by Cleveland since 2002, when William Green was chosen 16th overall.  Both are expected to start from Week 1.  Head coach Pat Shurmur is only in his second season, but with new ownership looking to make their mark, he may need to double last season’s four win total in order to remain the top man.

Stories to watch for:

- The dynamic Richardson sustained a knee injury in training camp that required “routine arthroscopic” surgery by Dr. James Andrews.  While the team is sticking to the story that the 1st round pick will be back in time for the regular season opener, Browns fans are rightfully worried about their latest franchise player making the trip to Birmingham prior to his first NFL carry.  This story will play out all season long, despite what team officials want to say publicly.

-  New ownership will mean another top-to-bottom assessment of the Browns organization, including team President Mike Holmgren, who has failed to bring results to Cleveland since taking over in 2010.  Holmgren has made bad choices at quarterback, setting the franchise back a few years with his Colt McCoy love affair.  He has also been unable to lure top free agents to Cleveland, while at the same time netting very few starters from the draft.  That combination has given the 2012 Browns one of the youngest and least experienced rosters in the NFL.  What happens on the field this season will determine Holmgren’s future in Cleveland.

Baltimore QB Joe Flacco will be expected to rise to the next level in 2012, and once again it will be the Steelers standing in his way.

Week 13 – December 2, 2012  STEELERS @ Baltimore Ravens    M&T Bank Stadium, 4:25 pm

The Steelers see their rival for the second time in three weeks, wrapped around Thanksgiving.  That in itself is ironic, since these teams love to beat the stuffing out of each other (cue laugh track).  With these games occurring so close to each other, there isn’t much to analyze here.  This will be – as always – the biggest road game of the regular season for the Steelers, who will be looking to fare better at M&T Bank Stadium than they did in last seasons opening loss.

Stories to watch for:

- The Ravens home-field advantage has become much more profound as the years have passed.  Baltimore fans took their time in adopting the Ravens after they arrived, but a Super Bowl title in 2000, followed by many years of success have built a solid fan base.  The noise level at M&T Bank Stadium is comparable to Heinz Field, which always seems to get louder as the mercury falls.  The Steelers offense will need to be on their toes, and this game will present a solid challenge for the new offensive line.

-  The Ravens will be coming off a game in San Diego, where last season they suffered their worst loss 34-14 to the Chargers.  This year, the Ravens sandwich the Chargers game around match-ups with the Steelers, three consecutive weeks of rough and tumble football for Baltimore.  This could work in the Steelers favor, as the Ravens could be quite drained from their coast to coast travel.

Chargers RB Ryan Mathews is coming off a 1,091 yard rushing campaign and is projected to take a huge leap into elite RB territory in 2012.

Week 14 – December 9, 2012  San Diego Chargers @ STEELERS    Heinz Field, 1:00 pm

The Steelers have had a fair amount of success against San Diego in games at Heinz Field, winning all four games against the Chargers at home since the stadium opened in 2001.  This Chargers team no longer boasts the same talent they once had, but they are still a formidable late season opponent for the Steelers.  QB Philip Rivers hasn’t reached the elite status of fellow 2004 draft picks Ben Roethlisberger or Eli Manning, and now he must try to do so with new weapons around him.  RB Ryan Mathews will be expected to take over as the full-time three-down back now that all of his experienced back-ups are gone, and at wide receiver it will be free agent pickups Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal attempting to replace Vincent Jackson.  TE Antonio Gates is still a premier receiving threat, and the addition of RB Ronnie Brown opens up the possibility for Wildcat snaps.

Stories to watch for:

-  The WR tandem of Malcolm Floyd and Robert Meachem create a disadvantage for any team playing with smaller defensive backs.  Both Floyd and Meachem are big, rangy receivers who can go after the ball down the field.  Since teams must still account for Gates over the middle, both receivers will see a lot of one-on-one play.  The Steelers will be rotating Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen, and Curtis Brown opposite Ike Taylor, and this game will be a major challenge for those players.

