ILB Lawrence Timmons

Now that we are less than a month away from the 2012 NFL Draft, speculation is running wild on what players the Pittsburgh Steelers will be targeting when the draft begins on Thursday, April 26.  After an offseason of massive changes on both sides of the ball, the Steelers are in a position where they need a good draft to fill depth that has been lost over the last few months.

In order to understand where we are heading, it is imperative that we understand the past.  Over the next few weeks here at NPC, I will be reviewing the past five Steelers draft classes in detailed fashion.  Then, as we hit draft week 2012, I will give my predictions for the 2012 Steelers draft class.  Pittsburgh has always been a team that has used the draft to build from within, as opposed to the teams that build through free agency.  The strategy has worked well, leading to more Super Bowl victories than any other franchise in professional football.  However, even the Steelers are not above criticism when it comes to the inexact science that is NFL drafting.  We will start tonight by reviewing the 2007 Steelers draft class – a class that produced no less than three defensive starters, along with a Tight End who contributed to the Steelers Super Bowl XLIII win and a Punter that for a short time was considered one of the best in football.

The 2007 Steelers draft was the first for head Coach Mike Tomlin, and set the tone for his very successful first five years in the Emperors Chair.  The Steelers were coming off an 8-8 season in Bill Cowhers final season as head coach, as speculation was that massive changes would be in store for the team under their new head coach.  That speculation was squashed when Tomlin announced that longtime Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau would be retained, allowing the team to continue utilizing the 3-4 defense that had been so successful.  The offense was handed over to new Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians, who had served under former OC Ken Whisenhunt and seemed to have a desire to maintain consistency on that side of the ball as well.  The Steelers would head into the 2007 Draft looking to enhance a team that had Pro-Bowl talent all over the field and was looking to return to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers had the 15th pick in Round One of the 2007 Draft, a relatively high pick for a franchise used to picking in the final five picks year after year.  The stage was set for an exciting draft for the Steelers, and fans anticipated the possibility of Pitt CB Darrelle Revis becoming the next great Steelers defensive back.  The New York Jets would end that dream when they traded up to the 14th overall slot with Carolina to select Revis.  Without a defensive back on the board that they felt was worthy of the 15th overall pick, the Steelers went to their roots and selected the best linebacker available.

Lawrence Timmons, Florida State Seminoles

Round One – 15th Overall – Lawrence Timmons – Linebacker – 6’3″, 232 lbs. – Florida State

Possibly one of the most athletic players in the 2007 Draft, Lawrence Timmons would become the first draft pick of the Tomlin era when the Steelers selected the Florida State product with the 15th pick of round one.  Timmons would begin his Steelers career as a backup to the ILB combination of James Farrior and Larry Foote.  In his rookie season, Timmons played in all 16 games for the team, recording 13 tackles.  After another season as the backup and winning a Super Bowl ring in 2008, the stage was set for Timmons to take over for Foote in 2009.  The Steelers made that move official when they released Foote in May at the veterans request, and Timmons went into the season with his first starting role on the team.  After a 2009 season full of highs and lows for Timmons, he firmly established himself as a key piece of the Steelers defense in 2010 – leading the team with 135 tackles and adding 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 interceptions.  The team rewarded his progress in August 2011 with a six-year, $50 million contract extension.

Lawrence Timmons has proved to be a valuable player for the Steelers.  Besides a natural ability to get to ball carriers, Timmons has spent considerable time in his career playing in pass coverage against athletic tight ends and running backs.  While accolades have been short in his five-year run, Timmons has played in two Super Bowls and established himself as a perfect fit in the Steelers 3-4 alignment.  Still just 25 years old, the best could very well still lay ahead for Timmons.

LaMarr Woodley, Michigan Wolverines

Round Two – 46th Overall – LaMarr Woodley – OLB/DE – 6’2″ 265 lbs. – Michigan

With the 46th pick in the draft, the Steelers landed perhaps their best value draft pick of the Tomlin era.  With defensive ends such as Jamaal Anderson, Jarvis Moss, and the late Gaines Adams off the board in the first round, the Steelers were able to steal LaMarr Woodley in the second round.  Sticking to a tradition that had worked for the franchise so many times in the past, the team viewed Woodley – primarily a defensive end at Michigan – as a perfect candidate to move into the outside linebacker slot in the 3-4 alignment.

