Bye Week

The most dreaded week for Steelers fans is quickly approaching, the bye week. Steeler football will not be played this week, and Steelers fans will have to wait another week before watching the black and gold again. It is truly a tragedy. However, it is an opportune time to look over the season the Steelers have been having so far, and determine where they need to go heading forward.

As of now, the Steelers currently maintain a record of 6-4. This puts them at a winning percentage of .600. While this isn't the start the Steelers were hoping for, it is hard to be mad about this outcome. The Steelers have been plagued with injuries and suspensions this year. First, they had to overcome two game and four game suspensions of running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Martavis Bryant, respectively. Then during the middle of this season's campaign, they lost quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to an MCL injury that sidelined him for several weeks. Upon his return, Le'Veon Bell's season was ended due to an MCL injury. Clearly, the Steelers have had their share of bad luck this year.

Nevertheless, backups have always been good replacements for these injured players. Running back DeAngelo Williams proved to be an outstanding off season pick-up. The veteran player has seemingly gained new life in the Steeler offense. He has already racked up multiple 100 yard games and multi-touchdown games.

Roethlisberger's backups have also performed well. The combination of Michael Vick and Landry Jones were able to post a .500 record while Ben was out. This is no small feat for two quarterbacks who are not assimilated with the starting offense. Additionally, Jones lacked any real NFL experience. He started his first game during this stretch.

Now although backups have been able to keep the Steelers afloat in the playoff picture, their dreams of a division title have seemingly vanquished. The rival Cincinnati Bengals are currently at 8-1. This leads the division and is 2.5 games in front of the Steelers. With only six games remaining, it would take several crucial wins by the Steelers and several losses by the Bengals in order to obtain any hope of securing a division title.

Moving forward, the Steelers face a schedule with many divisional opponents. This is a positive due to the fact that the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns are two of the worst teams in the league this year. However, their non-divisional opponents include the likes of the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos. Both of these teams are viable Super Bowl contenders this year. Wins against these two teams and the Bengals will be crucial.

With all this said the Steelers have posted a very average season this year. Nevertheless, all that matters in the end is making the playoffs and having a shot at the Super Bowl. If the Steelers accomplish this then the season will have surely been a success. HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!

The Price of Defeat

The Steelers suffered much more than just a loss Sunday. They suffered a season ending injury to starting running back Le’Veon Bell. They also suffered the loss of any hope at a division title. On top of that, they lost their playoff spot for the time being. It was simply an all-around terrible weekend for the Pittsburgh Steelers. There seemed to simply be no ray of hope for the struggling Steelers team.

This week was supposed to be different. Starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, was supposed to return from injury this week and lead the Steelers to victory against the rival Bengals. In fact, it appeared as if this would be the case during the first drive of the game. The offense quickly maneuvered their way down the field for what would be an eventual touchdown to receiver Antonio Brown. The Steelers simply looked unstoppable.

However, it was all downhill from this point. The Steelers were lackluster to say the least. Both on offense and defense, the Steelers lacked communication and the ability to accomplish anything. It truly was a hard game to watch overall.

Nevertheless, there is no need to linger on the past. This week in practice, the Steeler offense needs to rally behind Ben and replacement running back DeAngelo Williams. Williams was a star at the beginning of the season during Bell’s suspension. Hopefully, he will be able to pick up where he left off and create a lethal Steelers rushing attack.

Nevertheless, the offense still lies on the shoulders of Ben. The quarterback must regain his lost confidence or the season is over for the Steelers. If Ben can return to his form prior to the injury then the Steelers will without a doubt be legitimate playoff contenders.

This coming week will perhaps be the biggest game of the year for the Steelers. They are set to take on the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders overtook the final playoff spot from the Steelers last weekend with their win over the Jets. It is crucial for the Steelers to get a victory in order to regain that spot and maintain the head to head tiebreaker against the Raiders. This means that if at the end of the season if both teams have the same record, then the winner of this game will secure the playoff position.

Overall, this will be very difficult game for the Steelers. The Raiders are surging this year in a way that they haven’t in decades. Additionally, the Steelers are in no position to be taking any teams lightly at this point in the season.

In order to win, the Steelers must contain quarterback Derek Carr and rookie receiver Amari Cooper. This duo has been lethal this year. Therefore, the Steeler defense must stop this attack. This could give the offense some breathing room and allow Ben to regain his confidence, which is essential.

Now while Ben regains his confidence, the fans need to regain theirs. GO STEELERS!!!!

