Pittsburgh Steelers (official thread)

[BB73]

Not that anybody wondered, but Mark Malone has a job at Channel 2 (CBS) in Chicago as the sports guy on the evening news. He's OK, I don't watch much local news.

 

[BrutuStrength]

Not that anybody wondered, but Mark Malone has a job at Channel 2 (CBS) in Chicago as the sports guy on the evening news. He's OK, I don't watch much local news.

Thanks for the update. I thought he did a good job with ESPN. He's definitely better in front of the camera, than he was dropping back to pass.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

CPD

NFL NEWSWATCH
Steelers bring back Brown to bolster defense


Friday, October 13, 2006


From wire reports
Chad Brown, a Pro Bowl linebacker for Pittsburgh 10 years ago, was signed Thursday by the Steelers to add depth and experience at what suddenly has become a depleted position.
They need him now, too - Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter is out for Sunday's game against Kansas City and coach Bill Cowher said Brown will play, though mostly in pass-rush situations.
"It's kind of a crash course in everything," Cowher said. "I know he was here before but that was 10 years ago - there are a few cobwebs we have to unleash up there to bring him back to where we are."
The Super Bowl champion Steelers (1-3), losers of three in a row, added the 36-year-old Brown a day after Porter and cornerback Deshea Townsend injured hamstrings during a routine midweek indoor practice. Townsend is questionable and will be replaced by second-year cornerback Bryant McFadden if he can't play.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

cnnsi.com

Faneca: Big Ben's not to blame

Posted: Saturday October 14, 2006 1:22AM; Updated: Saturday October 14, 2006 1:22AM


PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Ben Roethlisberger is getting most of the blame for the slumping Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive failings. Seven interceptions and no touchdown passes in three games are the kind of numbers that get a quarterback benched.
For all of Roethlisberger's struggles as he recovers from a trouble-filled offseason that included multiple hospital stays, he is hardly the only reason the Super Bowl champions have lost three in a row.
"When people talk about Ben and what's going on with our offense, it's not Ben," All-Pro guard Alan Faneca said. "He takes the brunt of it because he's the quarterback and it's just kind of the way things are. The support cast around him, if we pick up our game and play better, then things turn out a little bit differently."
Or, in this case, it's been more of a lack of support for Roethlisberger, who already has as many losses in three games as he had in all 16 games he started last season.
Now, the offensive line that has played inconsistently in front of him will be without right guard Kendall Simmons on Sunday against Kansas City because of a freakish injury. Simmons was undergoing treatment for a heel injury when he left an ice pack on too long and it caused an ice burn similar to frostbite. He will be replaced by second-year lineman Chris Kemoeatu.
The Steelers (1-3) also will be without starting outside linebacker Joey Porter (hamstring) and, likely, cornerback Deshea Townsend (hamstring), who also didn't practice Friday. Coach Bill Cowher rarely starts players who don't practice, which means that second-year cornerback Bryant McFadden likely will replace Townsend against the Chiefs (2-2).
Problems, problems everywhere. The Steelers anticipated feeling the loss of former starting receiver Antwaan Randle El, now with the Redskins, more as a kick returner and multidimensional threat. But his absence also appears to be affecting their passing game.
While he had only one regular-season touchdown catch last year, Randle El's speed demanded that he be covered by defenses that now appear to be devoting extra defenders to four-time Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward. Neither Cedrick Wilson (6 catches) nor rookie Santonio Holmes (7 catches) has proven to be a reliable threat, though Holmes looks to be coming around.
Slowed himself by a preseason hamstring injury, Ward has only one TD catch through four games after having four a year ago.
"Because we're not a passing team, when a receiver drops a ball it gets noticed a lot more than other teams who pass the ball all the time," Ward said.
An experienced offensive line also has been inconsistent. The Steelers were a strong No. 5 in rushing last season, averaging nearly 139 yards per game, but have dropped to No. 22 with a 102.5 average.
The line also has allowed 13 sacks, only 19 fewer than they did all last season. Roethlisberger, whose timing has been off, sometimes has had only a millisecond to look downfield before a defender is on him.
"I don't know if it's a slump," Faneca said. "We just haven't come out of the gates. It takes all of us, every single play. That's what we've been good at in the past; we've been really good at getting all 11 guys working together. We may not always have been doing the right thing but we always knew that we were all doing the same thing, especially up front. It (pass blocking) has been one of our strong suits and it's just not anymore."
As a result, an offense accustomed to taking control in the second half has been outscored 39-13 after halftime in its last three games. Last season, the Steelers outscored teams 103-66 in the third quarter and 169-122 in the second half.
"We're just not finishing. We're not playing the whole game right now," Faneca said. "We're making some mistakes out there, not all 11 guys (are together) on every play. That all adds up to a load of inconsistency and it definitely shows up down the stretch of the game."