After playing in 13 games and recording four sacks in his rookie season, Woodley secured a starting slot opposite James Harrison to begin 2008 – creating one of the most prolific outside linebacker combinations in NFL history.  He immediately established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in the league with 11.5 sacks in his sophomore campaign.  In 2009, Woodley earned a Pro Bowl nod with a 13.5 sack season – the second of his three consecutive double digit sack seasons.  In his five years with Pittsburgh, Woodley has accumulated 48.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles, and 3 defensive touchdowns.

One of the most popular Steelers players both on and off the field, LaMarr Woodley has been nothing short of integral to the Steelers dominating defense.  The team rewarded him in 2011 with a six-year $61.5 million contract extension.

Matt Spaeth, Minnesota Golden Gophers

Round Three – 77th Overall – Matt Spaeth – TE – 6’7″ 270 lbs. – Minnesota

The Steelers dove right back into the Big Ten Conference pool in round three, selecting huge tight end Matt Spaeth from the University of Minnesota.  With Heath Miller firmly established as the teams starter and longtime backup Jerame Tuman on the roster, Spaeth was considered a luxury pick for a team that had few legitimate needs in terms of depth.  The 2006 winner of the John Mackey Award as the top college tight end, Spaeth made his presence felt on his first professional reception – a 5-yard touchdown pass from QB Ben Roethlisberger in a week one victory over the Cleveland Browns.  Once Tuman was placed on injured reserve, Spaeth took over as the Steelers primary backup to Miller – a spot he would fill for the next four seasons.  Spaeth would leave the team as a free agent after 2010 to sign with the Chicago Bears, closer to his home in St. Michael, Minnesota.

In terms of the service provided to the Steelers, Spaeth gave the team a reliable backup to Heath Miller, caught five touchdown passes, and played on a Super Bowl winning team in 2008.  Playing behind Miller – arguably the best tight end in team history – did not offer many opportunities to stand out.  Considering the lack of talent the third round of the 2007 draft produced, Spaeth was a solid selection for the Steelers.

Daniel Sepulveda, Baylor Bears

Round Four – 112th Overall – Daniel Sepulveda – P – 6’3″ 230 lbs. – Baylor

The Steelers shocked many of their fans when they selected Sepulveda – a highly-decorated college punter – in the forth round.  Sepulveda was considered one of the top collegiate punters in the country, a winner of two Ray Guy Awards (2004,2006) and a first-team All American.  A former walk-on linebacker to the Baylor football team, he had earned a scholarship after a switch to punting – despite having not played the position since his junior high school days.  In his first NFL training camp, he won the Steelers job by beating out veteran Mike Barr.

While it is extremely hard to value a punter on statistics alone, the difference Sepulveda brought to the team was evident right away.  His ability to boot the ball downfield with ease was a sight for sore eyes in Steeler Nation and his athletic ability kept opposing teams on their toes with the potential for fake punts.  In Week 16 of his rookie season during a game in St. Louis, Sepulveda completed a 32-yard pass to RB Najeh Davenport, helping the team to a 41-24 victory.  His solid rookie season would be the highlight of his Steelers career, as injuries limited him to only 221 punts over his five-year stint with Pittsburgh.

Ryan McBean, Oklahoma State Cowboys

Round Four – 132th Overall – Ryan McBean – DT – 6’5″ 305 lbs. – Oklahoma State

Despite having on the top defensive lines in football, the Steelers continued to spend mid-round draft picks in an attempt to build – resulting in such draft failures as Nathaniel Adibi (2004) and Orien Harris (2006).  The team went after another defensive lineman with their second pick in the forth round, selecting Ryan McBean from Oklahoma State.  McBean would have a short career in the Steel City, playing in only one regular season game before being released during the final round of preseason cuts in 2008.  He would re-emerge with the Denver Broncos in 2009, becoming a starter at left defensive end and playing in 14 games.  He has remained with Denver and played in all 16 games in 2010 and 2011, recording 54 tackles and 4.0 sacks.

McBean was arrested in October 2011 for allegedly stalking an ex-girlfriend.  This past March, it was announced that he had been suspended for six games in 2012 due to a failed drug test.  The status of that suspension remains in question due to a lawsuit filed by McBean and a fellow teammate D.J. Williams over the manner in which the urine samples were collected.