-  Chargers head coach Norv Turner is running out of chances to get this team to the elusive Super Bowl title that many had predicted for this roster.  As a late season in-conference game, Turner may need to win this one to keep his job.

Cowboys QB Tony Romo will lead his Cowboys into a home game against the Steelers in Week 15, renewing a storied rivalry.

Week 15 – December 16, 2012  STEELERS @ Dallas Cowboys   Cowboys Stadium, 4:25 pm

The last time these two teams faced off in a late season game, the Steelers defeated Dallas 20-13 in a heart-pounding comeback win at Heinz Field.  This time, it will be the Steelers heading to Jerry’s Palace to face off with their 1970′s Super Bowl rival.  The Cowboys have revamped their roster to become much more athletic, with RB DeMarco Murray becoming the focal point of an offense that will rely more heavily on the run game.  QB Tony Romo needs to reaffirm his status as a franchise quarterback in 2012, and he will need the help of WR Miles Austin and Dez Bryant to do so.  Both are top-notch wideouts and give the Cowboys their best tandem in over a decade.  Defensively, this team has gotten younger, especially in the backfield.

Stories to watch for:

-  DB Morris Claiborne will be counted on to become the top defensive back for Dallas from day one of his rookie season.  The former LSU star was considered one of the best overall players in the past draft, and he has looked great in camp thus far.  He could end up being the next great Cowboys defensive player, and should fit in well behind OLB DeMarcus Ware.

-  Whenever Steelers fans think back to recent games in Dallas, the one that comes to mind is the October 2004 game at old Texas Stadium, a coming out party of sorts for then rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger.  A 24-20 Steelers victory was the result, with Ben hitting 21 of 25 passes for an incredible 84.2 passing %.  Big Ben had started a few games already, but this game against the Cowboys was the first time he really flashed the greatness that was to come.  It will always be fun to see how Roethlisberger plays against one of the Steelers all-time most hated rivals.

Bengals WR A.J. Green was fantastic as a rookie, and with one more solid season can move into the discussion as the top WR in the AFC North.

Week 16 – December 23, 2012  Cincinnati Bengals @ STEELERS   Heinz Field 1:00pm

Week 17 – December 30, 2012  Cleveland Browns @ STEELERS     Heinz Field 1:00pm

Week 16 and 17 are being grouped together here as both represent the second 2012 match-up with division rivals, scheduled back-to-back to end the season in stroke of genius by the NFL schedule makers.  The Bengals could be closing in on another playoff appearance by Week 16, and that game could end up going a long way to deciding the AFC North finish.  The Week 17 clash with Cleveland could be the final game for team President Mike Holmgren, and should represent a new beginning for the Browns.  Whether head coach Pat Shumur survives will be decided by the final record of the 2012 Browns, and Week 17 could be a huge game for his career and the careers of many of his veteran players.

Back-to-back 1:00pm games to end the season is a rare treat for Steelers fans who have endured many prime time game sin late December, when the temperature at Heinz Field is usually in the teens.  These games should be very heated, and the fans will be eating up winter football in the daytime.  Not much else to say – rivalry games being played to end the season, and possibly decided playoff seedings.  Doesn’t get much better than this if you are a football fan.

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While free agency is utilized as a means to build rosters by most of the other 31 teams in the NFL, rarely do the teams that lean on it as a crutch succeed.  Fans only have to think back to the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles to be reminded of how quickly a free agent-based team can falter.  In a sport where team chemistry is essential, the mixing of various high-profile free agents can be disastrous.  Personalities and egos get in the way of the ultimate goal of winning football games, and usually the end result is not pretty.  Regardless of past precedent, free agency is a part of football and every off season we see big names changing teams.  This year, the Steelers have used free agency to bring in TE Leonard Pope and re-sign backup QB Byron Leftwich and WR Jerricho Cotchery.  All three moves are sound transactions that help lay the foundation for the depth that a championship team needs.  Leftwich has proven that – when healthy – he is a fine backup to Ben Roethlisberger.  Cotchery played well in 13 games for the team in 2011 and will now take a larger role in the offense with Hines Ward gone.  Leonard Pope is being brought in as a backup TE, after working with new offensive coordinator Todd Haley in both Arizona and Kansas City.