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Pittsburgh QB quiets concerns
Roethlisberger shows old form in dominant effort

Monday, October 16, 2006

Alan Robinson
ASSOCIATED PRESS




PITTSBURGH ? The Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger couldn?t have played any worse for a month. The rest of the NFL now must be wondering how much better the Super Bowl champions can be after a convincing all-is-well performance.
The Steelers revived everything they displayed in winning the championship as Roethlisberger threw his first two touchdown passes of the season in a 45-7 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday.
Despite not starting three injured regulars ? one of whom, guard Kendall Simmons, fell asleep with an ice pack on a leg and suffered frostbite ? the Steelers never resembled the team that could barely gain a first down in a 9-0 loss to Jacksonville, or ran only 18 plays in the second half last week of a 23-13 loss in San Diego.
Maybe it was watching AFC North leaders Baltimore and Cincinnati lose earlier in the afternoon, tightening up the division race. But the Steelers (2-3) played with the confidence and composure they lacked while losing three in a row.
"We started fast ? we started real fast," said coach Bill Cowher, who admittedly didn?t see this coming during a week in which his team had some "soul searching to do."
Roethlisberger was among the NFL?s lowest-rated quarterbacks with no touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Meanwhile, Kansas City?s Damon Huard was highly rated with five touchdowns and no interceptions. That all changed in a momentum-shifting few hours in which Roethlisberger could again do little wrong and Huard, a longtime backup, could do little right while completing only 16 of 32 passes for 162 yards and an interception.
"I tried throwing to the guys in the black shirts rather than the guys in the white shirts," Roethlisberger said jokingly.
During Roethlisberger?s struggles, questions were raised of whether he was fully healed from his violent June motorcycle crash and his appendectomy in September.
But he was sharp and polished yesterday, going 16 of 19 for 238 yards and touchdown passes of 47 yards to Nate Washington and 13 yards to Hines Ward. Roethlisberger constantly exploited Kansas City?s not-too-successful man-to-man coverage as the Steelers outgained the Chiefs 372-47 while opening a 31-0 lead at halftime. They ended with a 457-213 edge in yardage. "We got embarrassed, and we?ve got to learn from it," said Chiefs coach Herm Edwards, whose team fell to 2-3.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Healthy Polamalu presenting big problems

ALAN ROBINSON

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - Troy Polamalu made so many plays, was so irritating and unsettling, that the frustrated Kansas City Chiefs finally did what has seemed inevitable since the All-Pro safety began wearing his hair down his back.
The Chiefs' Larry Johnson, wasting considerable energy to run down Polamalu on a 49-yard pass interception with the Chiefs already down by 31 points, grabbed Polamalu by his long black hair and yanked him to the turf.
After having an offense-disrupting game Sunday in the reawakened Steelers' 45-7 rout of Kansas City with 10 tackles, the interception and three pass breakups, it was easy to see how Polamalu got into the Chiefs', uhh, hair.
Polamalu's comeback from a shoulder injury that limited his effectiveness for weeks was as important to the Steelers' defense as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's vastly improved play was for the offense. The Steelers are a different team when the two playmakers are at their best, as they were Sunday.
The Chiefs never did figure out how to control Roethlisberger (two TD passes) or Polamalu, who helped limit tight end Tony Gonzalez to three catches for 15 yards in a Kansas City offense that did almost nothing.
On some series, it almost seemed as if Polamalu was on offense, his name was getting called so much.
"He's such an instinctive guy," coach Bill Cowher said. "When he plays like that, he's all over the field. He makes a number of plays for you."
Afterward, Polamalu clearly didn't want to talk about the hair-yanking incident, which he knows will be replayed constantly on the highlights shows.
"If you know somebody with long hair, you take your hand and run it through somebody's hair, it's going to get stuck," Johnson said. "That's what happened. It wasn't like I was trying to jerk him around after I made the tackle."
Polamalu, a two-time Pro Bowl safety in his first two seasons as a starter, wears the hair long as a tribute to his Samoan heritage. He understands he takes the risk of being tackled by it on plays such as the one Sunday - just as running backs Ricky Williams and Edgerrin James once risked the same thing by wearing their hair long.
"I'm glad it happened," Polamalu said. "It means I've got the ball in my hands."
That Johnson happened to be the first to yank Polamalu by the hair seems a curious coincidence. At the 2003 draft, the Steelers traded up 11 spots in the first round with Kansas City so they could draft Polamalu. The Chiefs with their lower pick, took Johnson, who last year led the AFC with 1,750 yards rushing.
"It's the only thing I could get my hands on," Johnson said.
Still, as Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said at the Super Bowl, he doesn't care if Polamalu lets his hair grow another foot as long as he keeps making interceptions.
"If I've got the ball in my hands, they can tackle me all day like that," Polamalu said. "He can tackle me by my hair or my ankles. It doesn't matter, I understand that the nature of the game is that things like that can happen, and there's no bad blood at all."
Even if there seemed to be some of it on the Chiefs' sideline, where microphones picked up some intense debates among the players about why each side of the ball was being pushed around like it was.
They weren't discussing whether Polamalu should wear mousse or get his locks trimmed so they fit under his helmet, either.
The Steelers (2-3), now back in the AFC North race after being well off the lead only a few weeks into the season, can only hope the rest of their opponents keep coming up empty-handed when they play them. Or at least clutching at nothing but Polamalu's hair.