Round Five – 156th Overall – Cameron Stephenson – OG – 6’3″ 326 lbs. – Rutgers

The Steelers made an attempt to build offensive line depth with the selection of Stephenson, the only player in the teams 2007 draft class to never suit up for a regular season game with the franchise.  Stephenson was released during training camp of his rookie season.  He has since been part of practice squads in Green Bay, Philadelphia,and New Orleans.  He played in two regular season games with Jacksonville in 2008.  Stephenson is currently out of football.

William Gay, Louisville Cardinals

Round Five – 170th Overall – William Gay – CB -  5’10″ 190 lbs. – Louisville

The selection of Gay would round out a defensive draft that would include three future starters for the team.  Primarily used on special teams and occasionally in nickel coverage during his rookie season, Gay started four games for the team in 2008, contributing to the Super Bowl winning Steelers.  He would take over the role opposite CB Ike Taylor in 2009, replacing the departed Bryant McFadden.  Despite losing his starting job to the returning McFadden in 2010, he played in all 16 games.  He would once again emerge as the starter in 2011, his final year with the Steelers.  Overall, Gay tallied 193 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles in his Pittsburgh career.

A polarizing player that has been both criticized and praised during this time with the team, Gay was signed as a free agent by Arizona on March 25.

Dallas Baker, Florida Gators

Round Seven – 227th Overall – Dallas Baker – WR – 6’3″ 206 lbs. – Florida

With their final pick in the 2007 Draft, the Steelers opted to select a player with a solid big-college resume.  Dallas Baker had been such a major piece to the Florida Gators 2007 BCS National Championship team that he was nicknamed “Dallas Baker, Touchdown Maker” by the ESPN College Football analysts.  A big game player, his senior season included touchdown catches in wins over rival Florida State, as well as a score in the BCS Title game rout of Ohio State.  All told, he tallied 151 catches for 2,236 yards and 21 touchdowns in his four-year college career.  With the Steelers in need of a large receiver in the passing game, it was hard to argue with the selection of Baker in the seventh round.

As many players have proven over the years, college statistics are not always indicative of professional results.  Baker played in eight games for the Steelers, catching one pass.  He failed to make the active roster in 2007, but was signed to the practice squad – where he spent the majority of his black and gold career.  After his final release from the team in September 2009, Baker spent time in both the Arena Football League and Canadian Football League.  He is currently on the active roster for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the CFL.

2007 Draft Summary

The first Mike Tomlin-led Steelers draft included three future defensive starters, a tight end who contributed to four playoff teams, and a punter who was considered one of the best in football before injuries sidelined his career.  While containing some obvious misses, only three picks in this draft failed to make an impact with the Pittsburgh Steelers.  The choices of Timmons and Woodley were integral to two AFC Championship winning teams and the teams sixth Lombardi Trophy.  Although this draft could not be considered one of the top all-time classes for the team, there is no doubt that it can be considered a success.

Follow Jeff Snedden on Twitter @jeffsnedden

Follow Nice Pick, Cowher on Twitter @nicepickcowherC

Be sure to get the best Steelers coverage year-round here at Nice Pick, Cowher.

Santonio Holmes, a 2006 first round draft pick and Super Bowl XLIII MVP, has been traded to the New York Jets for a fifth round pick in this year’s draft.

This marks a stunning turn of events in the Steelers’ relationship with Holmes, who just one year ago was cradling his MVP trophy while basking in the adulation of 250,000 screaming fans.  With Hines Ward nearing the end of his career, it was assumed that Holmes would be the Steelers #1 receiving threat for years to come.  He was expected to have a breakout season in 2009 and he did set career highs with 79 catches for 1,200 yards while only catching 5 TDs (the same as in 2008).  ‘Tone would’ve been a free agent after the 2010 season and it was widely speculated that he would be the sacrificial lamb to pay for an off-season where the Steelers reputation as a classy and respectful organization took a massive hit.

Which is ironic because taking hits is likely what contributed to Santonio being run out of town.   Pro Football Talk reported on Saturday that there is a rumor that Holmes either failed or didn’t take an NFL mandated drug test and therefore is subject to an automatic four game suspension come next season.   On top of that, Holmes is currently involved in legal drama revolving around allegedly throwing a glass at a woman in a Florida night club.  Of course, run-ins with the law are nothing new to this lowlife thug as he has been cited for drug possession and beating the crap out of his baby mama in the recent past.