Even though they rarely sign free agents, the Steelers have made signings that benefited the long-term performance of the team.  Vice Versa, they are not immune to the occasional “stinker” signing, a player who brings no value to the team and usually lasts a season or two before moving on to someplace else.  Tonight we will take a look at the best and the worst of Pittsburgh Steelers free agent signings.

Top Five WORST Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Signings

RB Duce Staley was signed prior to the 2004 season

5.  WR Quincy Morgan, one-year $585,000 (2006) – Morgan was brought in to be the #3 WR in 2006 after a stint with the Cleveland Browns.  He is on this list because he simply never amounted to much in his time with the Steelers.  Signed to replace WR Cedric Wilson, who seemed to fall apart towards the end of the 2005 season, Morgan was expected to solidify the receiving corps and provide solid special teams play.  Back in 2002, Morgan had been the Browns top target, catching 56 passes for 964 yards and 7 touchdowns.  He would never regain that form, and by the time he reached Pittsburgh, he seemed lazy and disinterested.  He lasted one season and only caught 8 balls for 119 yards all season, while having fumbling problems on returns and drop problems on offense.  The Steelers simply did not resign Morgan after the season.

4.  RB Duce Staley, five-year $14 million (2004) – This rankings may rile a few feathers in Steeler Nation.  Staley was signed prior to the 2004 season after a solid run with the Philadelphia Eagles.  The Steelers envisioned Staley as a back who could spell Jerome Bettis and possibly even take over once Bettis hung up the cleats for good.  The team signed Staley to a very odd five-year contract, and got a decent 2004 season from Staley (707 yards rushing, 4 games with 100+ yards rushing).  Unfortunately, that was pretty much all they got from him.  Injuries sustained during the second half of 2004 required offseason surgery, and Duce was never really loose again in a Steelers jersey.  He came back in 2005, taking a $1 million cut in pay to remain in Pittsburgh – then only had 38 carries during the Super Bowl season.  His job was pretty much lost once RB Willie Parker established himself as the starter, and Staley was only able to play in one game in 2006 before being deactivated and released.  All told, Staley played in 16 games for the Steelers, and never came close to living up to the five-year $14 million deal he signed in 2004.

3.  QB Kent Graham, three-years $5.1 million (2000) – The Steelers had given QB Kordell Stewart a chance to be the starting QB in the late 90′s, but Stewart could never find his way.  His brutal play would cause the fans of Steeler Nation to turn on him during the 1998-1999 seasons, and in the offseason the team went out hunting for a quarterback to challenge Stewart for the starting job in 2000.  Kent Graham had been with both the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals prior to signing with the Steelers on February 28, 2000.  He was the anti-Kordell in many ways, a pocket QB with absolutely no mobility and who made even worse decisions in the heat of the moment than #10.  The Steelers plugged Graham in as their starting QB for the season opener against Baltimore.  He completed 17 of 38 pass attempts and looked horrible while doing so.  The team went 0-3 under Graham to start 2000, and eventually pulled him to reinstate Stewart under center.  Stewart rallied the team back to a winning record, only to be injured in a game against Oakland at Three Rivers Stadium.  Graham marched back out onto the field and promptly threw a horrific interception that Oakland CB Eric Allen walked into the endzone.  Stewart came back into the game and rallied the Steelers from a 17-7 deficit to win 21-10, despite working on one leg the rest of the game.  That was the last time Kent Graham wore a Steelers jersey, and the fans rejoiced.