 

[BuckNutty]

Steelers Notebook: Cowher defends Heinz Field turf
Wednesday, October 18, 2006

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Most Steelers seem to prefer playing on a good artificial surface over what they play on at Heinz Field. Not their coach.

"I would never like to see artificial turf," Bill Cowher said yesterday. "I'm very happy with what we have."

The Steelers play on DD GrassMaster, a combination of Kentucky bluegrass reinforced by a small percentage of artificial fibers. Players slipped often on the grass in their Sept. 7 opener, held at night, and many more slipped Sunday, when the game started at 4:15 p.m.

The first big play of the game featured two slips, by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Ty Law as he tried to cover Steelers receiver Santonio Holmes, who then slipped and fell to end his 50-yard gain.

"I think it was that time of day," Cowher said. "The sun went down, and there was a natural drop in temperature. I don't think it had as much to do with the field as it did the time of day."

The New England Patriots are the latest team set to replace its grass surface with FieldTurf, reportedly before they play the Chicago Bears Nov. 26 in Gillette Stadium. (By the way, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has a 17-1 record on artificial turf).

The Steelers practice often on FieldTurf at their indoor field, but Cowher prefers the real stuff on game day.

"It may be a little unsettling for some of the players," Cowher said, "but in the long run, for the health of players, it's the right thing to do."


Arnold Harrison to start


Arnold Harrison likely will get his second start at right outside linebacker Sunday in Atlanta with veteran Chad Brown entering on passing downs.

Cowher listed starter Joey Porter as doubtful with the hamstring injury that kept him out of the game Sunday and ruled his backup, James Harrison, out with the high ankle sprain from the Oct. 8 game in San Diego.

Two players who missed the Kansas City game are questionable: punt returner Willie Reid (foot) and offensive guard Kendall Simmons (foot). Three players are questionable: cornerback Deshea Townsend (hamstring), fullback Dan Kreider (ankle) and center Jeff Hartings (knee)

Simmons burned his heal applying an ice treatment last week and, because he's a diabetic, the Steelers are taking a cautionary approach.

"You have to be careful with that," Cowher said. "That led to some of the things that took place. His skin is more sensitive, and you have a higher risk of infection with a burn of that nature with the state of where Kendall is at. We're very sensitive to that."


Brown fits right in


Chad Brown, 36, had the Steelers' only sack Sunday. He played primarily in passing situations as a rusher from his old spot on the right side, although he did see some late action at outside linebacker. This, after practicing just two days with the Steelers last week.

"A lot of it came back to him," Cowher said. "It was good to get him some reps, and I think he'll be a lot better with a full week of work this week. We'll see how it goes."


The what-if game


Cowher did not go as far as saying that his team played a perfect game while beating Kansas City, 45-7, Sunday, but he did play the game he says he dreads -- the what-if game.

"My first thought was that if we would have hit a couple of those plays in the previous weeks' games, we would have had a different result," Cowher said. "But it just seems like everything we called, we were hitting on. We got off the field after that first series on third down and we got a couple of punt returns from Santonio [Holmes]. It was just good to see."


Foote wins custody case


Linebacker Larry Foote has gained full custody of a 10-year-old son he did not know about until two years ago.

Foote filed earlier this year for custody of Trey-veion Hammond. The boy's mother, Khalila Shanese Hammond of Inkster, Mich., did not attend the custody hearing Monday in Michigan.

Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl A. Matthews gave full legal and physical custody of the boy to Foote. Hammond is to have "reasonable parenting time" with her son.

"Larry is excited and thrilled by the judge's decision. All he wants is to care for the boy and provide him with everything he needs to grow and succeed," Foote's lawyer, Francis X. Bujold II, told The Detroit News.

Foote, 26, has homes in Pittsburgh and the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield Township.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06291/730907-66.stm

Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette
Ben Roethlisberger and his mother, Brenda Roethlisberger, sit on one end of a giant soup spoon-shaped scale, balanced by cases of Chunky soup during a weigh-in to help support food banks. Max Starks and his mother, Eleanor Starks, also were weighed. The combined weight of the Roethlisbergers and Starks will be donated to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
Click photo for larger image.