Even with a possible four game suspension and the fact he can be a free agent at year’s end, I’m stunned that all the Steelers could get for a player with his resume is a fifth round draft pick.   This tells me one of two things.   Either everybody knew he was damaged goods and wouldn’t offer them anything good.  Or they are so desperate to repair their tattered image among TRUE STEELER FANS who are growing more and more angry about turning into the Bengals 2.0 that they basically shipped him out of town as quickly as they could for the first offer they could get.

While this move doesn’t exactly restore my faith in the Rooney family and the Steeler organization as a whole, I am pleased that they are at least making an effort to do the right thing.   Antwaan Randle El and Mike Wallace aren’t players the caliber of a Santonio Holmes (at least in Wallace’s case, NOT YET) but they aren’t habitual criminals who tell people to go drink Drain-O on Twitter, either.  I would rather go 7-9 with those two on my team than make another playoff run with that idiot.  Thank you, Steelers, for finally doing the right thing.

Are you listening, Benjamin?

At last!  After 25 years, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally had one for the thumb.

And they did it the hard way.

Things started badly as both Duce and Bus were hurt in the preseason.  That meant starting RB duties fell to a 2nd year undrafted free agent by the name of Willie Parker.  Fast Willie introduced himself by rushing for 161 yards in his first game.  He added 111 more in his second.  The heir apparent to Bettis was finally found.

Still, the team struggled.  Big Ben battled injuries necessitating two starts from his backup, Tommy Maddox.   The team lost both games with Maddox playing terribly.  An overtime loss against Jacksonville saw him throw two interceptions during regulation then fumble a snap in overtime when the team was in game winning FG range.  The defense forced a punt so Maddox took matters into his own hands by throwing his third INT, a Pick Six which ended the game.

Steeler fans dumped garbage on his lawn and taunted his two young children after that game in what was the only time I was ever embarrassed to be a member of Steeler Nation.

As of week 13, the Steelers were 7-5 and on the outside looking in at the playoffs.  The team then reeled off four straight wins beginning with a defeat of the Bears where Jerome Bettis clobbered supposed All-Pro LB Brian Urlacher. They finished the season 11-5 which was only good for the sixth seed.

I’m sure we all know what happened next.  Kimo von Oelhoffen went Kobra Kai on Carson Palmer, sweeping the leg and tearing his ACL.   The Steelers beat the #3 seed Bengals to move on to the #1 seeded Colts.  They thoroughly outplayed Indy but only Big Ben making The Tackle on Bus’s monumentally ill-timed fumble kept Indy from taking the lead.  Karma balanced things out when Indy’s kicker missed the game tying FG.   The Steelers then traveled out to Denver and knocked off the #2 seeded Broncos.

In Super Bowl XL, Pittsburgh faced the NFC’s #1 seed, the Seattle Seahawks.  The signature play was provided on FWP’s 75 yard TD run early in the second half.  However, MVP honors fell to Hines Ward, who caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a TD thrown by the best QB on the field that day, WR Antwaan Randle El.  After fourteen long years, Bill Cowher finally won the big one.

Jerome Bettis announced his retirement following the game, a fitting conclusion to the career of one of the all-time greatest Steelers.

2006

The year got off to a bad start when Ben Roethlisberger was sideswiped by some nearsighted old bat while riding his motorcycle.   Ben suffered life threatening injuries because he was too stupid to wear a helmet.  His entire face had to be reconstructed with screws and Elmer’s Glue.    To add insult to injury, a week before the start of the season, he also underwent an emergency appendectomy.

More controversy raged during the preseason when Bettis, in his new role of NBC commentator, mentioned that Cowher told him he wanted to retire after winning the Super Bowl.  Evidently he felt he owed it to his players and the Rooneys to come back and defend the title.   However, he was burnt out from 15 years of coaching and with a new deal not on the horizon, it became more and more apparent this was his swan song with the Steelers.

