October 7, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Clay Harbor (82) is stopped short of the goal line by Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Ryan Mundy (29) and inside linebacker Larry Foote (50) and defensive back Cortez Allen (28) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 16-14. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

One of the blogs earlier this week pointed out that this game against the San Diego Chargers could be a trap game. I agree. The Chargers are famous for their ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory this season – and last season and maybe during all of Norv Turner’s tenure as the Charger’s head coach. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t ever win games.

All the sports prognosticators give the edge to the Steelers and I sort of agree. The Steelers have some momentum after beating the Ravens, but I like it better when they are the underdogs. I can only think of two games this season where I felt they were comfortably in control: Week 2 against the Jets and Week 8 against the Washington. If the Steelers were to play Washington against this season, I don’t know if it would be the same result. The rest of the wins have been within a touchdown or less. The Steelers barely beat the Eagles, a team with epic struggles this season. As the season progressed, the Steelers came out strong and held off the Super Bowl Champs, the NY Giants. Whether the severe weather of the week before had anything to do with it or not, the Steelers still took the W. The following week the Steelers barely beat the Kansas City Chiefs, another team with a phenomenally poor season. So, I think it is hard to take for granted that the Steelers will win against the Chargers. The loss to the Raiders shows that, at least at the beginning of the season, the Steelers also knew how to lose a game that was theirs to win.

I am a little shocked at how closely these two teams match up on paper. Yes, I know, statistics can be twisted to make any point, but humor me.

Offense:

The Steelers are ranked 20^th and the Chargers are ranked 26^th.

Steelers                 Chargers

Points per Game            21.52                    21.5

Total Points                      254                       258

Yards per Game            342.0                    322.1

1^st Downs per Game      19.8                      19.4

Fumbles                              27                          20

I see the biggest difference when I compare the QBs, Rivers and Roethlisberger, who were both drafted in 2004. Rivers has 18 TDs and 15 INTS over 12 games and his QBR is 85.1. Roethlisberger has 17 TDs and 4 INTS over 9 games with a QBR 100.0.  Ben’s decision-making seems to have really improved this season and River’s has inexplicably declined. One area of concern is that Roethlisberger is coming back after an injury and may be a little rusty. If he can’t play the whole game, at least Batch has some momentum on his side.

Defense:

There is a little bigger difference here. The Steelers defense is ranked 1^st and the Chargers are 9^th. I was a little surprised to see the Chargers ranked that high. Here are some other interesting comparisons:

Steelers                 Chargers

Sacks                                 25                       23

Interceptions                   7                         11

Forced Fumbles             10                        16

Tackles                             518                     625

The Steelers defense is working together well and there has been much needed improvement over the middle games of the season. The Steelers kept them in the game against the Browns, right to the end and they made a huge contribution in the game against the Ravens. I know Ike Taylor is out, but I agree with most of the predictions that his absence isn’t the end of the world. I would rather he was in the game, but due to other injuries, the Steelers have some experienced back-ups.

I’ve seen predictions that this game could be close and I think that is realistic. If the defense can create turmoil for the Chargers in the 4^th, that seems to be their Achilles heel. I think the defense will be the difference in this game. Rivers may just play great because he is facing someone from his draft class. However, the pressure may get to him and he may add to his interception total. Let’s hope the second Philip Rivers shows up. I also hope Ben is able to play without too much pain. I will cringe every time he takes a hit. I hope none of the Charger’s defense gets a helmet on that area and reinjures Roethlisberger.

November 12, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham (right) kicks a game winning twenty-three yard field goal to win the game in overtime against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 16-13 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

One more thought – Suisham

Kickers never get any love and I have to look back at the difference Shaun Suisham has made in several games this season. The biggest one is last week’s game-winning field goal. Suisham has been in the league for eight years. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Steelers in 2005 but was released in August. He has bounced around the league but spent a few years with Washington. He had two full seasons (2007 and 2008) with that team and his field goal percentages were 82.9 and 72.2. Suisham was re-signed by the Steelers in 2010 as a replacement for Jeff Reed, who had been with the team for 8 years. Suisham played in 7 games in 2010 with a 93.3 field goal percentage. His percentage was down to 74.2 last year and I’m not sure why there were more missed field goals. However, it looks like the Steelers’ faith in him has paid off because he is on an amazing pace for 2012. Suisham is 24 for 25 in field goals after 12 games, missing one 50+ yard attempt. I know kickers aren’t in the game much, but I’d say that Suisham’s made some clutch contributions this year and thought I’d give him some well-deserved recognition.