Going Downhill Fast

In a single week the Steelers went from a top contender in the league to a team fading fast out of the playoff picture. This past week the Steelers suffered a disappointing loss to the previously 1-5 Kansas City Chiefs. This was a trap game to say the least. In other words, players on the Steelers were likely looking ahead to this week’s game against the division leading Cincinnati Bengals. By taking the Chiefs lightly and overlooking them, the Steelers were doomed for failure.

This wasn’t helped by the fact that Landry Jones, who is now the third starting quarterback for the Steelers this season, had an extremely poor outing. Jones most certainly looked like a third string quarterback to say the least. He missed receivers and made poor decisions nearly all night.

All in all, it was a very forgettable day for the Steelers. The only thing they can do now is put the loss behind them and move forward. If they linger on this loss it will certainly affect their performance in a must win game this coming Sunday.

Now moving forward, the Steelers got the best news of the season thus far. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is set to return form his MCL sprain this weekend! Prior to his injury, the Steelers were one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. Hopefully, with Ben’s return the Steeler offense can pick up where they left off. If they can do so, the Steelers will without a doubt be inserted immediately back into the playoff discussion.

Steeler wide receiver Antonio Brown, will surely be happy about the return of Ben. Brown had been complaining about his lack of targets and therefore lack of production in the past weeks whenever Ben was removed from the picture. Back-up quarterbacks Vick and Jones just simply didn’t value Brown as an asset as much as Ben does. Surely, Brown can expect an increase in targets and yards this week. This will be a blessing for fantasy owners who had been suffering due to Brown’s lack of production.

Nevertheless, Brown and Ben will have to produce an immense amount of points in order to overcome the undefeated Bengals. The Bengals are being led by the phenomenal play of quarterback Andy Dalton. Dalton has been near perfect this season. In addition, running backs Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard have been effective forces in the backfield. However, neither of them are good fantasy options due to the fact that neither receive enough carries to be the clear leader in the Bengals backfield.

This leads into the key to the game for the Steelers. They must shut down the Bengals offense early. If the defense cannot limit the run game of the Bengals, then the Steelers are doomed. Overall, if Steelers do lose then they have relatively no chance at a division title this year.

With this being said Steeler fans have one job this coming week, pack Heinz Field and ROOT FOR A STEELER VICTORY!!!

Jones Saves the Day

A third string quarterback saved the season of the Steelers. This is a statement that could have been made by several analysts around the league after last Sunday.

Landry Jones was the knight in shining armor for the Steelers this past Sunday. Vick was injured on s tort scramble during the second half. This gave Jones the opportunity to seize the spotlight. That is exactly what he did. He brought new life to a struggling Steelers offense by throwing two touchdowns to newly returned receiver Martavis Bryant. Bryant had been suspended for the beginning of the season due to violation of the NFL drug policy.

Nevertheless, in Bryant’s first game back and Jones’s first NFL snap, the two looked as if they had been playing together for years. If Jones had played this well during the preseason then the acquisition of Vick would have never been necessary.

However, all that matters is that Jones was able to secure the win. This upcoming weekend it is likely that Jones will get the start over Vick. Under Vick, the Steelers had only 1 yard in the first half. The choice between the two quarterbacks is undeniably clear. However, head coach Mike Tomlin has been known for surprises. Fans will just have to wait and see until Sunday’s game.

This Sunday will be an extremely important one for the Steelers. They are matched up against the Kansas City Chiefs. A victory would secure the Steelers’ place as a powerhouse in the NFL this season. This victory should not be hard to come by. The Chiefs have struggled since losing their star running back Jamaal Charles for the season due to an ACL tear. However, their passing game lead by quarterback Alex Smith and receiver Jeremy Maclin has been steadily improving. With this being said the Steelers have to make sure that they do not take the Chiefs lightly this week.

In order to secure this victory the Steelers only need one thing. They need half as good of a game from Jones as he showed in the second half on Sunday. If the quarterback can live up to the hype then the Steelers should breeze to a swift victory. If not then this game will be another struggle.

However besides Jones, the other important factor in this game is running back Le’Veon Bell. Bell struggled last week against the Cardinals. He posted numbers that were not even close to his usual averages. In an offense without Ben, Bell needs to step up his game. If he doesn’t then the play of Jones may not even matter. With all this said, Bell is still a top back in the NFL. Fans can place great confidence in the fact that he will get the job done.

Now it’s time for Steelers’ fans to get the job done and cheer their team on Sunday. Steelers’ nation will be taking the fear of the terrible towels to Arrowhead stadium this weekend!