After the shoot Ben was spotted by photographers rubbing his butt and will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Atlanta with tennis buttocks.

 

[BuckNutty]

Polamalu earns a Lott of high praise
Thursday, October 19, 2006

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mora compared Polamalu to another Southern California standout, Ronnie Lott, perhaps the greatest safety in NFL history. Lott not only went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot, but he also was one of three safeties chosen to the NFL's 75th anniversary team.

"My favorite player in the history of football is Ronnie Lott," Mora said yesterday on the telephone. "He is the only player up on my wall that I have a picture of. I was watching film the last two days and kept thinking about Ronnie as I watched Troy."

High praise, indeed.

"Oooh, that's a huge comparison," Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor said. "That's huge. Huge!"

It's the kind of eye-opener that Bill Parcells prompted when, two years ago, he compared Ben Roethlisberger's rookie season to that of Dan Marino's.

Polamalu almost bashfully deflects that kind of praise as he does the news that the AFC made him the conference defensive player of the week yesterday.

"Humbled and honored," he said of Mora's comparison. "He can believe what he wants to believe. Obviously, Ronnie was a great NFL defensive back, but I couldn't agree with him at all."

Playing with a healthy right shoulder for the first time since it was bruised in the opening game, Polamalu led the Steelers with 10 tackles, knocked away two passes, intercepted another and returned it 49 yards. Among his tackles were three in a row on halfback Larry Johnson in the second quarter. The Chiefs had a second-and-2 at their 41 when Polamalu burst through their line and, with Larry Foote, tackled Johnson. On the next play, Polamalu dropped Johnson for a 2-yard loss.

"Those plays he made on short yardage," Mora gushed, "the second- and third-down ones where he hit the gaps; you talk about having great instincts and anticipation! He is so fun to watch. If you like defensive football, you love watching that guy play. He is inspiring."

He inspires his teammates, even the new ones. Linebacker Chad Brown, 36, played in a game against Lott, and he does not think Mora overstated the comparison of the two.

"Both are dynamic playmakers," Brown said. "I think Troy perhaps brings a little more athleticism to it than Lott did. Obviously, both guys are hitters. Ronnie was an intimidator whereas Troy can hurt you quite a few different ways.

"You have a guy here who's a triple threat. He can sack the quarterback, pick off passes and stop the run. I don't know what more you could want from a player. I suppose if you were to plan it out perfectly, you'd make him bigger and you'd cut his hair so he could bring that one back last week."

Polamalu is shorter at 5 feet 10, 207 pounds but more compact than was Lott at 6-0, 203. In his fourth season, Polamalu has a long way to go to equal Lott's record of 63 career interceptions and 10 Pro Bowls in a career that spanned from 1981-94. Polamalu was All-Pro last season and made two Pro Bowls in his first two seasons as a starter. His 49-yard return with an interception against Kansas City Sunday -- before Larry Johnson yanked him to the ground by his long hair -- was the ninth pickoff of his career.

"We'll have to see how his career pans out," Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. "I mean, Ronnie Lott's one of the best safeties to ever play the game. Troy's doing some fantastic things right now. That's a great comparison, but I think it's a little too early right now."

It doesn't make it off target, though. Polamalu helps make the Steelers' entire defense go, elevates it to another level. His bruised right shoulder held him and them back early in the season.

Quarterbacks are taught to start with the safety in order to read a defense. It doesn't help much when they're reading Polamalu, who jumps all over before the snap of the ball.

"He confuses the offenses because he's running around in so many positions," said veteran backup safety Mike Logan.

The Falcons will look at Polamalu the way the Steelers watch tape of Michael Vick this week, trying to figure out some way to counter him.

"Troy, he's different," Mora said. "I know you guys get to see him a lot, but, for someone who doesn't get to see him a lot and turns on the film, he is something.

"I have a great regard for defensive players in general. He's at the top of my list right now."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06292/731223-66.stm

 

[AJHawkfan]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06293/731573-66.stm

Steelers' Kemoeatu becomes film star

Friday, October 20, 2006
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The rewind button kept clicking in the film room Monday morning, stopping the video and replaying some of the personal highlights from a resounding victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. But it wasn't just the usual suspects who were being highlighted. It wasn't just Ben Roethlisberger or Troy Polamalu or Willie Parker or Nate Washington.

The video kept replaying to get another look at some other awesome plays.

The ones delivered by Chris Kemoeatu.

"There were a couple times when you got to the rewind, it was like -- dang!" said left tackle Marvel Smith.

"Sometimes, you just see him push a guy off the ball and the guy just falls down," said right tackle Max Starks. "Then, you see him blow up into a guy like a linebacker. He's just so powerful and explosive hitting them, he just embarrasses some guys."