Statistics courtesy of NFL.com and Steelers.com

Tomlin blamed himself for the Field Goal attempt. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

Why, Seriously, Why?

Here were a few of the thoughts running through my head after the 3rd Down attempt fell incomplete:

• The Field Goal kick itself would have taken a minor miracle for Suisham to simply split the uprights, especially on a grass surface.  Tomlin and his Special Teams Coach Amos Jones had to have known that Suisham’s career long Field Goal up to that point was 52 Yards.  And this is especially true when one considers that Suisham tied his own record earlier in the game.  They also had to have known that Suisham has a 41.6% Field Goal Percentage (5 for 12) from 50+ Yards over his 7+ year career!

• The thought had to cross Tomlin and the Coaching Staff’s minds’ that in the likely event that Suisham missed, Tennessee would get the ball at their own 45 Yard Line with just under 1:00 to play and needing only 3 points off of the toe of the strong-legged Rob Bironas.  And even if Suisham somehow sets his career mark, the Titans would have had a shot at a kick return with the dangerous Darius Reynaud with time for a solid return, and time for their Offense to work.

• On the other hand, a punt on 4th Down last night would have made the most sense, and why the punt team was not sent out in that situation continues to baffle me.  A simple pooch-kick would have given Tennessee’s mediocre Offense at the very worst the ball on their own 20 due to a Touchback.  Had Drew Butler pinned them inside the 15 or even inside the 10, the Titans could have played for Overtime and not taken as many chances through the air to not risk a Turnover with under 1 minute to play.

• The attempted Field Goal was also a foolhardy gamble because there was no way Pittsburgh’s sieve-like Defense would have been able to hold against a veteran Quarterback like Matt Hasselbeck in need of only three to four 1st Downs if the kick was missed.  “The Satin Curtain,” the apt name I will be referring to this 2012 unit from now on, had just given up an 11 play 80 Yard Drive which took almost 4 minutes off of the clock the last time they took the field.  If the Steelers had at least pinned the Titans at their own 20, or even further behind, Tennessee would have had a much more difficult time driving down the field with the time allotted, and been liable to even make a mistake.

• I am not angry at all that I turned the game off on Thursday night.  I know, I know, it is sometimes not good for a fan to have a negative/logical attitude towards one’s favorite team.  Yet after 59:00 minutes of game-play, I had simply had enough of the Steelers and their sloppy and undisciplined play.  The kick was a desperate attempt for the team to save themselves, and I had no intention of watching what would be the final nail in the coffin.

Final Thoughts

Is the miss itself on Suisham because he did not make the kick?  Of course it is.  But I have a difficult time placing all of the blame on a guy for his miss when his own Coach unintentionally ICED HIM with a Timeout, then asked of him to achieve something he had yet to do in his first 7 seasons in the League!  For those of you bagging on Suisham without bagging on the Coaching Staff, shame on you!

Regardless of how upset we are as a fanbase though, the Steelers are 2-3, and should be 1-4 had Michael Vick not handed them the game in Week 5.  At this point, all we can hope for is that the Steelers and their Coaching Staff somehow get their collective acts’ together as the schedule gets tougher, and the weather gets colder.  Otherwise, as I have stated before, this will be a 6 to 7 win season for our guys in the Black & Gold.  But stay tuned readers, there could be some more ridiculous late game gambles made over the season’s final 11 games.

Figures and Stats Courtesy of: Pro Football Reference.com

For all your Steelers news and discussions follow us on Twitter @nicepickcowherC, follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla, and like us on Facebook.

Suisham and Kapinos are the starters at Kicker and Punter as we enter Training Camp. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

Punter Situation

Before I begin, I must say that liked Daniel Sepulveda as a Punter, and during his tenure in Pittsburgh he did a solid enough job.  The unfortunate part about Sepulveda though was the fact that he missed so much time with injuries and the team was forced to call on mid-season signees three times in six years to replace him (I take a cold shower and cry when I think about Mitch Berger and Paul Ernster and their 30 yard shank boots).  Because of Sepulveda’s knee injuries, Pittsburgh’s brass made the sensible financial and football move and showed him the door after the 2011 season ended.  Now that Sepulveda is gone, his mid-season replacement in the last two seasons, Jeremy Kapinos, appears to have his best chance to win the full-time job.