The team won their first game with Charlie Batch filling in capably.  Then they rushed Ben back for a Monday nighter in Jacksonville.   Ben looked horrible and despite a superior defensive effort the team lost 9-0.  Between the appendix operation and brain damage from the motorcycle accident, Ben was a shadow of himself most of the season.  They also lost to a Raiders team which would only win two lousy games that year.  At 2-6 at the mid-season point, hopes for a Super Bowl repeat were gone.

Still, the team rallied like champions and went 6-2 down the stretch.  Playing the last few weeks under Cowher’s mantra of “Misery loves company,” they provided a little of that misery to the Bengals in the final game of the season.   Cincy needed to win to make the postseason while the Steelers had no motivation but to send their coach out a winner.  Which they did thanks to a 67 yard TD in OT by Santonio Holmes.

2007

Little known defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin was introduced as the Steelers new head coach.  He immediately established his authority by refusing to let Casey Hampton practice or play until he lost weight.  The veterans may not have liked him but he certainly got their attention.  After the team faded badly down the stretch, some players grumbled it was a result of such a tough training camp.

Boo hoo.

The defense lost a ton of swagger when Joey Porter was released during the preseason.  Peezy was a controversial and colorful character but he was also a ferocious linebacker in the true Steeler tradition.  Of course his replacement, James Harrison, was no slouch either.  In fact, had Joey not gotten thrown out of a game against Cleveland in pregame warmups, Silverback may have never gotten a chance to show the NFL what he could do.

The team roared out of the gate to a 9-3 record.  Then safety Anthony Smith issued his infamous “guarantee” that they’d beat the Patriots.  Tom Brady responded by torturing him for two long TD passes then talking trash.   Smith got burned the next week as his big mouth wrote checks his meager abilities couldn’t cash and the team quickly lost two straight.

Things went further downhill when DE Aaron Smith was lost for the season.  When he went down, the Steelers run defense went right along with him.   Meanwhile, FWP broke his leg in the second to last game of the year.   Parker was leading the NFL in rushing at the time and losing him pretty much wrecked our offense.

The team was one-and-done against Jacksonville.   They fell behind early but mounted a comeback which was repeatedly sabotaged by Tomlin’s boneheaded insistence on going for 2 pt conversions.  Still, who knows what would’ve happened if the refs hadn’t missed about four holding penalties on David Garrard‘s first down scramble that set Jacksonville up to kick the winning FG.   The NFL director of officials apologized for the botch job after the game.   But I thought the calls always went the Steelers way?

2008

Since we’re only one year removed, I’ll spare you a detailed recap.  Suffice it to say, this year featured one of the best single season defensive efforts in history.  Dick LeBeau and his men were either first or second in every major defensive category.  Time and time again, Blitzburgh would create a big turnover or stop the opposition cold in their tracks.  Combined with clutch last-second heroics from Big Ben, the season was about as exciting as any you’ll ever see.

Unfortunately, one very important member of Steeler Nation wasn’t here to see it.  The year began on a sad note when the great Myron Cope passed away.  The man who invented the Terrible Towel was surely looking down with an emphatic “YOI!  DOUBLE YOI!” as the Steelers tore through the hardest schedule given any team in the past 30 years.

In the playoffs, the Steelers faced the Ratbirds for a third time.  Three wins against our most hated enemy is nice enough but doing so for the right to play in the Super Bowl made it all the sweeter.   In the big game, the Steelers faced the man who was their offensive coordinator in Super Bowl XL.   Ken Whisenhunt and his Arizona Cardinals were a surprise entrant but they were a worthy opponent.  The two teams played what is widely regarded as the most exciting Super Bowl ever.  Only a last minute toe-dragging catch by MVP Santonio Holmes ensured that the season end on a high note.  Get it, HIGH note?

2009

Which brings us to this year.  Of course, no post Super Bowl off-season is complete without some Ben Roethlisberger drama.   This time, it came in the form of a rape accusation by a cowboy hat wearing desk clerk out in Reno.

To further incur the Football Gods wrath, the folks at EA Sports put Troy Polamalu on the cover of their video game.  The Madden Curse struck immediately as Troy was injured in the Steelers very first game.  He came back briefly but this season has been a total write-off as far as he’s concerned.