QB Kent Graham was brought in to challenge for the starting QB job in 2000

2.  PK Todd Peterson, four-years, $3.925 million (2002) – The Steelers were looking for a veteran kicker to come in and replace departed Kris Brown, who has signed with the Houston Texans prior to the 2002 season.  Peterson was considered a solid kicker, owning a 79.8 accuracy rating – good for 13th in NFL history at the time.  He was a massive failure in Pittsburgh.  Unable to master the Heinz Field quagmire, Peterson had a horrific start with the team, hitting on only 12 of 21 FG attempts and having three kicks blocked in 10 games.  Peterson injured his ribs in a game against Tennessee on November 17, and was placed out of action.  The Steelers held an open tryout for kickers and ended up signing a little-known former North Carolina kicker named Jeff Reed.  Reed came to the team and immediately paid dividends, kicking three FGs in his first game and making 17 of 19 in the final 6 games.  Peterson had officially lost his job with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  During the offseason of 2003, the Steelers bought out Peterson’s contract and sent him packing.

C Sean Mahan was the worst free agent signing ever for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Summary

The Steelers list of bad free agent signings is not easy to compile.  The team has made many great signings, but few bad ones.  I think the five listed have viable reasons to be considered the worst signings the team has made, at least in the post 1990 era.  Morgan, Staley, Peterson, Graham, and Mahan were all busts as Steelers free agent signings, and there is no debate about that.  Now onto the good stuff.

Top Five BEST Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Signings

FS Ryan Clark was originally signed in 2006 and hs been a key part of the defense ever since.

5.  FS Ryan Clark, four-years $7 million (2006) – The original signing of Ryan Clark was a move made out of necessity, as starting FS Chris Hope was an unrestricted free agent and signed a huge deal with the Tennessee Titans.  Clark has been undervalued in Washington and New York, despite leading the Redskins in tackles in 2004.  He played in 13 games for Washington in 2005, registering 57 tackles and 3 interceptions.  The Steelers were in the market for a safety to play along side Troy Polamalu, a player who would allow the talented Polamalu to be more of a “freelance” player – roaming the field making tackles and interceptions.  Clark became just that, a solid safety who would combine with Troy to give the Steelers the best safety tandem in football and help lead the team emotionally as they went on to win Super Bowl XLIII and another AFC Title in 2009-2010.  Clark has been a fantastic Steeler player, making his first Pro Bowl in 2011 and becoming a fan favorite with his interactions via Twitter and in the community.  He has become a leader on the defense and a true leader in the locker room.  He has been a starter since 2006, and re-upped with the Steelers in 2010 for another four-year deal.

4.  C Jeff Hartings, six-year starter, contract terms undisclosed (2001) – Jeff Hartings was a career offensive guard with the Detroit Lions when he became a free agent after the 2000 season.  The Steelers signed him to play Center in the offseason before the 2001 season and he went on to be a major piece to the dominant Steelers run of 2001-2006, including being a part of the Steelers Super Bowl XL championship run.  His play continued a tradition of Pro Bowl play at the Center position for the team, and he was a reliable, 2x Pro Bowler, and started 89 games for Pittsburgh before retiring after the 2006 season.  Besides his play on the field, Hartings was a major part of the locker room and was very active in charity events during his time in Pittsburgh.  His arrival in 2001 stabilized the offensive line situation, and his presence in 2004 allowed rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger to begin his career with a solid veteran center – something Ben has said many times was a major factor in his early success.  After Hartings retired, the team went through an era of Sean Mahan and Justin Hartwig before drafting Maurkice Pouncey, who has gone on to become another Pro Bowl center for a team that will soon have two centers in the Hall of Fame (Webster and Dawson).  Hartings was the man who allowed that tradition to continue.  An all-time great free agent signing by any team.

C Jeff Hartings was a 2x Pro Bowler for the Steelers during his 2001-2006 run with the team.