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIREDrew Butler will be trying to take Kapinos' job this season.

To his credit, Kapinos chipped in and did an adequate job after Sepulveda went down with his injuries down the stretch in 2010 and 2011.  Over 12 regular season games with the Steelers, Kapinos logged 48 Punts for 2106 Yards for a 43.9 Yards Per Punt average.  In 2011, Kapinos averaged a career high 45.0 Yards Per Punt and tied his career long with a 59 Yard boot.  Still, Kapinos has yet to prove himself over a full season with the club (not his fault because he was called up at mid-season both times, and he did start all 16 games with Green Bay during the 2009 season), and will face a stiff challenge for his job from Rookie UDFA Drew Butler over the coming months.

Butler, whose Father was long-time Chicago Bears Kicker and Bulldog alum Kevin Butler, had himself a fine career at Georgia where he started for three years.  Butler’s best season came as a Sophomore when he won the Ray Guy Award in 2009.  During that season, Butler logged 56 Punts for 2,691 Yards, and led the nation with a 48.1 Yards Per Punt clip.  Over his next two seasons, Butler’s Yards Per Punt statistics sank just a bit (2010: 44.5 (19th) and 2011: 44.2 (18th) as well), but he produced on an efficient basis and established himself as one of the best and most consistent Punters in the nation.  Butler did such a fine job for the Bulldogs that he was named to the Georgia’s All-Decade Team for his accomplishments on the field, and was also recognized for his work in the classroom when he earned a National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar Athlete Award.

It should be an interesting competition between Kapinos and Butler because of the fact that Butler was a bit of a shock to go undrafted.  I am glad that the Steelers picked up a quality Punter like Butler who has potential, and did not have to use a draft pick to do it.  I am at least comfortable with Kapinos shouldering the load, and he has a decent amount of experience.  Nevertheless, I would like to see what Butler can do when given his chance.  If Butler ends up panning out, it would be a huge steal for the club which was able to add depth in Rounds 5-7 to other positions of need.  I really do not mind who steps up and takes the job, I just want the club to find an answer and gain some stability at the Punter position.

Kicker Situation

While I am at least comfortable with Kapinos as the Punter if he indeed wins the job outright, I cannot feel the same way about Shaun Suisham entering this season.  Let me first start off by saying that Steelers were a bit spoiled by the consistency of Jeff Reed from the 2007-2009 seasons.  During that three-year stretch, there were few, if any, Kickers that were able to produce and produce as well as Skippy did.  I for one was able to ignore Reed’s odd behavior towards bathroom towel dispensers and “Doc Brown” hairdo because of his (77 of 87) 88.5% Field Goal percentage, and his ability to hit clutch kicks.  Reed for whatever reason tanked bad in 2010, and was cut after hitting only 15 of 22 (68.1%) Field Goals through the first 9 games of the season.

Hrapmann will look to take Suisham's job this season. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-US PRESSWIRE

After being almost money when he was signed at midseason for the then-erratic Reed, Suisham did a terrific job.  Over 2010′s final 7 weeks, Suisham went 14 of 15 on Field Goal Attempts (93.3%), and nailed 8 of 9 from 40+ Yards away.  Then however, the postseason began, and Suisham began to have some consistency issues as he missed two Field Goals in the three Playoff games.

Then during 2011, Suisham’s accuracy remained a tad off, and it really showed on Field Goals from 30+ Yards as well.  Suisham went 23 for 31 (74.2%) on his Field Goals during his first full year with the Steelers, and most shockingly went 13 for 21 (61.9%) on Field Goals from 30+ Yards away.  To be fair, Suisham’s career Field Goal average is (124 of 156) 79.5%, and in his combined career with the Steelers he has performed at just about that level at a (37 of 46) 80.4% clip.  Yet with Suisham’s recent struggles, the team signed Undrafted Rookie Danny Hrapmann from Southern Mississippi to put some heat on him over the coming months.