Still, this squad got off to an excellent 6-2 start.  Then the wheels fell off.  Losses to three of the worst teams in the league mixed with a sweep by the Bengals.  Ben was concussed in an OT loss to KC.   Hines Ward went on national tv and called his QB a sissy.  Tomlin issued threats and ultimatums which his team ignored.  The defense couldn’t hold a lead while the offense repeatedly failed in the red zone.  Ryan Clark accused the 400,000 fans who came to cheer him on just 10 months earlier of being “fairweather.”   Losses mounted until the streak reached five straight.  Only a slight rebound toward the end of the year has kept the team’s slim playoff hopes alive.

It’s looking like the decade will end much like it began.   With the Steelers on the edge of greatness, searching for that missing player or two that will put them back into serious championship contention.

Still, two Super Bowl championships in four years and multiple playoff games made this an exciting time to be a Steeler fan.  Without a doubt this was the best decade for the Black and Gold since the 1970′s.   I’m sure we appreciate this team giving us memories we’ll carry for a lifetime.  Here’s looking forward to more yet to come!

]]> http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/31/a-steeler-decade-in-review-part-2/feed/ 2 http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/30/pro-bowl-snubs-big-ben-santonio/ http://nicepickcowher.com/2009/12/30/pro-bowl-snubs-big-ben-santonio/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:04:14 +0000 chris http://nicepickcowher.com/?p=2390 The 2009 Pro Bowl rosters were announced yesterday.  A grand total of two Pittsburgh Steelers were selected to the team.  James Harrison was named a starter, his third selection in as many years.  Casey Hampton was chosen as a reserve NT (behind the Ravens’ Haloti Ngata) marking his fifth appearance in the NFL’s annual all-star [...]

Pro Bowl Snubs Big Ben & Santonio - Nice Pick, Cowher - Nice Pick, Cowher - A Pittsburgh Steelers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

The 2009 Pro Bowl rosters were announced yesterday.  A grand total of two Pittsburgh Steelers were selected to the team.  James Harrison was named a starter, his third selection in as many years.  Casey Hampton was chosen as a reserve NT (behind the Ravens’ Haloti Ngata) marking his fifth appearance in the NFL’s annual all-star game.

As is usually the case with the Pro Bowl, it’s more interesting to talk about who didn’t make it than those who did.

Nobody was selected from the Steeler offense.  Remember, this is first time in franchise history that they have a 4,000 yard passer, two 1,000 yard recievers, and a 1,000 yard rusher all in the same season.  Not to mention Heath Miller, who has long been one of the best TEs in the game but is currently having the finest year of his career.  When you pile up those kind of statistics, one would think somebody should get Pro Bowl recognition.

Even though Hines Ward currently has roughly the same stats as Pro Bowl reserve Brandon Marshall, I can understand him not making the team.  His fellow players consider him “dirty” and in a popularity contest like this, his grittiness hurts his chances.  The same cannot be said of Santonio Holmes.  Coming off his Super Bowl MVP performance, many thought this would be ‘Tone’s breakout year.   I’m not sure I’d go that far but he’s currently tied for third in the NFL in total receiving yardage.  What really separates him is that of the top ten receivers, he’s third in average yards per catch.  I’d say that’s slightly more impressive than Wes Welker’s uncanny ability to catch ten 3 yard passes per game.

The other omission I’m sure will cause much agita among Steeler Nation is the snubbing of Ben Roethlisberger.  This one’s a little bit difficult for me because I really don’t see any argument for including him unless you think the Super Bowl winning QB should make the team by default.  He’s eighth in total yardage and his 23/12 TD-to-INT ratio isn’t very good.  Big Ben also suffers by playing in the same conference as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.  It’s hard to put Ben on the team ahead of two of the greatest QBs in NFL history.  The only one you could quibble with is the third QB, Philip Rivers.  However, Rivers has a fantastic 27/9 ratio and his team has won twelve games this year.

Regardless, there are a ton of dropouts every season since everybody wants chosen for the Pro Bowl (due to contract incentives) but nobody wants to actually play in it.  Since the NFL stupidly moved it out of Hawaii, I’d imagine there will be even less desire to attend this year.  So of course I’m sure another Steeler or two will make the team before all is said and done.  Although being added because somebody else didn’t want to come is kinda like being the last kid picked in kickball.