3.  DE/NT  Kimo Von Oelhoffen, four-years $11 million (2000) – When the divisional rival Bengals allowed Kimo Von Oelhoffen to walk away as a free agent after a very productive 1999 season, it was the Steelers who quickly signed the veteran defensive lineman and plugged him in as a starter – first at NT and finally at DE.  Kimo would go on to start all but one game from 2000-2005 and was a major part of the dominating defense that allowed the Steelers to win Super Bowl XL.  Unfortunately, non-Steelers fans will always remember Kimo for his accidental hit on Bengals QB Carson Palmer in the 2005 AFC Playoffs that shelved the young star QB and essentially ended the best season the Bengals had in a decade.  In Pittsburgh, we remember Von Oelhoffen as a gentle giant, a man who would always walk out of the stadium with his young daughter on his shoulders and sign autographs for every kid who wanted one.  On the field, his play was unquestioned, as was his work ethic.  Accumulating 19.5 sacks and 200+ tackles during his time in Pittsburgh, Kimo was unstoppable at times.  His mentoring of Aaron Smith, Brett Kiesel, and Chris Hoke spearheaded the next great Steelers defensive line group.  Incredibly fun to watch play, Kimo would go on to finish his NFL career with the Jets (2006) and Eagles (2007) before retiring in 2008.

2.  OLB Kevin Greene, three-year $5.35 million (1993) – The oldest signing on this list, Kevin Greene was already an established pass rusher before coming to Pittsburgh on a three-year deal prior to the 1993 season.  He immediately became the starter opposite OLB Greg Lloyd, giving the Steelers their first “Blitzburgh” experience.  Greene would rack up 12 1/2 sacks in 2003, then really turned in on in 1994, leading the entire NFL in sacks and helping take the Steelers to their first AFC Championship Game of the William Laird Cowher era.  In 1995, he again led the team in sacks and was a force on the team that win the AFC Title at Three Rivers Stadium and went on to play in Super Bowl XXX.  Greene only lasted three seasons in Pittsburgh before moving on to Carolina in 1996, but his presence on the Steelers during the formative years if the Cowher era gave legitimacy and swagger to a team that was young and needed a leader.  He made two Pro Bowls as a Steeler and was named to the NFL All Decade Team for the 1990′s.  When he retired after the 1999 season, he had accumulated 160 sacks and is universally considered one of the greatest pass-rushing linebackers of all time.

ILB James Farrior, the greatest Steelers free-agent signing of all time

1.  ILB James Farrior, three-years $5.125 million (2002) – James Farrior was a 1st round pick by the New York Jets in the 1997 NFL Draft.  He spent 1997-2001 with Gang Green, being used sparingly and never truly finding a position to call home.  The Jets used him at OLB and ILB, but for the most part considered him a bust as a high draft pick and were more than happy to get him off their payroll after the 2001 season.  Enter the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The Steelers signed Farrior and immediately installed him as the anchor of their defense at ILB.  He paid dividends from day one, recording 82 tackles in 2002 and becoming a major force against the run.  He got even better in 2003, registering 141 tackles and 1 interception.  From there, he simply became the leader of the best defense in football and a key ingredient in three AFC Championship teams and two Super Bowl winning teams.  The unquestioned leader and captain of the Steelers vaunted defense throughout his time here, Farrior played in two Pro Bowls and was named the Steelers MVP after the 2004 season.  In 2004, the team extended his deal with a five-year $16.5 million deal, followed in 2008 by another five-year deal for an astounding $18.25 million.  After 10 seasons in the middle of the Steelers defense, Farrior was released this offseason and looks to be on his way to retirement – barring an injury that would allow the Steelers to bring him back into the fold.  Farrior has made it clear he will not play elsewhere, and if the Steelers no longer need his services, he will happily walk away from the game after a 15-year career.  Few players have ever been as universally loved and respected by Steeler Nation as #51 and his signing in 2002 will go down as one of the greatest free agent signings in the history of the National Football League.

