Ah, the bye week.   It gives you the chance to sit back, relax, and watch other teams play without any of the emotional turmoil one feels while watching our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.

This weekend, I was (un)fortunate enough to view two of the Black and Gold’s three AFC North rivals.  Of course the one I didn’t watch, the Baltimore Ravens, scored an impressive win over the Denver Broncos.  As much as it pains me to admit, the Ratbirds look like the real deal.  Especially when they have a healthy Ray Rice at their disposal.  The rest of our division, however, leaves a lot to be desired.

The Steelers’ next opponent, the Cleveland Browns, fell at home to Atlanta.  The Brownies may only be 1-4 but have played pretty well as of late.   They led the Ravens 17-14 in the fourth quarter before ultimately falling to defeat in week 3 and then upset the Bengals the following weekend.   That’s the good news.  The bad news is the reason for their sudden resurgence was the steady play of QB Seneca Wallace.  I say bad news because Wallace sprained his ankle against the Falcons paving the way for washed up Jake Delhomme to put the kibosh on any chance they had of winning.  Rivalry games are always a crapshoot but without Wallace, I’d put the Browns chances this Sunday somewhere between little and none.

Meanwhile, the team they upset last week, the Bengals, were busy self-destructing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  The defense Charlie Batch toasted like a tasty Quiznos sub somehow perplexed the overrated Carson Palmer into a meltdown of epic proportions.  Up 21-14 with a bit over 2 minutes left, the Bungles proceeded to call a pass on 3rd and 13 which was intercepted.  After surrendering the tying touchdown on five plays taking all of 52 seconds, Palmer’s comical attempt at a game-winning drive ended in a third interception (he was Pick-Sixed earlier by Russ Grimm‘s son, Cody).  Two plays later and the Bucs were kicking the go-ahead field goal.

I’m honestly confused as to how any of the so-called “experts” could have picked the Bengals to finish ahead of the Steelers this season.  Palmer is terrible.  It’s easy to point to idiots like Ocho and T.O. and say, “They must be the problem.”  But the bottom line is Palmer has been an abomination.  I wonder how Bungle fans will spin it so it’s all Kemo Von Ohlhoffen‘s fault.

SWEEP THE LEG!

Anyway, this weekend has left me confident of two things.   First, Arby’s curly fries will never be topped.  And second, the AFC North is a two horse race between the Ravens and the Steelers.

Sorry for doubting you, Charlie.  I’ll never do it again.

Team Dixon.  Team Leftwich.   It looks like we should have been on Team Batch all along.  Maybe the broken clavicle in 2008 really was a fluke injury.   Maybe last year’s horrendous three play outing really was the result of a broken wrist from a game of pickup basketball.  Maybe he really does still got it.

All I know is I’m not the only one who doubted Charlie Batch.   Yes, a number of my astute readers had faith in him.  Kudos to them.  But the fact remains his own head coach, Mike Tomlin, didn’t for one second consider him as the interim starter during Big Ben’s absence.  In fact, if not for Byron Leftwich‘s injury in the final preseason game, Chaz would be back in Homestead eating Cheetos right now.   Everybody from the talking heads on ESPN to Pittsburgh’s #1 sports radio personality, Mark Madden, thought Batch was done in Pittsburgh.

To paraphrase Tomlin, reports of Charlie’s demise look to have been greatly exaggerated.

Charlie Batch played the game of his life in leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 38-13 destruction of the previously undefeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  In his thirteen year career, Batch had never thrown three touchdown passes in a game until yesterday.  With yesterday’s outstanding performance, he went from fourth string QB who’ll likely be cut when Ben gets out of time-out to probably being the primary backup for the rest of the year.

The afternoon did not begin well for Chaz.  Following the opening kickoff, Batch was picked off on his first pass attempt.   It was a poor throw and a poor read although given his lack of reps with the first team offense it was completely understandable.  The Steelers D forced a FG.