Every Second Counts

TOUCHDOWN! STEELERS WIN! STEELERS WIN!

Monday night the Pittsburgh Steelers truly showed the value of every second in a football game. They won in what can only he described as a walk off fashion. With time slowly ticking away, quarterback Michael Vick led a successful drive by the Pittsburgh Offense all the way down to the half yard line. However, he did so with only 5 seconds remaining.

At this point Steelers' coach Mike Tomlin had to make a decision. He only had time for one more play. He could either go for the tie and play overtime by kicking a field goal or go for the win and score a touchdown. Tomlin showed immense courage in his choice by choosing the latter.

Anticipation started to build all throughout the stadium as the offense came back onto the field.
To add to the mix, running back Le'Veon Bell was placed in the quarterback position in what is known as a wildcat offense! This was a bold call from Tomlin and an extremely risky one. However, moments later Bell was miraculously stumbling his way into the end zone for another Steelers' victory!

Nevertheless, other than this final drive, this game was nothing but lackluster. Neither offense seemed to ever get into full swing. For a large portion of the game it seemed almost hard to watch the struggling offense of the Steelers. Every drive seemed to be a failure. Bell was putting in his work. However, Vick was struggling to find his receivers for most of the night. This shows the practice Vick still needs before being able to maintain a high power offense like the Steelers. Overall, he still managed to get the job done, and that is all which truly matters at this point in the season.

Additionally, starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been making a steady recovery from his knee injury. Good news came this week when it was announced that Ben would be back in the coming weeks. Perhaps Vick won't need so much practice after all.

However, he will still need to prepare immensely for the upcoming game against the surging Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have looked stellar with the resurgence of veteran quarterback Carson Palmer and legendary wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Right now Fitzgerald leads all receivers with 6 touchdowns this season. This is a miraculous number through only 5 games of the season. The Steelers' defense will have to shut him down if they have any chance of winning the game.

With this said, the players to watch this game are the cornerbacks for the Steelers. William Gay and Antwon Blake will have to show what they are truly made of on Sunday. This will be the ultimate test of their NFL ability. They will be guarding one of the best receivers in the league. If they fail then so do the chance of a Steelers' victory.

Regardless, this game will be a must to watch. Hopefully, the Steelers will able to claim another win and move to 4-2 overall.

The Fall of Scobee

The kicker can go from being the most loved player to the most hated in a matter of weeks. Former Steelers kicker Josh Scobee knows exactly how that feels.

The Steelers suffered a crushing overtime loss last Thursday night to their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens. However, the worst part about it is that the Steelers did in fact outplay the Ravens. It was Scobee's poor kicking ability that lost the Steelers this one.

Late during the game, Scobee was given opportunities to kick two game winning field goals that were both of an easily make-able distance for an NFL kicker. However, he failed to convert. This led to Scobee being run out of town, LITERALLY! Within the days after the game, Scobee was released by the Steelers and quickly replaced by young Rice University graduate Chris Boswell.

This opportunity for Boswell will be his first attempt at actually kicking in a regular season game in the NFL. This could be seen as a very stressful situation for the young kicker. However, Boswell needs to look at the positive aspect. He can't possibly be worse than Scobee!

Other than the kicker, the Steelers did show some promise Thursday night against the Ravens. Back-up quarterback Michael Vick made the throws that needed to be made and also used his running ability to pick up several yards during crucial plays. Nevertheless, the aging Vick was still not stellar by any means. He failed to convert two 4th down plays late in the game. This is simply a case in which the Steelers still wish they had a healthy Roethlisberger running the offense, instead of Vick.

This coming week the Steelers take on the San Diego Chargers on Monday night football. This will be a crucial game for the Steelers. They simply cannot go 2-3 on the season.

With all this said, the Steelers will definitely have their work cut out for them. The San Diego offense has been surging, led by quarterback Philip Rivers. Break out star wide receiver Keenan Allen has been nothing short of a complete animal this season and a gift for fantasy owners. Allen is the leading target for Rivers and has definitely taken advantage of the situation. The Steelers defense will without a doubt have to step it up against this lethal duo.

Offensively, the Steelers seem to be in a good position. The extended practice week has allowed players to recover from that stunning Thursday night loss. Additionally, it has allowed Vick to become more familiar with the offense. In an interview, Vick stated that he feels so much better heading into this game and that he has gained immense chemistry with the team.

Nevertheless, the player to watch during this game will be new placekicker Chris Boswell. Hopefully, Boswell be able to perform at an NFL level. Then again, hopefully this game doesn't come down to field goals again.