Hrapmann showed flashes of being a terrific Kicker at Southern Mississippi during his career, and was even named a 1st Team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation in 2010.  That season, Hrapmann went 26 of 31 (83.9%) on Field Goals, 55 of 55 on PAT’s, which gave him 133 Points overall.  His Points totals ranked him 3rd in the country in Scoring, 3rd in the country in Field Goals, and he made 8 of his 11 Field Goals from 40+ Yards away.

Unfortunately for Hrapmann, his Senior campaign was marred by some inconsistency, and his Draft stock slipped so much that he was not even selected by a team last month.  Hrapmann’s Field Goal percentage slipped greatly down to 67.6% (23 of 34) and was a tad off from long distance as he went 7 for 16 on Field Goals from 40+ Yards away.  Yet that is not to say that Hrapmann’s 2011 season was terrible.  He ranked 3rd in total Field Goals again with 23, ranked tied for 10th overall in total Points with 130, and made 61 of his 62 Extra Points on the year.  Hrapmann even played hero in a couple of games last season, as he most notably went 5 for 5 in a 30-29 win over Central Florida, and three of his Kicks were from over 40 Yards (42, 44, 48) as the Eagles triumphed that night.

For a smaller guy (5’9″ 164 lbs.), Hrapmann has a pretty big leg (15 Field Goals of 40+ Yards over the last two seasons), which should help him kick in cold and wintery conditions.  The question will be whether or not he is the 2010 version of himself accuracy-wise not the 2011 version of himself accuracy-wise.  Thus, Hrapmann will have to be at his best to unseat the veteran Suisham will really have to have a bad Training Camp and Preseason to lose the Kicker job.  Like the Punter position, I do not mind who wins the job, I just want the Steelers to find a consistent answer at said spot.

Final Thoughts

So what will end up happening with the Kicker and Punter positions?  I believe that Kapinos and Butler will probably battle until the final days of the preseason until a clear victor emerges.  I am sure the Steelers are well aware of what Kapinos can do, but it will be intriguing to see if Butler can overtake him for the job and the roster spot.  In regards to Suisham and Hrapmann, I hope at least one of them rekindles the consistency which they both possessed in 2010.  Either guy I am fine with having, just as long as one can prove they can do the job on a regular basis and kick in the muck come late in the season.

Heinz Field’s turf is a complete and total slop-fest come the end of November, and steady Special Teams play will be needed on all fronts.  Probably the place it will be needed most is in the Kicking Game, and especially when the Steelers head towards the open end of the stadium.  I will be keeping my fingers crossed for the next few months, and hope that some long-term answers emerge.  The Steelers can ill-afford to have shoddy Special Teams play, and it would be nice if two of these four players stepped up their games in 2012 and beyond.

Statistics Courtesy of: ESPN.com Steelers Page, http://www.pro-football-reference.com/, and ESPN.com College Player Pages (Hrapmann, Butler)

For all your Steelers news and discussions follow us on Twitter @nicepickcowherC, follow me on Twitter @DominicDiTolla, and like us on Facebook.

This is why you can’t have nice things…

The Pittsburgh Steelers laid a 35-3 beatdown on the outclassed Oakland Raiders yesterday afternoon.  However, instead of talking about the Black and Gold’s finest effort of the season, we’ll probably spend the week discussing the pathetic events which occurred between plays.  This game was a travesty, a sham, a complete mockery of what we as NFL fans expect.  And I hold Roger Goodell, the NFL, and the Raiders responsible for this utter travashamockery of football.

We should probably begin with Raiders DT and lead thug Richard Seymour, who sucker punched Ben Roethlisberger after a 22 yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Sanders.  Seymour was ejected for his Rampage Jackson-style right cross but that is not enough.  This was a criminal act the likes of which I have never seen on an NFL field.  The Ginger Dictator loves fining players for legal yet vicious hits in the name of protecting their safety.  How safe is it when you have goons like Seymour physically assaulting defenseless men after a play?

Seymour should not only face the stiffest fine ever levied but suspended for 2 to 3 games for his reprehensible actions.  In fact, I DEMAND IT.

As if the lousy sportsmanship wasn’t bad enough, the officials did everything in their power to ruin the game.  The Steelers set a team record with 14 penalties for 163 yards.  The Raiders as a team only had 182 yards TOTAL.  Ordinarily, I’d lay blame for this fiasco on the players and Mike Tomlin.   But I really have nothing to admonish them for since only about half those calls were legitimate fouls.