]]>

After playing the Baltimore Ravens three times last season, including an epic AFC Championship game, it’s safe to say the Pittsburgh Steelers know this enemy quite well.  And if familiarity breeds contempt, these teams must outright hate each other by now.  Pittsburgh sports has a number of great rivalries, including Pitt-WVU who meet later today in their annual Backyard Brawl.   But I dare say none can compare to the Ravens and Steelers.

Earlier this week, the FOX medical drama “House” made a joke of the fact Omar Epps is a dead ringer for head coach Mike Tomlin.  In an ironic twist, Tomlin probably spent a lot of time this week thinking he was trapped in a medical drama.  The Steelers are getting absolutely hammered by injuries to key personnel.  Where’s Dr. House when you need him?

For those keeping score at home, Travis Kirschke continues to nurse a torn calf although he practiced this week and will probably play Sunday.  Of all the guys we could get back, Kirschke is the least important since Nick Eason and Ziggy Hood were doing a pretty good job in his absence.  LG Chris Kemoeatu sprained his MCL and looks to be out one, possibly two, weeks.  Undrafted rookie Ramon Foster will make his first NFL start.  Ben Roethlisberger has been monitored all week and seems to have practiced normally so should be cleared to play.  Finally, Troy Polamalu will reportedly miss a month with his knee injury which probably rules him out of at least the next two games.

The Ravens will be dealing with some injuries of their own.  Their best LB (sorry Ray Ray), Terrell Suggs, is out with a knee injury thanks to a heroic chop block by fabulous Brady Quinn.  One of their main corners, Fabian Washington, tore his ACL and is gone for the year.  Keep in mind this defense no longer has LB Bart Scott or S Jim Leonard, who went to the Jets this off-season along with mastermind D coordinator Rex Ryan, their new head coach.  The Ravens are going to be a hard-nosed football team no matter what but they are definitely weakened and depleted on the defensive side of the ball.

Offensively, Joe Flacco has taken another giant step forward from his already highly successful rookie campaign.  Last season, they tried to protect Flacco and keep him out of situations where the game rode on his shoulders.  This year, he’s been asked to shoulder more of the load and responded to the challenge.  Still, the Ravens remain a run-first and ask-questions-later team.  Flacco has the ability but Baltimore is lacking in quality targets for him. Last year’s top receiver, Derrick Mason, is 35 and coming off shoulder surgery.  If a team can effectively stuff the run, the Ravens run into trouble because their passing game seems limited to big play threat Mason and short safe outlet throws to emerging superstar RB Ray Rice.

Offensively, the story will be how Big Ben rebounds from last week’s brain rattling hit.  I would hope the Steelers try to lean a bit more on the running game to spare him unnecessary abuse.  Baltimore will have no qualms about dialing up the pressure and considering we’re playing with a banged up offensive line, one would think this is a good time for Bruce Arians to rein in his Flying Circus.  Of course the words “logical playcalling” and “Arians” seldom belong in the same sentence.

Finally, heads have rolled on the Steelers special teams unit.   CB Keiwan Ratliff and LB Donovan Woods have been cut.  Woods was just promoted from the practice squad as an alleged upgrade to the kick coverage but his only notable achievement last week was to get flagged to nullify a beautiful 35 yard punt return by Stefan Logan.  With the injury to Troy, they’ve used Ratliff as a safety in nickel and dime packages in addition to special teams.  Regardless of where he’s played, he’s constantly out of position and missing tackles.

Your newest Steelers are LB Rocky Boiman and CB Corey Ivy.  Boiman is an eight year vet who won a Super Bowl with the Colts back in 2006.  I don’t know anything else about him except he’s got a cool name.   Ivy played the past three seasons for the Ratbirds so we know him.  He was someone the Steelers repeatedly picked on as well as being the doofus that Limas Sweed obliterated in the AFC Championship game.  Regardless, their primary job will be to run down the field and make a lousy freakin’ tackle.  Hopefully they’ll succeed where others have failed miserably.

Believe me, the Steelers will need to be on their game in all three phases Sunday night if they want to escape with a win.  I know I’ve typed the words “Biggest game of the season” several weeks in a row but in all seriousness, this game is the season.  If the Steelers lose, they fall into a tie with the Ravens (one game behind with the tiebreak) and will be tied or a game behind three or four teams in the Wild Card race.  More importantly, a loss and I fear the team will mentally pack it in for the year.  Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.