After an exchange of punts, Batch hit Mike Wallace on a beautiful 46 yard bomb.  Wallace blew by two men and Batch dropped it in to him perfectly.  From there it was off the races for a Steeler offense which had scored one offensive touchdown in nine quarters.  On their next possession,  Batch did his best Dennis Dixon impersonation scrambling for a 24 yard gain(!).  Heath Miller caught a 21 yard dart with Rashard Mendenhall banging in from the 3.  The Steelers weren’t done.  The very next drive lasted all of two plays, the second of which was another TD bomb to Wallace.  The 41 yard pass was underthrown by about a half-yard but CB Aqib Talib deflected it right into the arms of Wallace, who did a great job of following the bouncing ball.

Three drives.  Twenty-one points.

While the offense was asplodin’, the Steelers defense was demonstrating why they are the best defense in the NFL.  They only forced two turnovers (one fumble and one INT), but they could’ve easily had three or four more.  On Tampa’s second drive, LaMarr Woodley dropped back into coverage and had the ball thrown right at him in a copy of the Vince Young pick he had last week except this time he couldn’t quite snag it.  Ziggy Hood batted a pass up into the air but couldn’t come down with the jump ball.  On Tampa’s other scoring drive, QB Josh Freeman badly overthrew his receiver and hit Ike Taylor in the worst possible place:  his hands.  Face Me Ike is an interesting story because he’ll be a free agent this off-season and it’s pretty clear he’s a fantastic cover corner.  If he just held on to 20% of the balls he makes plays on, he’d easily be considered one of the NFL’s elite CBs.

James Farrior forced a fumble on a rip-tackle of rookie Mike Williams.  And early in the fourth quarter, Bret Keisel had the most hilarious Pick Six you’ll ever see.  James Harrison absolutely destroyed Freeman’s intended target and the deflection wound up in BK’s arms.  What made it funny was as he rumbled the 79 yards for a TD, Willie Gay and Ike ran up to escort him to the end zone but were so much faster than the Big Fella they had to hold up to the point of backpedaling so as to not get too far ahead of him.

Of course, if I were Bucs coach Raheem Morris, I’d be embarrassed that Freeman was the only white jersey in the picture while four or five black jerseys rushed to Keisel’s aide.   But that’s the kind of hustle Dick LeBeau inspires in his guys.  I actually watched CBS’s pregame show yesterday which had a great segment on the Blitzburgh D.  What struck me was James Harrison’s quote regarding LeBeau:  “We’d die for that man.”

I could go on and on about how awesome this team is defensively but I must return to the other side of the ball for a moment.   Mendenhall had a tremendous game, rushing 19 times for 143 yards and a TD.  Mendy was particularly impressive in the second half when Tampa knew the run was coming and he still churned out yardage.  The O-line did an outstanding job but Mendenhall showed patience following his blocks and then that sudden burst to the second level which makes me think he’s going to be a huge star if Bruce Arians sticks with the running game once Ben returns.  His first good run was a 15 yarder on their second scoring drive where he used the Spinarooney to avoid the first tackler.   In the third quarter, he had a 34 yard blast which was the exact same play as the OT game winner except this time his momentum carried him out of bounds or he would’ve had another 50 yard TD.  Early in the fourth quarter, he had an 18 yarder which would’ve been a lot longer if his jersey was made of cheaper fabric.

There really wasn’t much to dislike about this game.  Batch was picked off a second time in the fourth on a late throw over the middle (always a bad idea).  Why Arians has the offense throwing in that situation, lord only knows.  The defense surrendered another garbage time touchdown but by that point it was almost like a preseason game with all the backups and second stringers the Steelers were playing.   Rookie LB Jason Worilds had his first career sack, by the way.  Tampa moved the ball a little bit in the first half but the defense stiffened up when it counted.