Summary

The Steelers have utilized free agency to bring in many players over the years, and there were a few that didn’t make the list but could easily be considered solid signings by the team.  RB Mewelde Moore, OG Duval Love, DL Ray Seals, OT Wayne Gandy, PK Norm Johnson, RB Erric Pegram, CB Willie Williams, and many others have contributed to the Steelers after coming in via the free agent route.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will never be the Washington Redskins (Thank God).  Free agency is simply a way to bring in an occasional player to help the current roster.  The Steelers draft and develop players better than any team in football, and they remain loyal to their players until they feel the time is right to move forward.  The free agent signings of S Ryan Clark and ILB James Farrior were key to the mini-dynasty the Steelers put together from 2005-2010.  Kevin Greene was the player who got the mid 90′s Steelers over the hump and into their first Super Bowl since the 1970′s.  All in all, the Pittsburgh Steelers continue to do things their way – and it is hard to argue with a formula that has produced more winning seasons, more Super Bowl Championships, and more Hall of Fame players than any other in professional football.

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Francesco Stuppino and his son Joe survey the damage inside Cuz’s Susquehanna Bar & Grille

Steeler Nation.

The very words roll off of our tongue so fast that we rarely take the time to truly remember why Steelers fans are the one REAL Nation of sports fans out there.  Our fan base is all over the world, from the mothership of western Pennsylvania to the farthest reaches of the world.  I have been lucky enough as a fan and as a writer to have met Steelers fans from places I had to Google once they walked away.  Black and Gold blood runs through the veins of so many, and part of the allure of being a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers is knowing that when you watch that kickoff on Sunday, there are millions of members of Steeler Nation packed into basements and living rooms, bars and restaurants, parking lots and stadium seats – all holding their breath at the same time as we celebrate another game in the storied history of our beloved Steelers.

Steeler Nation doesn’t exist without the establishments that pack in the masses on Sunday, serving Pittsburgh-style food and surrounding their patrons with Steelers memorabilia.  The true heart and soul of this Nation does not exist in the stands at Heinz Field, it exists in the passion and camaraderie these special places bring together.  The people who run these establishments put everything they have into creating a special place for Steelers fans to enjoy being together and watch their heroes on the gridiron.

This past Monday, tragedy struck for the owners of Cuz’s Susquehanna Bar & Grille in Exeter, PA.  A fire gutted the sports bar in eastern Pennsylvania, leaving manager Francesco Stuppino, his son Joe Stuppino, daughter Francesca Butcofski, and owner Maureen Noone heartbroken at the loss of both a business they had poured their hard work into building and the loss of a pristine collection of memorabilia that was collected over a lifetime of an establishment that, according to friend and patron Jennifer Menichini “was their life.”

Francesco Stuppino, co-owner of Cuz’s Susquehanna Bar & Grille, is flanked by his daughter, Francesca Butcofski, and son, Joe, outside the Exeter establishment, which sustained heavy damage in a fire on Monday. Their substantial Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia destroyed, the family is devastated. But they say they plan to rebuild with support from loyal patrons/Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

Article clips and quotes courtesy of the “The Times Reader” newspaper, Tuesday May 1:

“I’m a Steelers fan and it’s been a Steelers bar and we lost it all. I lost everything that I had, all my autographs. It’s irreplaceable,” Stuppino said, his voice cracking with emotion.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been here, but it was a shrine to the Steelers. How do you replace it? I could rebuild, definitely, but how do you replace it?” Stuppino said.

Stuppino rattled off the names of athletes whose autographed photos and jerseys hung on the walls. Former Steelers Jerome Bettis, Jack Ham and Rod Woodson, Pittsburgh native/former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, the late Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemente, the “Steel Curtain” defensive line of “Mean” Joe Greene, L.C. Greenwood, Ernie Holmes and Dwight White. All gone.

“Mark Bruener’s helmet is burnt, melted. … I had every high school in our Wyoming Valley area – they donated their helmets to us, you know?” Stuppino said. “I just got a picture autographed personally by Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly. They brought it last week, I had it on the wall; it disintegrated.”’