Big Ben Down

This was perhaps the best and worst week for the Steelers all in one. While the Steelers were able to win in a less than convincing fashion, last week against the Rams, it came with a high price. The Steelers have lost their star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger due to a sprained MCL. The quarterback is expected to miss up to six weeks while he recovers. This is an extreme blow to the surging Steelers offense. Prior to his injury, they were one of the best offenses in the league. However, after leaving the game the Steelers struggled to produce anything on offense.

These offensive difficulties begs the question of whether or not the Steelers are serious contenders in their next coming games. The backup is veteran quarterback Michael Vick. Vick has been surrounded with controversy for most of his career in relation to illegal dog fighting. In addition, the aging quarterback is well past his prime. However, the Steelers brought him in this off season for this exact reason. Now, regardless of whether Steeler fans love or hate Vick, they must root for the quarterback to be able to step into the spotlight.

Even with all this negative drama, there still were a few bright spots in the Steelers performance on Sunday. Le'Veon Bell returned to action and looked to be in full force. He was a stand out in the Steelers backfield, producing 62 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards while adding on a touchdown. This performance proved why he is one of the best running backs in the league and why Steelers fans were anxious for his return.

With Ben out it appears as if Bell will be carrying the majority of the workload on offense. Vick will need to reestablish himself as a viable starting quarterback in the NFL before the Steelers will trust him with too many throwing duties. This will surely put a damper on the numbers of star receiver Antonio Brown, who up to this point has the second most receiving yards in the NFL. Brown will surely see less targets due to the reduction in the passing game. This is a detriment to fantasy owners who were enjoying Brown's amazing productiveness.

Additionally, this offensive mystery comes at the wrong time for the Steelers who are set to play their division rivals, the Baltimore Ravens, this week. This season the Ravens are 0-3. However, they showed extreme promise last week. Veteran wide receiver Steve Smith had a breakout game and will surely produce numbers this week against the Steelers.

All in all, the Steelers are not in a good position this week. Both teams have been average to below average defensively. This means that it should be an offensive battle. This does not gain favor for the Steelers.

Truly, this game is going to come down to whether or not Vick can step it up a notch. Nevertheless, regardless of all the speculation, this game is going to be action packed. Every time these teams get together it is a battle for the ages.

Now all we can do as fans is wait and watch, while the injured Big Ben does the same.

BACK IN BLACK (and Gold)

This past weekend the Steelers seemed to be back in full swing. The high-powered offense produced the best numbers we have seen this season from the Steelers. They were able to put up a miraculous 43 points on their way to a win against their non-conference opponent, the San Francisco 49ers. This effort was led by running back DeAngelo Williams who was able to pick up 3 rushing touchdowns. With all this said we need to keep in mind that the Steelers are still missing their star running back, Le'Veon Bell, and star wide receiver, Martavis Bryant, due to suspensions. This makes the 43-18 domination of the 49ers even more incredible. It seems from here that the only place the Steelers can go is up.

Additionally, there were several other bright spots in the course of this game. The main one being veteran star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben was named AFC offensive player of the week for his incredible feat of 369 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. It seemed as if Ben was simply automatic with his passes on Sunday. He rarely missed a receiver, going an incredible 21-27 through the air.

This performance was coupled with a nearly career high game from star receiver Antonio Brown. Brown put up 195 yards receiving and 1 touchdown. This was only one yard shy of his career high single game receiving mark. Watching Brown this Sunday was simply put, a thing of beauty. Brown and Ben have been arguably the best quarterback and wide receiver duo in the NFL this season. Whenever Ben has targeted Brown, the Steelers have gained 328 yards and 2 touchdowns. This is nothing short of incredible.

All these performances put together led to a huge jump in the power rankings for the Steelers. In one week they were able to jump from 13th in the power rankings to 4th. This is clearly marking the Steelers as one of the most lethal teams in the NFL. All in all, after their less than stellar performance in week one, THE STEELERS ARE BACK BABY!!

Nevertheless, they have another chance to prove themselves this week against the St. Louis Rams. The Rams have been struggling lately in the ground game. Additionally, newly acquired quarterback Nick Foles is still getting used to the St. Louis offense. With all this said, the Steelers should have no problem coming out with a victory this week. If they are able to put out half the performance of last week then it should be an easy win.

This week also marks the return of starting running back, Le'Veon Bell, to the lineup. Bell was one of the top running backs in the league last season, and was ranked #1 overall in most polls this upcoming season. Therefore, he is without a doubt the player to watch this week. Bell should have no problem posting breakout numbers like last season. It will be exciting to see a spark added to an already flaming offense.