There’s a phenomenon known locally as Pittsburgh Paranoia.   It’s a feeling Pittsburgh sports fans have where they constantly feel leagues, networks, and especially the media either ignore or attempt to diminish our teams.  Usually I laugh at these conspiracy nuts even though there is a kernel of truth to their argument.  However, after yesterday, I’m fully on board with anybody who wants to argue the NFL is attempting to sabotage the Steelers.

Even now, some 12 hours later, I can feel myself slipping into a boiling rage over the grossly inept display of officiating.  The Steelers were called for two personal fouls on absolutely clean sacks, one of which negated a pick-six.  James Harrison, after clocking Jason Campbell, was flagged for coming down “with his full weight on the QB.”  So that’s a penalty now?  What about 3/4 body weight?  Or 1/5?  How much weight is permitted to touch a precious QB before a flag is thrown in this increasingly pussified game of football?  It was a form-perfect hit.  What’s he supposed to do?

The Ginger Dictator should just issue a press release saying, “James Harrison is no longer permitted to touch any quarterbacks under penalty of fine and/or personal foul.  Sorry, I just don’t like him or the Steelers.  In fact, if he scowls at the QB in a threatening manner, I may penalize that, too.”  It’s pathetic.

When the Steelers weren’t being called for phantom personal fouls, they were getting flagged for phantom pass interferences.  Ike Taylor, who was the man denied his pick-six, got flagged for PI on a ball that overshot the receiver by about 20 yards.  I could go on and on and on but I don’t know what to say.  This was the most atrociously refereed football game I’ve ever seen.  The league should be embarrassed.

Let’s talk some positives.  Sean Kugler continues to work miracles with the offensive line.  The starting group of Flo-Foster (starting for a benched Trai Essex)-Pouncey-Kemo-Scott was fairly impressive, keeping Ben clean and providing a nice pocket.  Meanwhile, the vaunted run D the mouthbreathers from Oakland who invaded my blog raved about was getting gashed until injuries to our already banged up O-line started piling up.  If this group can get healthy come playoff time, we might have something.  That’s a big IF, though, as Scott and Kemo were both hobbled leading to super-sub Essex entering at various points.  Then there was Pouncey, who was replaced by Legursky after re-injuring his gimpy knee early in the second half.

Big Ben was brilliant.  Of course, a late scratch of Raiders star CB Nnamdi Asomugha helped.  But this was the Ben we expected once he returned from his unfair uncalled for suspension.  Quick, decisive, and pinpoint accurate, the offense was firing on all cylinders after a few rough drives to start the game.  Ben completed 18/29 for 275 with 3 passing TDs and one 16 yard TD scramble.  I particularly enjoyed the 16 yard FU touchdown to Issac Redman with a little over a minute left in the game.

What was most impressive about the passing game was the variety of targets utilized in the attack.  Ben hit eight different receivers, six of whom had multiple catches.  Naturally, Mike Wallace had the big game (3 catches but 116 yards!   52 of which came on his lone TD.) but rookies Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders (whose leaping 22 yard TD catch was sweet) finally made some plays.  Hines and Heath were dependable safety valves, as usual.

On the flip side, the run defense was fantastic.  They held the Raiders to only 61 total yards on the ground, lowering their yearly yards against average yet again.  At the rate they’re going, this may end up being statistically the best rush defense in NFL HISTORY.  Harrison, when he wasn’t being unfairly persecuted, had a monster game, posting five tackles, two sacks, picking off a pass and forcing a fumble.  Ike Taylor also forced a fumble in addition to the pick-six he was denied.

Shaun Suisham made all his extra points so I have nothing to comment on in that regard.  Got a good laugh at the crowd roaring on his first PAT.  Enjoy the love while you can, Suissy.  We’ll be ready to run you out of town as soon as you shank a 35 yarder with the Steelers up by 20 in the fourth quarter.

I’m torn on what to take from this game.   There is the positive of our team playing tremendously on both sides of the ball which is negated by the fact the Raiders are a pathetic team.  I’m sorry, I truly gave them too much credit in my preview as it’s clear they beat up on a bunch of bottom-feeders and in reality aren’t in the same class as the league’s top tier teams.  Then we have the positive of being able to wash the taste from last week’s debacle out of our mouths.  Which is countered by this game being a debacle of a different sort, albeit one which ended well.  I guess at the end of the day that’s all that matters.