"He had some big hits in there," said Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca.

Just call him the Human Highlight Reel.

Kemoeatu got his first National Football League start in the 45-7 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, replacing injured Kendall Simmons at right guard, and he didn't disappoint any of his teammates with some of his trademark power slams and aggression.

After being inactive for 19 of his first 20 NFL games, Kemoeatu made his first performance a memorable one. He was part of an offensive line that cleared the way for the Steelers to rush for a season-best 219 yards against the Chiefs. And he was part of a unit that gave Roethlisberger more time to pick out receivers running free in the secondary and create more big plays.

"I can't really say he had one mental error at all," Faneca said. "For a new guy, that's a big thing right there."

"He's got a lot of physical ability," said center Jeff Hartings. "When he knows what to do, he's a very good player. I felt like he did pretty good. He's big and strong and, soon as he figures this game out, he'll be able to be a very physical player."

Kemoeatu, a sixth-round pick in 2005, had some good fortune for his first NFL start. The Chiefs play a basic 4-3 defense that does not use a lot of stunts and games with their defensive linemen. The same cannot be said for the Atlanta Falcons (3-2), whom the Steelers (2-3) face at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Georgia Dome.

They like to change their fronts, run stunts and even flip-flop defensive end John Abraham, their best pass rusher. It is possible, however, that Kemoeatu will not play against the Falcons.

Simmons, who did not play against the Chiefs because of an ice burn on his right foot, has resumed practicing and could play against the Falcons. He was upgraded yesterday from questionable to probable. Simmons, a diabetic, needs to have the skin heal on his foot so the open wound doesn't become infected.

"I probably could have rubbed it up good, took something for it, but it wouldn't have made any sense," Simmons said. "With my medical history, I could screw it up with the inside of my shoe getting all dirty. If something got in through my sock, it would mess me up."

Coach Bill Cowher was non-committal yesterday about Simmons -- "We'll see where [he is] at the end of the week," he said -- but he probably won't have much reluctance to start Kemoeatu, who is 6-foot-3, 344 pounds.

"I was looking forward to seeing him play because, just the little bit that he played in the preseason, I saw him do stuff that I hadn't seen other guys doing." Smith said. "He just seems so strong, he makes some things look easy."

One play, in particular, stood out against the Chiefs. The Steelers ran a draw play on third down in which one of the Chiefs' defensive tackles -- Kemoeatu didn't recall which one -- stood up, thinking it was a pass. Kemoeatu not only came down the line and flattened the lineman with a block, he "kind of hit him again" while he was on the ground.

"It's easy when you catch a guy off guard," Kemoeatu said.

Still, it was a moment that was replayed in the film room.

"What happens with me, coming in as a young guy, I'm kind of antsy and I'm always trying to come off [the ball]," Kemoeatu said. "That's one of the big things I have to work on. Sometimes, I play too aggressive. I try to play every play like 110 percent, and that's good sometimes but sometimes that's bad because sometimes you overshoot stuff. I had to calm down a little."

Either way, it makes an interesting morning in the film room.

(Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263-1466. )

 

[AJHawkfan]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06293/731572-66.stm

Steelers Notebook: When Vick and Polamalu meet this time it won't be act

Friday, October 20, 2006
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It won't be the first time Troy Polamalu and Michael Vick meet on the football field when the Steelers play the Atlanta Falcons Sunday in the Georgia Dome.

They were teammates for fictitious Briscoe High School in a Nike TV commercial filmed in June. The ad also starred LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Urlacher, Jimmy Johnson and Don Shula, among others.

"I've only seen part of it," said Polamalu, the Steelers' Pro Bowl safety.

In one scene, Polamalu is shown tackling a ball-carrier near the sidelines, his famous hair flapping out the back of his helmet. But Polamalu said that wasn't him making the tackle. He said all the contact scenes were performed by stunt doubles.

"I didn't get to meet my stunt double," Polamalu said.

Is acting in his future?

"No way," Polamalu said. "It was very tedious, a lot of sitting around. I really admire actors, what they do. That was a 30-second spot, and it was two days of 10-hour days."

Falcons tops in rushing

The Falcons lead the NFL in rush offense and have run for more than 220 yards in four of their five games, including a season-best 306 yards against Tampa Bay.

What's more, they average a league-best 6.4 yards per attempt and already have touchdown runs of 90 (Warrick Dunn) and 78 yards (Jerious Norwood).

It should make for an intriguing matchup against the Steelers, who are seventh in the NFL in rush defense. The Steelers have allowed just one 100-yard rusher in the past 39 games and haven't allowed a team to rush for more than 200 yards since Nov. 26, 2000, when the Cincinnati Bengals had 209 yards.

