One of the most common line used in any sport is “If we just don’t beat ourselves.” How true has that been in Steelers’ games past? I give all the credit to the Jaguars last year for beating us in the playoffs, but think about this…on that fateful third and six if Ben Roethlisberger throws the ball or calls a different play instead of his own number and we earn a first down, is the outcome different? Even years ago, dating back to 2001, let’s say the AFC title game that year? If Troy Edwards doesn’t step out of bounds on the Josh Miller punt forcing a re-kick, which we all know resulted in a Troy Brown punt return for a touchdown, is that outcome different? Mike Tomlin believes this team in 2008 can be very good if they just don’t beat themselves. Tomlin:
“We want to be a tough team to beat, and part of being a tough team to beat is not beating ourselves, so we are really focused on the things that are not talent oriented, but more of a cohesion oriented and technically oriented. I didn’t think we were highly penalized last time out, but a lot of our penalties were technical in nature. It was a good sign that we didn’t have pre-snap, post-snap penalties. Those things, of course, make you easy to beat. But we did have some technical issues that we hope to clean up. We are looking for perfection from the assignment standpoint, and we really want to focus on the things that require no talent. We are just going to continue to sort those things out and hopefully the answers will become clear to us because they will. So we are going into the game looking at the quality of play, the cohesion of the unit. Of course, the sooner we get the starting five together, the better. We will have a similar rotation Thursday, but we will swap some people out. What I mean is Willie Reid will get an opportunity to return a punt or two; Eddie Drummond will get the opportunity to return a kickoff or two. We are still looking at Mewelde Moore and Rashard Mendenhall. Mewelde is a punt returner, Rashard is a kickoff returner. Of course Jeremy Bloom will get the opportunity at both, depending on how many snaps we get. Hopefully, we won’t get that many opportunities at kickoff return.”
For the game tomorrow (which the kickoff has been moved to 7:00 because of the Democratic Convention), Charlie Batch is obviously out, but so is Mike Humpal, Ryan Mundy, Troy Polamalu, we all know about Daniel Sepulveda, and Deshea Townsend who are all nursing or have significant injuries. Every year, there is a rookie from the current draft class that simply won’t make the team. It might be more than one, rarely is it everyone. This year’s loser could be linebacker Bruce Davis. Mike Tomlin says he needs to play better. Tomlin on his situation:
“He was active, not to be confused with productive against the Eagles. He's a young guy with a lot of energy and desire. He's playing catch-up and he has to catch up in a hurry this week. I'm pleased with his approach, but I need to see some results.”
While the Steelers failed to address the defensive line in the draft, they still have that area on their minds. Yesterday rookie undrafted Kyle Clement who had hurt his knee was released and third-year veteran Kevin Huntley was added to the defensive line, taken from the waiver wire of the Washington Redskins. Huntley is 6’7”, 270 and comes out of Kansas State three years ago when he was selected by the Oakland Raiders. He spent time with Atlanta last year making three tackles in five games. For Oakland he played in six games and made 10 tackles and contributed with two and one-half sacks.
You may or may not have heard the story circulating in the media about Anthony Smith being labeled a “thug” because of his hits put on veteran receivers in training camp. Now, Smith and his teammates are reacting.
Ryan Clark: “Not to bring race into it, but is it because he is black that these acts are called thuggery?. Because a man has tattoos or may play a certain way, it doesn't make him a thug. You've never heard of Anthony Smith being in a bar brawl. You've never heard of him carrying a gun, things that you associate with thuggery. Bill Romanowski spit in a man's face on the field, hurt one of his teammates to the point that he was sued and the word thuggery was never used. You're not supposed to touch Hines, we understand that, but if you had a chance to watch the tape Smith literally tapped him. Hines had one foot up, he did a Manu Ginobili flop, and when he was on the ground when you look at the picture, he was smiling.”
Smith: “I never mugged anybody or robbed anybody. I got a clean record so I don't know how I can be classified as a thug. I just think it was an ignorant statement. To put me in that category, I don't think is right.”
Mike Tomlin: “He's not a thug. He's a young professional football player who is trying to be at his best who happens to play the game very physically. We understand that perception all of the time is not reality, but some things are written or said that are hurtful.”
Yesterday, I mentioned perhaps Charlie Batch should retire. I’m not alone in that sentiment.
Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com, Rumor Mill
Leftwich Takes Shot at Daunte?