While the Steelers were swabbing the decks with the Bucs, the Ravens were holding on for dear life against the hapless Cleveland Browns.  I always figured the Steelers would be sitting at 3-1 when the Messiah returned in week six.  Call me greedy, I want more.  Granted the Ravens are a more talented team than the Bucs but based on what happened yesterday, I actually think the Steelers have a pretty good shot of winning this weekend.  After all, if this season has taught me anything thus far, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Ordinarily, I’d like the Pittsburgh Steelers chances against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  But last season, I was supremely confident when we faced off against the Chiefs, Raiders, and Browns and we all know how those games went.  Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  And what we’ve learned is to never ever take anything for granted.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Steelers will be blushing on Sunday.  Two years ago, Tampa Bay lost their last four games to miss the 2008 postseason, which ended the Jeff Garcia Era and set John Gruden loose to pollute the airwaves.  The Bucs went about rebuilding using the Steelers as the model.  First they bypassed the same old retreads and hired an exciting young assistant coach, Raheem Morris, as their head man.   Then they went out and drafted a tall strong playmaking quarterback.  In this year’s draft, they focused on building a fast athletic ball-hawking defense.

They’re not on our level (yet).  A cheapskate owner and one of the worst fan bases in football will always hold them back.  When Steeler Nation takes over Raymond James Stadium, perhaps we’ll provide their lousy fans with an example to copy, as well.

STEELERS DEFENSE vs. BUCS OFFENSE

Second year quarterback Josh Freeman is a work in progress.  At 6’6 250 pounds, he frequently draws comparisons to Big Ben.  It’s not just his size but his ability to shrug off blitzers and then make a big play.   He struggled in his rookie year, with a 10/18 TD-INT ratio, and then sprained a ligament in his thumb during the preseason.  However, Big Josh has gotten off to a good start (4/1) and hasn’t really had any problems throwing the ball thus far.

Like any rebuilding team, the Tampa offense depends on their running game to take pressure off their young QB.  Cadillac Williams is a talented back whose career has been derailed by a constant stream of injuries.  With the release of former Giant Derrick Ward, he’s being counted on to carry the load almost exclusively this year.  Through the first two weeks, Cadillac is only averaging 2.6 YPC and hasn’t topped 75 yards in a single game so it appears other teams know they want to run and aren’t allowing it to happen.

Tampa ranked 28th in the league in offense last season, primarily thanks to a terrible passing game.  Freeman’s favorite target is our old friend TE Kellen Winslow. The draft also brought in electric rookie Mike Williams, not to be confused with the bust drafted by Detroit several years back.  This Williams is the former Syracuse product who had superior talent but quit the team last year because he got sick of losing.  Those character issues dropped a player with possible first round talent all the way to the fourth round.  Williams only has seven catches this year but two of them are for TDs.

If the Steelers are going to win, it’s going to be because of the defense.  Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau tortures young quarterbacks.   His defensive schemes are so tricky and complicated, even experienced pros get confused about who is coming and where they’re coming from.  And the run defense, which will be bolstered by the return of Casey Hampton, is completely dominant.  When you hold the Porsche of the the NFL to 38 yards, the Cadillac isn’t going to do much better.  The Steelers will force the Freeman to beat them.   Good luck, kid.

STEELERS OFFENSE vs. BUCS DEFENSE

Take the under.

Regardless of how great the Steelers defense is, I’m concerned about the offense’s ability to score points.  Remember, this team has only scored ONE offensive touchdown all season.  Some of you have great faith in Charlie Batch but the coaching staff was so down on him, he was about to be released before Byron Leftwich was injured.  This is Batch’s first start since 2007 when he was considered the best backup in the NFL.   Since then, he’s been constantly hurt and last week he looked extremely ineffective.   Perhaps a full week of practice with the first team offense will get him back up to speed but I wouldn’t expect an offensive explosion.

The offense will be helped by the return of LT Max Starks.   The blindside pressure was ridiculous last week with Starks sitting out with an ankle sprain.  Of course, one player returns but they lose RG Trai Essex.  The upheaval on the line probably is a big reason the running game was bottled up last week.  If the Steelers are to succeed in Tampa, Rashard Mendenhall will simply have to get back on track to take pressure off Batch.

