| Send your postgame critiques, analysis, ranting and raving about the last game as well as your predictions, smak, & insults about our upcoming opponent. Whether your message is a simple, "These guys SUCK," or a detailed, in-depth analysis, tell us what you think. |
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By McMillen & Wife Unfortunately, you can pretty much substitute our pregame report for our postgame report, folks. This one played out exactly as we expected it would. Pittsburgh's four first quarter possessions sum up the afternoon rather concisely: 1. 3 & out. 2. Fumble (on Graham sack inside Steeler 15 yard line). 3. 3 & out. 4. 3 & out. While the Steelers finished the first quarter with a whopping 2 yards of total offense, Raven QB Tony Banks was 7 of 9 for 85 yards including a 53-yard TD bomb to... you guessed it... a wide-open Qadry Ismail streaking all alone down the right sideline. 10-0, game over. As we warned in our pregame, Raven RB Priest Holmes was a-preachin', and we were a-weepin'. And while our defensive line actually played a marginally better than I expected, they were still poor by any standard and allowed Baltimore's running game to dictate the tempo. Then there's that Raven defense... man, those guys are DAMN good. Not surprisingly, they more than lived up to their advanced billing. Predictably, so did our offense. I'm not sure which of the two units deserves more credit for the shutout. As fan THEOMILL astutely pointed out in his pregame comments, "terrible offense vs. great defense = bad television." Well said, dude... well said. Bettis was a complete non-factor (so was Huntley). Graham was pummeled. The inexperience of our wide receivers was glaring, And above all, our offensive line play was deplorable. Let me say that last one again... above all, our offensive line play was deplorable. The good news is that Dermontti Dawson was able to play the entire game. The bad news? It didn't make a bit of difference. Don't dispair, bruthas & sistas... this isn't the end of the world. I mean, anyone looking at this matchup realistically KNEW we were going to come up on the short end of this. Baltimore is now an elite team. We are, for the moment, bottom feeders. That's okay... the Steelers are retooling, and two years from now, this will all seem like a bad dream. In the meantime, we have a bye week to prepare for a trip to Cleveland, who fell to the Jags 27-7. Are they a pushover? Absolutely not. I saw much of the game, and they are a MUCH improved team from last year, who stayed with the Jags for a long time. Be warned... Cleveland's defensive line is for REAL. But we'll touch more on that next week. Until then, Steeler faithful, Tim McMillen Webmaster, McMillen & Wife | ||||||||||||
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Carroll L. Martin The score might only have been 16-0, but lets face it, in this case that means we got squashed. Yesterday saw a home team that finished the first quarter with two net yards of offense. This is a team that didn’t get a first down for its first five possessions, and a team that didn’t convert a third down until the third quarter. And, the running game, which is supposed to be the bread and butter of this offense was held to 30 yards. As I said, this is about what I expected. The Baltimore Ravens are certainly one of the up and coming teams in the NFL, and I think they quite possibly a contender in a true sense of the word. The Ravens legitimately have the best defense in the NFL. Their defensive performance reminded me of Steeler’s defensive performances in 1994/95. But what of the Steelers? This, is going to be a long season. It is clear that the offense has yet to congeal. Things just aren’t clicking. For what is now the fourth straight year, we have no offensive rhythm. After watching NFL PrimeTime last night, I shudder to think of what Courtney Brown will do to Kent Graham behind the our line of scrimmage. Jerome Betties was totally shut down. I still don’t agree with the “bench the Bus” crowd, because I don’t think Richard Huntley could do any better as the starter. To those of you who disagree, well, how many can honestly say that had Huntley been given Bettis’ carries that the outcome on the score board would be different? The receivers looked good, (when they caught the ball) and Graham was able to hit seven different ones but when you QB and your receivers are so infrequently on the same page what does it matter? (And why while we’re on this matter, are they still calling 3rd down pass plays which won’t result in a first downs even if the ball is caught?) This offense needs some serious work. I have to question the play calling. Why were we trying to run up the middle when clearly, we couldn’t. Why was no attempt made to get Amos into the game? I don’t know that Amos would have been a difference maker, but clearly, a smaller, faster runner should have been tried against the Raven’s front seven. My point is, that for a second straight year, Gilbride/Cowher seems to be unwilling to modify the offensive game plan until it is too late to do anything good. (Indeed, we picked things up in the 4th quarter. Had we been more willing to open things up earlier, well, then perhaps the 4th quarter might not have been garbage time.) I agree with my buddy Todd that it is too easy to Monday morning quarterback Cowher’s decision to use Kordell in the goal line situation. I’ll refrain from comment on that at this point. (Remember, M. Vogrin, I was the one who said that this whole “Slash thing” was foolish back when it first began in ’95.) The defensive play was generally good. Really, most times in the NFL if you hold the opposing team to 16 points, you’ve got a chance to win the game. Our