While the odds of replacing many of the more expensive items are going to prove difficult, the family (and a growing contingent of fans and friends on Facebook) are hoping to secure donations of memorabilia and Steelers items to help rebuild the business.  This is where Steeler Nation comes into play, folks.  WE can help our own here.

Take a quick inventory of your Steelers man caves, garages, offices, and any other places you can pull from.  Donate any items you can spare and let us – as a NATION – help rebuild a landmark location for Steelers fans in the eastern part of Pennsylvania.  Let’s prove that we are more than just fans, lets prove that we are indeed – FAMILY.

If you are interested in donating either memorabilia or even money to the cause, please contact Jennifer Menichini, the local Steel City Mafia boss for the surrounding area.  She can be reached at jennifer.menichini@aol.com.  You can also contact Wendy Bennett at her Boss Steeler Chick Facebook page and coordinate what is needed there as far as shipping, etc.

Let’s make this sad story have a happy ending.  We are Steeler Nation, and nobody takes care of our own like we do.  I will post updates to this story here on NPC as it continues, and hopefully we can all help celebrate another HUGE Steelers victory once we make things right for these members of our family.

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Montana CB Trumaine Johnson

If you listened to our special live NPC Radio broadcast tonight, you may have heard me bring up a name that you were unfamiliar with, CB Trumaine Johnson of the Montana Grizzlies.

I am a firm believer in the Steelers need for a cornerback who has a size advantage over most of the #2 wide receivers in the AFC, and Johnson fits that bill.  At 6 foot 2, 204 lbs. of shredded granite, Johnson is an incredible athlete who would be a top 10 pick in the 2012 Draft had he played at Alabama or LSU.  Of course, he played at Montana – a member of the Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision – formerly known as Division I-AA.  Playing in the Big Sky Conference against such powerhouse teams as Eastern Washington, Idaho State, and Northern Arizona isn’t an easy way to get noticed by NFL scouts.  Johnson, a two-time FCS All American (2010,2011), will probably be picked sometime on Friday during the second round of the draft.  The Steelers, in their quest to find the next great Steelers cornerback, should be looking for a way to nab Johnson in the second round if he is available when they pick at #56 overall.  Mock Drafts on ESPN.com and NFL.com have him going early in the second round, but with the uncertainty that is hovering around where the top-five CB prospects will land, it is possible that Johnson could be available when the Steelers pick at #56.

The numbers don’t lie.  Johnson has a 33 1/4 inch reach, a 35.5 inch vertical leap, quickly put up 19 reps of 225 lbs. and ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.  Now, that last number could be deceiving, since most teams like their cornerbacks to run in the 4.4-4.5 range – but most cornerbacks do not have the sheer size that Trumaine Johnson has.  A 4.61 40-yard dash is adequate for his size and strength, and once he is in pads laying hits on AFC North receivers, nobody will remember what he ran in the 40-yard dash.

From what we have read in mock drafts posted within the past 48 hours, Johnson will be gone to either Carolina, New England, or even Cincinnati before the Steelers have a chance to take him.  His value is not such that a team would take him higher than the second round, simply because there will be more polished, big school players available at that point.  If he does fall past Carolina at #40, I believe the Steelers should make a play to trade up a few slots and add this future star to their team.

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Don’t forget to check out NPC all week long as we delve into the 2012 NFL Draft from the Black and Gold colored glasses starting tomorrow.

The NFL Draft is almost upon us.  Join Craig and the writers of NPC as they discuss some Steelers prospects as well as potential scenarios for the first few rounds of the draft.

Dom will join us to give his final analysis for Thursday’s first round, and maybe I can get him to look into his crystal ball a bit to see what the Steelers will do with the 24th overall pick.

The broadcast will be live starting at 11pm EST.  Below is the link for the episode and be sure to join us and call in!

NPC Radio #3: Steelers Draft Preview