The good news is Tampa was 27th in defense and dead last against the run last year.  The bad news is in an effort to improve the run defense, they went D-line with their first two draft picks.  DTs Gerald McCoy and Brian Price join the best name in football, Stylez G. White, on a line which hasn’t scared anyone since Warren Sapp left.  The results thus far have been less than encouraging as they’re averaging 111 rush yards surrendered per game.

MLB Barrett Ruud is one of the more underrated players in the league.  Geno Hayes is an active linebacker who runs and hits all over the field.  The linebackers are probably the strength of the defense and will benefit from an improved defensive front.  If and when it ever improves.

The secondary will be missing S Tanard Jackson, who is suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.  Ageless Ronde Barber, who is slowing in his 14th season, may move from CB to S to pick up the slack.  CB Aqib Talib is a very good looking second year player who’ll be seeing only his second action of the year after sitting out the first game for punching a cab driver in the back of the head.  Maybe he ran up the meter.  Regardless of the holes in the secondary, I have to think the Bucs will copy the Steelers startegy and dare the QB to beat them.

For the first time this year, the Steelers are favored to win a game.  Can they pull it off?  I’m not sure what to expect.  What I do expect is a final score along the lines of 12-9.  Keep that leg limber, Skippy!

In footballese, a “trap game” is a game played the week before a contest against a tough or division rival opponent.  Teams have a tendency to underestimate their current opponent and worry more about the game looming on the horizon.  The trap is thus sprung when what would otherwise be an easy win becomes a surprising loss.

While the 2010 season is not even a month old, this weekend’s tilt between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers has trap game written all over it.  When the schedule was announced, I’m sure we all scanned the first month to see who the Black and Gold would be facing while Big Ben sits in time-out.  Except for the Negative Nellies who thought we’d go into the tank without the Messiah behind center, most people figured they’d win at least one of the four games. And I’d wager the gimme was seen as week three against Tampa.

Well, expectations have changed.   The Steelers first two opponents were formidable squads who were seen as favorites over the Black and Gold.  The Falcons are a rising team in the NFC yet our D held them without a touchdown.  Atlanta rebounded with a 41-7 destruction of a fine Arizona team in week two which makes the Steelers’ performance all the more impressive.   Tennessee was not only a popular playoff pick but some even saw them as possible Super Bowl contenders.   The complete and utter dismantling of the Titans on their home turf was a loud and clear statement that Pittsburgh is a force to be reckoned with.

Which brings us to this week.  The Bucs are vastly improved from a year ago.  They’re undefeated with victories against the Browns and Panthers, who are clearly the dregs of the NFL.  A win is a win but nobody should confuse the quality of their opposition with that of the Steelers.  We’re Alabama, they’re Boise State.  We’re number one, they’re struggling to sneak into the top twenty-five.  This is a game we should win.

Except flashing red DANGER! signs are going off all over the place.  The Steelers are unsettled at quarterback.  The game is in godforsaken Florida, where the hellish weather conditions play havoc with a player’s ability to go four full quarters.  And the hated Baltimore Ravens loom next week.  If there is a recipe for disaster, this game would have all the ingredients.

It became most apparent in Mike Tomlin‘s weekly news conference. He said Charlie Batch held the “pole position” for the starting job although Byron Leftwich was absolutely 100% good to go.  Yesterday, it was announced that Batch will indeed make his first start since 2007.  Well, if Leftwich is in such super-duper spiffy condition, why isn’t he starting over the guy they were about to release?   There are only two answers.  First, Tomlin is a dirty liar and Byron is still hobbled by the bad wheel.  Or they think they can skate by with Batch at QB while saving Leftwich for next week against the Ratbirds.

Having gone undefeated against two pretty good teams, the goal should be to emerge from Ben’s exile 3-1 at the very least.  2-2 would be somewhat disappointing given how the season has started.  However, reading between the lines, it sounds like they’re saying, “We don’t sweat Tampa.  We’ll start our B-team and still beat them.”  And if that’s not falling into the trap, I don’t know what is.