defensive line is still weak, and that has a lot to do with Priest Holmes performance. (Lets face it, Holmes isn’t Terrell Davis.) Chad Scott’s blown coverage disturbs me. After looking so good in preseason, he made a huge mental error that allowed Baltimore to get on the board, and really, put the game away (yes, in a game of field goals a big TD puts the game away.) It can be said that Scott should have had help from a safety, but quality corner doesn’t make the kind of mistake that Scott made. From here, where do we go? Well, this is the way I expected thing to start. I still think that this is a team that can improve as the year progresses. How does that happen? The offense needs to be modified, simplified, and Gilbride/Cowher needs to be more flexible, more willing to make adjustments during the game. The offensive coaches need to realize that the running game is not working before the 4th quarter. And Cowher needs to keep the guys positive, keep them hustling, keep them hungry. Cowher needs to find a way to get this team to win at home again. He needs to keep the players from quitting. Can he? The next 15 games will tell. Later KT Random thoughts while watching Monday Night Football: How does Kurt Warner make it look so easy? I was open to Dennis Miller coming on MNF, but I must say, he is already getting on my nerves. *****HURRY---SPECIAL OFFER*****ACT NOW******** Steeler Fans, pre-order your 2000 Steelers video and save BIG! "PLAYING FOR #1: The Story of the 2000 Pittsburgh Steelers" (#1 draft pick, that is) ****************************************************** As for this past Weak [sic] or week [sick]... Bill Cowher said Kordell would be used for "certain situations." Hmmm... I get it. A starting QB struggles but finally locks on and leads the team to the 3 yard line and you yank him to put in a great athlete capable of....HANDING IT OFF. HUH? HELLO!!! Are they so inside of their inner circle they can't see the lack of all logic that plan and the offensive game plan in general? Forget it. Just miss a deep pass... I know, run it up the middle behind a weak line and with a "FAT & SLOW" RB that couldn't get squat last year and can't get SQUAT this year with that line! Everyone in the place could call the plays before they BROKE the huddle. It was the worst I have ever seen... worse than being beaten by 51 points... EVER! However, I think I am catching on to the "New Steeler Logic." 1. Promote the last season at Three Rivers Stadium all around the town with the 1970-2000 logo. Hmmmm... foresight. Hats off to the fans at the game Sunday who took exception to this and had a 1970-2001 banner to include the playoffs. Of course, as usual, the Steelers are right; there will NOT be a Steeler game played in TRS in 2001. 2.Continue to let all your coaches & scouts go on to Bigger (?) and Better (?) things. Even if they are more suited as a Off./Def. Coordinator because, after all, it's the NFL way (coaches don't count against the cap ,Mr. Rooney). It's nice that the new GM? director of Player Personnel went to North Catholic High, but even more important that he brings the laughable Lions REJECTS with him. 3. Always carry a extra late round QB or two or three for a few years to fill up the cap room.Then refuse too play any of them, even when IT IS OBVIOUS that the season is over for you, then cut them and draft some more.This can also be applied to WRs that are 6-5, rookies who can't be kept on in favor of an 8 year vet who won't be here or in the NFL when you can compete and is at best a utility player or. in this case, your starter last year. And we know that went well, don't we? NO NAMES Company Line "We owe it to the veteran players to"... to WHAT??? Continue to dig that grave!!*&*@!#*** 4.Draft 1st round Skill (?) players when your Offensive and Defensive lines are WEAK and then continue to throw 3-4 yard out-passes to them when you need 7-8+ yards. And if you should attempt a long pass, make sure you NEVER try it up the middle of the field, always the sidelines and of course follow it up with the run up the middle for a 1 yard gain or loss if you do it EVERY TIME! Go STEELERS! See yah at Gallagher's in two weeks for some Pumpkin Pie, Y'all! 
Tommy
P.S.---Tim, here is a honeymoon shot from Niagra... if you want, cut Amy and I out and insert the 2000 team photo into the barrell. Go Steelers, Jimmy Grant Jim "J.C." Patterson Fresno, CA (Grew up in East Liverpool, OH) Steve Pavlik Tucson, AZ While watching the game, I looked at my wife on one 2nd and 10 and said, "Watch, they'll try to run a draw." Two seconds later the steelers are at the line and a field mike picks up one of the Ravens yelling "Watch the Draw! Watch the draw!" Graham gives to Huntley and he is stuffed. Kordell?? What was that? Just what the heck was that? You mean Graham goes down the field all that way, finally showing us all something, and then they put Kordell in? Give me a break. What about Tee Martin? Why not? Remember that Payton was 3-13 to start out. He played a lot that year. look at them now. The defense didnt play that well. Stop kidding yourselves. This team is disintegrating before we even get the season going. Priest Holmes ran at will. Billick went for it on fourth and inches at midfield because he knew he had the muscle and even if he didnt the Steelers wouldnt move the ball on a turnover in downs. If they are going to play like this, I would just like to see some of the younger guys, thats all I ask. Please....Fu, Amos, Tee. Lets see some young people for a change. This is the worst I have seen our guys since the late 80's. -Steve Massey North Carolina Later, 'slice. Later Days, Art Lyon Back to McMillen & Wife's 
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