Overall, all that is left to do now is sit back, relax, and cheer for another STEELERS VICTORY!!

Redemption Week

It is perhaps the day that all Steelers fans look forward to, opening day at Heinz Field! A day that promises to bring nothing less than a fantastic football game filled with hard hits and incredibly loud fans. It's almost as if I I'm there right now.

This week the Steelers have an incredibly important game. The less than stellar 0-1 start against the Patriots last week has the team and the fans hungry for redemption. Nevertheless, this game is by no means an easy win. The Steelers are up against the 1-0 San Francisco 49ers. This team showed extreme promise in their win last week with newly acquired running back, Carlos Hyde. Hyde posted two touchdowns on his way to a memorable night and an overall top play from last weekend.

This obviously shows where the Steelers have been focusing their practice time on, stopping the run game. In general, Steelers have been having more intense defensive practices in order to try to improve from their pitiful defensive performance last week. As the season progresses it is definitely worth the time to pay attention to how the defense adjusts with their new offensive coordinator.

In other news, Le'Veon Bell has been getting several first team practice reps in route for his week 3 return. This is a saving grace for Steeler nation. The addition of Bell will not only improve the run game, but the passing game as well. Last year, Bell was one of Big Ben's leading targets in dump down passing situations. This is a factor that the Steelers could definitely use whenever Ben is under pressure.

During this upcoming game, the player to watch is Cody Wallace. Wallace is replacing the injured All Pro center Maurkice Pouncey for the time being. After last week's average performance, fans are looking for Wallace to step it up. If this does not happen, then Wallace faces the threat of being replaced by new addition Doug Legursky. Surely this competition will inspire Wallace to provide the pass protection and run blocking that the Steelers need. In Wallace we trust!

With all this said the Steelers still face a daunting task this week. If they were to start off 0-2, it would surely diminish the possibility of making the playoffs. It would not be an impossible task. However, it would surely make the road to get there much more troublesome. All in all, the Steelers are still the better team. They are the 6 point favorite this weekend over the 49ers. We just need to hope that they can get the job done.

As the practice week comes to a close, all that fans can do now is wait. They can wait for a glorious Steeler victory on Sunday!!!!!! HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!!!

Offense is Important, but Defense Wins Championships

This title just about sums up the Steelers' season opener against the Patriots. Although their offense was far from perfect, it was their defense that seemed to ruin their chances of ever winning the game. From the eyes of a dedicated NFL fan it seemed as if the entire Steelers defense had never played with each other before. Several miscommunications resulted in or contributed to three Patriots touchdowns. On one specific play, Rob Gronkowski, the tight end for the Patriots, simply caught the ball and walked into the end zone. WHERE WAS THE COVERAGE?! This play in particular was not simply a lack of communication. It was a lack of football knowledge in general. This leads Steelers fans to question the young and hopefully upcoming defense. Can they actually get it done this year?

As of right now, the Steelers are flashing one of the youngest defenses in the league. This lack of veteran experience could possibly be the root of all their problems. With the retirement of Steelers long time safety Troy Polamalu, it seems as if no one has stepped up to the plate and filled the defensive leadership role. This is coupled along with the fact that the Steelers have a new defensive coordinator this year. This transition most likely isn't helping the situation at all.

However, Thursday night's game was not a total loss of hope for Steeler fans. The offense did in fact show some promise. They beat the Patriots in rushing, passing, and overall yards. The only falter appeared to be that they could never find the end zone.

Without a question, the breakout player for the Steelers this game was DeAngelo Williams. The Steelers picked up the long time Carolina Panther and veteran running back in the offseason. The hope was that he could provide a running game for the Steelers during Le'Veon Bell's two game suspension. This is precisely what he did! Williams looked as if he had just taken a gulp from the fountain of youth. Defenders were simply unable to stop him. His quick cuts and massive strength allowed him to run over and juke defenders at the same time. All these factors taken into consideration make him the Steelers player of the week.

Nevertheless, this is partly due to the fact that nobody else shined for the Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger had a less than stellar performance throwing for only one touchdown, late in the game, along with a poorly thrown interception.

Overall, this performance was just truly one to forget for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Who knows, perhaps it was the lack of air in the Patriots footballs that caused the Steelers to lose. Whatever the case may be, there were very few positives to take away from this game for the Steelers. At this point it appears that their only option is to regroup over the long week they have ahead. Perhaps they need to focus their practices on defense a little more, because as of right now the Steelers are never going to win that championship this year.