Sifting through the wreckage of L’Affaire d’ Skippy…

The Pittsburgh Steelers bid farewell to their long-time kicker with a short bitterly worded press release which was as much a burial as a good-bye.  The final paragraph read, “Jeff Reed was in his ninth year with the team in 2010, but was just 15 of 22 on field goal attempts this season.  Reed ranks second in team history with 919 career points (307 PATs, 204 FGs).”   Ouch.   Either one of the ladies in the PR Department is an unhappy notch on Skippy’s bedpost or somebody in the front office ordered them to twist the knife before throwing him overboard.

When Santonio Holmes was traded, the press release was very diplomatic, noting his career accomplishments and noting what they got in return.   It didn’t say, “Today the Steelers traded Santonio Holmes for a clipboard and a couple of jockstraps.  Holmes, with 235 catches for 3,850 yards, currently ranks 3rd on the all-time yardage by a pothead list.  In 2009, he had over 1,000 yards receiving and was 1 for 1 in beaning chicks with a shotglass.”

I do think releasing Jeff has been in the plans for awhile.  His off-field stupidity coupled with his outrageous salary demands already put him in a hole.  He just dug it deeper by whining about his contract to the media (something the Rooneys despise) and then struck oil by claiming the “front office” aka Art Rooney II, “lied” to him when they promised he’d get a new contract before the season.  Actually, I do believe the front office lied to him because the front office which used to be run with honor and integrity has become dishonest and hypocritical in recent years.

I don’t think this is “a message to the players.” since Reed is but a lowly kicker.  Real football players think about their kicker about as much as they think about what their having for lunch.  I doubt Willie Gay or Trai Essex are somewhere thinking, “Man, I better play better or I’ll get cut next!”  Google any kicker and you’ll see they played for a list of teams.  It’s an expendable position.  If better options at CB, OL, or DL were available, they would already be here.

Let’s talk some Shaun Suisham.  As you can see by the video above, he’s got a very strong leg.  He was originally discovered by the Steelers but cut in training camp back in 2005.  He’s a Canadian so instead of drunken man whore jokes I can now roll out my repertoire of Canuck humor.  Since being cut by the Rams in training camp, the Black and Gold will be the first uniform he’s worn this season and his fifth team in the past six years.

Comparing their career numbers, Suisham and Reed aren’t much different.  Suisham, who will also handle kickoffs, has a 60 yard average against Reed’s 61 yards.  Suisham’s career kicking percentage is 79% vs. Skippy’s 81%.   Of course, those numbers can be skewed by distance and place.  For example, Suisham’s career percentage at 40-49 yards (75%) is actually significantly better than Reed’s (65%) although much of that probably has to do with Heinz Field where anything over 40 yards is anything but a gimme.

Although I wonder how much the Heinz Field Curse is overblown.  The entire rationale to franchising Reed was because few people can kick at the Ketchup Bottle.  In 2010, Skippy was 4 for 9 (44%) at home.  His opponents, same wind, same field conditions, were 7 out of 9 (78%).  Once Reed started blowing kicks at home, I knew his career in Pittsburgh had the life expectancy of the first towel dispenser he saw after hearing he had been released.

Sorry, had to work one more Sheetz joke in for old time’s sake.

The big red flag with Suisham is his ability to kick under pressure.  Suisham has played in exactly two important games in his career and performed badly in both of them.  Last year, the Redskins had a chance to upset the then-undefeated Saints but Suisham shanked a 23 yarder which always classy Washingtonians have dubbed “The Choke.”  Suisham was later released and hooked on with the Cowboys.  He contributed to their annual playoff meltdown by missing two kicks (both over 40 yards) in their NFC Divisional loss to the Vikings.

The Steelers play more than their share of big games so if this guy isn’t a big game kicker, we may be in for a long year.  Then again, the Patriots once had the Big Ben of kickers, Adam Vinatieri, but didn’t want to pay him.  They replaced him with a kid named Stephen Gostkowski and haven’t really missed a beat.  So “clutch” kicking is not exactly irreplaceable.  Although let’s hope the Steelers don’t find out the hard way that statement doesn’t always hold true.