"The first thing I look at [with an opponent] is rushing stats, how many yards they rush for," said inside linebacker James Farrior. "After that, I want to see how many yards they gained on the ground [against us]. That's probably what we take the most pride in. If [the Falcons] got a lot of yards on the ground, it might not be good."

Reid questionable

Rookie WR/KR Willie Reid (foot sprain) remains questionable on the injury report and is not expected to play against the Falcons, who rank No. 1 in the league in kickoff coverage (18 yards per return).

Reid's absence is not as much of a concern after Santonio Holmes returned five punts for 55 yards and two kickoffs for 54 yards against Kansas City.

"We're taking it day-to-day, not trying to overdo it," said Reid, a third-round draft choice. "We want to go slow and make sure it doesn't get worse."

Injury update

Center Jeff Hartings (knee/probable) returned to practice.Fullback Dan Kreider (ankle/probable) did not practice for the second day in a row. He will try to practice today.Outside linebacker Joey Porter (hamstring/doubtful) has not practiced and is not expected to play against the Falcons.

 

[BuckNutty]

Brown glad to be back with the Steelers

By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, October 20, 2006


Chad Brown, who celebrated his one-week anniversary with his new team Thursday, read a screen pass with ease and expertise. And he would have blown up the running back had the Steelers allowed such things to happen in practice.
Nobody told the 36-year-old backup linebacker the screen pass was coming.

Still, Chad Brown knew it was coming.

"It's the red zone," Brown said. "People like to apply pressure in the red zone. How do you stop pressure? You screen people."

A plus B equals C; call the field-goal team.

"I've been around for a while," Brown said.

That he's back with the Steelers isn't an unprecedented development, especially since the organization softened its once all-but-ironclad stance against such trips down memory lane.

Cornerback Willie Williams left and returned eventually.

So did defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

So, it's not as if Brown has personally shattered a long-standing tradition.

But it's also true that, as recently as 1998, when it was thought that cornerback Rod Woodson might return to the Steelers, then-director of football operations Tom Donahoe responded with a cold, calculated, "we're not the Salvation Army."

The Steelers are more practical about those situations these days.

"I prefer that attitude," Brown said. "I don't think vengeance should be part of your business decisions."

Brown left via free agency after a 13-sack, All-Pro season in 1996, accepting a six-year, $24 million contract from the Seattle Seahawks that included a $7 million signing bonus -- at the time, eye-opening money for a defensive player.

The Steelers' offer "wasn't comparable," Brown said, acknowledging an economic reality the team apparently never took personally.

"Although they had a certain view of free agency and how they were going to deal with it, they didn't burn the bridge," Brown said. "Whenever we would play the Steelers, coach (Bill) Cowher and (Steelers chairman) Mr.(Dan) Rooney and all those guys, we were very cordial and nice.

"I would say how much I missed them and being a part of the organization, and they would say how much they missed me. We still had a great rapport."

Brown first contemplated re-joining the Steelers last season, but ultimately, he opted for New England because of a greater likelihood that he might land a starting job.

Again, no hard feelings.

Last week, when the Steelers found themselves without linebackers Joey Porter and James Harrison, Brown found himself a job.

He'd played inside and outside linebacker and rush end in LeBeau's defense, and despite eight years with the Seahawks, it was still the defensive system with which Brown was most familiar.

He still loved the game, perhaps more than he did during his first go-around with the Steelers, when he publicly acknowledged he might consider other employment if it paid as well. And Brown thought he could still play.

The sack he recorded while working as a rush end in passing situations last Sunday in a 45-7 win over Kansas City revealed as much.

So did the screen pass he sniffed out in yesterday's practice.

Brown might not get another sack this Sunday in Atlanta. But he'll remain appreciative of the opportunity to re-join the franchise that brought him into the NFL as a second-round draft pick out of Colorado in 1993 -- for a number of reasons.

"The stability of the organization, the trust that they hire good people and let them do their jobs," Brown said. "The city itself. The kids around here grow up wearing Steeler diapers; there are Steeler bibs for sale. The fan base is not wishy-washy or temporary. This is who they are.

"The whole city identifies itself with the team, and the team identifies itself with the city. You can't separate the two. I don't think it's that way anywhere else."

Mike Prisuta can be reached at [email protected].

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_475841.html

 

[AJHawkfan]

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Falcons game rekindles cut blocking debate

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By The Associated Press
Friday, October 20, 2006

Don't expect the Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive linemen to look downfield very often when they face the Atlanta Falcons, even if Michael Vick or Warrick Dunn takes off on a long run.

They'll be too busy protecting themselves from one of the league's most aggressive blocking teams — a Falcons offensive line that has been criticized by at least three teams in the last year for its cut blocking techniques.