New Steelers quarterback Byron Leftwich, who joined the team two days ago with no guarantee that he’d be anything other than the short-term backup to starter Ben Roethlisberger, might have taken a shot on Monday at quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Both Leftwich and Culpepper came to Steelers’ training camp on Sunday, with the team planning to sign at least one of them. (There were indications that both could be added.) Culpepper reportedly opted against signing with the Steelers because he still wants to be a starter, and that he apparently was hoping to compete for the starting job in Pittsburgh. Said Leftwich on Monday, according to the Washington (Pa.) Observer-Reporter, “Only a fool would come here believing you have a chance to start when you have [Ben Roethlisberger] here. They’ve got Ben here and Ben’s a hell of a quarterback.” Rrrrrow.
Meanwhile, Charlie Batch could eventually be joining Culpepper in the ranks of the unemployed. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Leftwich could keep the No. 2 gig for the entire season. “Byron was a No. 1 pick, the seventh overall in the draft,” quarterbacks coach Ken Anderson said. “He’s started in the league, won games in the league. We’re happy to have him here to kind of bail us out.” One possibility would be to place Batch on injured reserve and to use Leftwich as the No. 2 and rookie Dennis Dixon as No. 3. The team apparently hopes to keep Dixon on the active roster, since attempting to put him on the practice squad would expose him to the waiver system. But at this point it’s impossible to rule out the chance that the Steelers will conclude that Leftwich is a significant upgrade to Batch, and that the time has come to part ways with the Pittsburgh native who has happily served as an understudy for his entire time with the team.
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Several more internet tidbits for today.
James Walker, ESPN.com, AFC North mailbag: Around the division
Let's get into some AFC North questions and answers.
Kyle from Texas writes: Do you think the Cowboys will sweep the AFC north this year?
James Walker: Good question, Kyle. The Dallas Cowboys travel to Cleveland and Pittsburgh this year. They will lose at least one of those games.
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Vinnie Iyer, TheSportingNews.com, Never too early to size up '08 NFL playoff race
Why is the NFL's preseason so popular when the games don't count? That's simple -- it marks a month of hope for all 32 teams and their fans. But when the regular season begins, it won't be long before the losses mount and teams start dropping out of the great 2008 playoff race. In reality, barring injuries or major blowups, six of the season's dozen postseason berths are already taken. Despite the NFL's salary cap-delivered parity, three teams each in the AFC and the NFC have separated themselves from the pack. In the current league structure, they have done a better job of hiring wise coaches, assembling talented players and, most important, executing on the field. In the AFC, it's no surprise: the Big Three. The New England Patriots have the best coaching, the San Diego Chargers have the best talent and the Indianapolis Colts have about half of each elite attribute. Those three teams will continue to dominate their division, battling for the top seed in the conference.
The AFC is looking for seeds four through six, while the NFC must completed by two more division winners and one wild card. To cut the remaining contenders down to an even 10 in each conference, it was easy to eliminate six teams from any consideration. Here's handicapping what's now left of the '08 playoff race:
AFC
4. Pittsburgh Steelers: They have a brutal schedule, but that's the case for every team in the AFC North. They still have the fewest concerns in the most critical areas: quarterback, rushing offense, run defense and coaching.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Consider them a near lock for the AFC's first wild card. The only possible thing holding them back is playing in a tough AFC South, but they are tough enough to finish right behind the Colts.
6. Tennessee Titans: It's all on Vince Young improving and becoming more consistent as an all-around quarterback. Otherwise, Jeff Fisher's combination of an aggressive, playmaking defense and run-heavy offense puts his team in good position to sneak back into the playoffs.
7. New York Jets: Brett Favre solves their quarterback problems and the schedule is rather favorable, but there are plenty of hurdles for coach Eric Mangini to get his team to rebound from 4-12.
8. Buffalo Bills: Expect Dick Jauron's defense to take the next step with improvements and better health at all three levels. The offense, however, remains green with Trent Edwards and Marshawn Lynch going into their second seasons.
9. Cleveland Browns: With their balanced offense, the Browns can light up the scoreboard with anybody. Now they need Derek Anderson to remain steady and for their defense to come alive to punch their wild-card ticket.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: They are similar to intrastate rival Cleveland, with an explosive passing game and suspect defense. The big difference? The Bengals have many more issues with their running game.
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