"You have to be ready for it," Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said. "You have to understand that's what they're going to do. If you're not, you're going to get cut and you're not going to make the play."

The Steelers (2-3) also occasionally employ the technique, in which an offensive lineman blocks below the waist — normally, at knee level — to force a defender to drop his hands and, at times, sweep him off his feet.

The Falcons lead the NFL in rushing by a wide margin and are renowned for mastering the scheme. Titans coach Jeff Fisher complained to the NFL about the Falcons' blocking last year, and the Carolina Panthers were upset when two defensive linemen were hurt after being cut block by the Falcons. Tampa Bay also was unhappy with how the Falcons blocked.

"Yeah, it works," Keisel said. "They're the top rushing team in the league."

The Denver Broncos were among the first teams to popularize cut blocking, when Alex Gibbs was their offensive line coach. Gibbs has been a consultant to Falcons coach Jim Mora for two seasons after installing the blocking scheme as Atlanta's offensive line coach in 2004.

That same season, Steelers coach Bill Cowher criticized the Broncos for going over the line with their blocking after Denver offensive lineman George Foster broke Cincinnati defensive lineman Tony Williams' ankle by driving at him below the knees.

"It's a very competitive game that we play, but within that there are certain lines you don't go over," Cowher said.

Cowher's criticism surprised Denver coach Mike Shanahan, since the Steelers and Broncos did not play that season. Shanahan subsequently staged a film room session for Denver reporters, showing how the Steelers — All-Pro-guard Alan Faneca in particular — also employed the technique.

The Falcons (3-2) have used it while rushing for 1,160 yards in five games. No other team has rushed for more than 791 yards.

Dunn is fourth in the league with 511 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry, while Michael Vick is 16th with 401 yards but has a league-high 8.7 average. He is on pace to break Bobby Douglass' quarterback record of 968 yards rushing with the Bears in 1972.

"They're crazy, aren't they?" defensive end Aaron Smith said of the Falcons' ability to run. "It's ridiculous. You have Vick back there who can scramble for 50 yards at a time, and then you have Dunn who is a great running back. It's like a two-headed dragon."

Because the Falcons run so much, the Steelers are aware they must be alert on every play for a blocking look they may not have seen before.

"They get away with a lot of stuff cut blocking," Keisel said. "I think there are a lot of high-lows and things like that, but the refs don't see it because it's congested in there. That's the way the league is everywhere — it's not just Atlanta, everybody's cutting. It's part of the game."

The high-low tactic Keisel referred to is known as chop blocking, in which one player takes out a lineman while another is engaging him in a block. Chop blocking is a penalty, but is rarely called.

"You have to account for it when you're out there," Keisel said. "Your have to understand that's part of their scheme. And you'd better get your hands down or your legs are going to be scuffed up pretty bad."

The Falcons line will have a different look Sunday because left guard Matt Lehr drew a four-game suspension Tuesday for violating the league's substance abuse policy. He will be replaced by Tyson Clabo.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Polamalu named NFL defensive player of the week


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Thursday, October 19, 2006

Troy Polamalu was named the NFL defensive player of the week for his outstanding play against the Chiefs. Click here to read about his performance.

Here's the list of all this year's players:

AFC
Week 6
Offense -- QB Phillip Rivers, San Diego
Defense -- S Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
Special -- TE Casey Cramer, Tennessee
Week 5
Offense -- QB Damon Huard, Kansas City
Defense -- DT Jamal Williams, San Diego
Special -- PK Lawrence Tynes, Kansas City
Week 4
Offense -- WR Andre Johnson, Houston
Defense -- DE Jarvis Green, New England
Special -- KR-WR Joshua Cribbs, Cleveland
Week 3
Offense -- WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Cincinnati
Defense -- S Kerry Rhodes, N.Y. Jets
Special -- PR Terrence Wilkins, Indianapolis
Week 2
Offense -- QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
Defense -- CB Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville
Special -- S Coy Wire, Buffalo
Week 1
Offense -- QB Chad Pennington, N.Y. Jets
Defense -- LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore
Special -- PK Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis

NFC
Week 6
Offense -- RB Tiki Barber, N.Y. Giants
Defense -- DE James Hall, Detroit
Special -- PK Josh Brown, Seattle
Week 5
Offense -- RB Frank Gore, San Francisco
Defense -- CB Lito Sheppard, Philadelphia
Special -- PR Reggie Bush, New Orleans
Week 4
Offense -- WR Santana Moss, Washington
Defense -- DT Tommie Harris, Chicago
Special -- PK Morten Andersen, Atlanta
Week 3
Offense -- QB Brett Favre, Green Bay
Defense -- LB Scott Fujita, New Orleans
Special -- PK John Kasay, Carolina
Week 2
Offense -- QB Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants
Defense -- DT Tommie Harris, Chicago
Special -- PK Ryan Longwell, Minnesota
Week 1
Offense -- QB Kurt Warner, Arizona
Defense -- DE John Abraham, Atlanta
Special -- PK Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis

Players of the Month
AFC
September
Offense -- WR Laveranues Coles, N.Y. Jets
Defense -- LB Bart Scott, Baltimore
Special -- PK Matt Stover, Baltimore
NFC
September
Offense -- QB Rex Grossman, Chicago
Defense -- S Ken Hamlin, Seattle
Special -- PK John Carney, New Orleans
Rookies of the Month
September
Offense -- OT Marcus McNeill, San Diego
Defense -- S Donte Whitner, Buffalo

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Steelers hope to keep rolling in Atlanta

DAVE GOLDBERG

Associated Press

After the Pittsburgh Steelers lost three of their first four games, folks were writing off the Super Bowl champs. Then they beat Kansas City 45-7 and are presumably back on course. Ben Roethlisberger seems back in form and they're just one game in the loss column behind Cincinnati and Baltimore in the AFC North.
The positive momentum can continue if they win Sunday in Atlanta, where the Falcons are questioning themselves after getting shoved around last week by the Giants.
"Last week was, I thought, our most complete game of the season and certainly one that was much needed," Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher says. "We've put ourselves in the situation now to see if we can sustain that."
The most important development last week for the Steelers was getting Roethlisberger back on track. They did that by reverting to the system that produced a 27-4 record for Big Ben in his first two seasons. With the running game working, he passed just 19 times, completing 15, including his first two touchdown passes of the season.
The same might happen this week against Atlanta (3-2).
The Falcons, who had been giving up just 69 yards rushing per game, surrendered 259 in a 27-14 loss to the Giants, including 185 yards to Tiki Barber, most by any back in the NFL this season. Pittsburgh's Willie Parker may not be Barber, but he is close enough, especially against a defensive line that last week lost three starters for a good part of the game.
Atlanta had another problem in that game.
After it fell behind and was forced to pass, it really couldn't. Michael Vick was sacked seven times and completed nothing downfield against what had been a vulnerable secondary.
The telling stats: Vick has rushed for 401 yards this season, but passed for just 676 in five games, with three touchdowns.
"You have to realize it's one game," coach Jim Mora said. "You can't just trash everything and panic and lose perspective on the direction you're heading. You never ignore the deficits that you have or the problems that you have, but you don't just push the panic button."
Validation for his theory?
Pittsburgh's win last week.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ABJ

Roethlisberger knocked out of game with blow to head

CHARLES ODUM

Associated Press

ATLANTA - Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of Sunday's game against Atlanta after taking a blow to the head in the third quarter, leaving his status uncertain for next week's game at Oakland.
Roethlisberger did not return and watched the end of the Falcons' 41-38 win in overtime from the sideline.
Coach Bill Cowher said he could not update Roethlisberger's status.
"Ben is sore," Cowher said. "I don't have any initial diagnosis on him. He got hit in the head. I don't want to speculate at this point, but he was on the sideline at the end of the game and he was understanding everything that was going on."
Roethlisberger was not made available to reporters after the game. He was moving slowly and was in obvious discomfort as he put on his shirt and jacket at his locker.
Roethlisberger appeared to receive a helmet-to-helmet hit in the face mask from defensive end Chauncey Davis immediately after releasing a pass, which was dropped by Hines Ward with 7:40 left in the third. Defensive end Patrick Kerney and linebacker Ed Hartwell also hit the quarterback on the play.
Cowher wouldn't discuss the legality of the hit by Davis.
"The league will handle that," he said. "I'm not going to be judgmental. The league will handle that."
Davis defended his play.
"It was a good hit," he said. "I don't think that I put my helmet into it. I wasn't trying to do it. It was a good hit and there were two (other) guys that hit him so I really don't know. I mean, I'll just have to watch the film to see what happened.
"I wasn't trying to hit him like that, but hopefully it was a clean play."
Though Roethlisberger was face down and motionless for several minutes before being rolled onto his back by trainers, Cowher said he did not know if the quarterback lost consciousness.
"I don't know if he was ever unconscious," Cowher said. "He was talking while he was out there. (The trainers) were doing all the checks they need to do."
Roethlisberger finally sat up and then walked off the field with the assistance of the trainers.
He was taken to the sideline, where he sat on the bench as backup quarterback Charlie Batch entered the game. Minutes later, Roethlisberger was taken to the locker room on a cart. He returned to the sideline late in the game wearing street clothes and a black cap.
Roethlisberger already has overcome a June motorcycle accident and a Sept. 3 appendectomy. He was 16-for-22 passing for 238 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game.