mesaSteeler
07-16-2009, 07:39 PM
Steelers ’09 Preview
http://www.nfltouchdown.com/pittsburgh-steelers-2009-preview/
July 8, 2009 by Andy Benoit
To truly understand the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers is to understand the importance of all the peripheral details. Take, for example, inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons. In the big scope, we see Timmons, a 6′1″, 234-pounder who plays with an upright posture that makes him look 6′4″. Speedy agility and fervid tackling suggest that the 23-year-old could one day be a star.
But look closer; 2009 will be Timmons’s debut as a starter. The significance here is symbolic; Timmons was a first-round draft pick in ’07. By spending his first two seasons as a nickel linebacker, he became Pittsburgh’s only first-round draft pick since 1996 to not regularly start by at least his second season.
Think about this for a moment. The league-wide success rate for first-round draft picks is somewhere around fifty percent. Since ’99, the Steelers have basically batted 1.000.
Timmons is replacing veteran Larry Foote in the lineup. Foote is one of just two starters from last year’s Super Bowl squad not returning. The other is cornerback Bryant McFadden. McFadden, like Foote, was replaced from within (third-year cornerback William Gay will now start).
Timmons will be flanked by third-year stud LaMarr Woodley and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, forming the best outside linebacking duo in football. Like Timmons, Woodley and Harrison both began their Steeler careers as backups.
Pittsburgh’s trend of in-house replacements is even more startling along the offensive line. Left tackle Max Starks, once a backup to Marvel Smith, just signed a four-year, $26.3 million contract. Next to Starks is left guard Chris Kemoeatu who, for his first three years, backed up Pro Bowler Alan Faneca. Kemoeatu inherited the starting job last season and played well enough to receive a five-year, $20 million contract. His counterpart, right guard Darnell Stapleton, spent a year on the bench before taking over for injured veteran Kendall Simmons last season. The undrafted Stapleton is heading towards a long-term contract himself in the near future. And should he, for whatever reason, tail off, third-round rookie Kraig Urbik will be primed to start.
Are you seeing the point here? The NFL is all about change. The Steelers, by grooming their own backups into starters, always remain one step ahead of the curve. They don’t endure change––they embrace it. The Patriots and Colts are the same way. This is what wins Super Bowls. Yes, having superstar quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger helps. But there are also superstar quarterbacks on teams that fight change instead of welcome it; those quarterbacks become Pro Bowlers, not Champions.
The Steelers have obviously been the Reigning Champs before. Just four years ago, in fact. They defended the Lombardi Trophy with a pathetic 8-8 season in which, by their own admittance, complacency set in. So what will be different this time?
Coaching, for one. Bill Cowher was on his way out in ’06. Mike Tomlin, who, at 36, became the youngest Super Bowl winning coach in history, is only in his third season. Amazingly, all of Tomlin’s original staff is still intact. This includes offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Hall of Fame-worthy defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
When the Rooney Family hired Tomlin, a Tampa 2 defensive specialist, NFL pundits assumed it meant the eventual dismissal of LeBeau, the father of the 3-4 zone blitz scheme. But what is known about Tomlin now that wasn’t known at the time is that his unabashed confidence is safely weighted down by a noble sense of humility. While other coaches would have been busy proving themselves and stamping their mark on their new team, Tomlin was busy doing what was needed to win. With a plethora of 3-4 personnel, that meant retaining LeBeau. Last year, under LeBeau’s ingenious direction, Pittsburgh’s defense ranked first in yards and points allowed, first against the pass, first on third down, second against the run, second in sacks per play and first in Super Bowl victories. Give Tomlin credit for being hands-off.
The Steelers are in an unusual spot. Pretty much everyone is back. Most, if not all, of the key contributors are in their prime. Offseason distractions and controversy have been non-existent (thanks in large part to Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert, who re-signed veterans Hines Ward, James Harrison and most of the offensive line). Perhaps no defending Super Bowl champion in the salary cap era has been in a better position to repeat. And that could be Pittsburgh’s greatest obstacle.
Offense
Tomlin’s willingness to let his assistants actually coach has helped cultivate a fantastic working relationship between offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Working with Big Ben requires unique patience and flexibility. Roethlisberger is very quick with his first read and maddeningly slow with everything after that. Critics lampoon the 27-year-old for holding the ball too long, and they carp about how if he continues to endure 50 sacks a season, his 6’5”, 241-pound body won’t survive past President Obama’s first term. But Arians recognizes what predecessor Ken Whisenhunt either could not or would not:
Roethlisberger is above the rules of quarterbacking. His sandlot style of play is a double-edged sword––but one that has a proclivity for finding the torso of adversaries in critical situations (just ask the Arizona Cardinals).
Big Ben will be the first to say that Pittsburgh became a Super Bowl quality club when its makeshift front five gelled. A line once-contrived of a sluggish left tackle (Max Starks), an untested and underpowered left guard (Chris Kemoeatu), a weak-legged journeyman center (Justin Hartwig), an undrafted right guard with inconsistent power (Darnell Stapleton) and a short-armed right tackle that couldn’t recognize a blitz to save his life (Willie Colon) has, remarkably, meshed into one of the most cohesive and cerebral units in the game. Give a world of credit to O-line coach Harold Goodwin.
All five of the line’s starters return in 2009, plus there’s 324-pound swing tackle Trai Essex and lauded third-round guard/tackle Kraig Urbik. The aforementioned limitations of each starter have been ameliorated but not nullified. Roethlisberger’s familiarity with the group, however, masks a lot of the pass-blocking deficiencies.
Assuming Charlie Batch––who’s likely to fend off second-year scrambling quarterback Dennis Dixon for backup duties––isn’t filling in for an injured Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh’s wide receivers will enjoy the big-play opportunities put forth by their captain’s improvisational brilliance. No receiver has benefitted from Big Ben’s style more than Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. A first-round pick in ’06, Holmes has steadily progressed as a crisp, deceptive route runner with enough speed to beat defenders over the top. Hines Ward’s reliability in the short game makes him Roethlisberger’s first option, but Holmes is clearly the best option.
Stretching the field may not be as easy without slot receiver Nate Washington. The hope is that last year’s second-round pick, Limas Sweed, can fill this void. Sweed showed little promise in catching only six passes as a rookie. He’ll be given an opportunity to succeed, but the Steelers aren’t about to wait patiently for him to mature and toughen up. Former Lion Shaun McDonald, a dangerous speedster in the slot, was signed, and Mississippi return ace Mike Wallace, also a receiver, was drafted in Round Three. Tight end Matt Spaeth, in his long 6’7” frame, was drafted in ’07 to stretch the seams. Spaeth, however, hasn’t emerged past being an extra run-blocker. Soft-handed starting tight end Heath Miller is tremendous in every facet, but he doesn’t have the raging athleticism of an elite player.
It may sound like heresy, but the Steelers don’t really need a punishing run game in order to succeed. After all, they ranked 23rd on the ground last season, with leading rusher Willie Parker gaining just 791 yards on a 3.8 yards per carry average. Of course, life is much easier when your offense is multidimensional, which is why there’s giddy anticipation for the return of last year’s first-round pick, Rashard Mendenhall. The expectation is for Mendenhall, who broke his shoulder in Week 4, to vie for half of Parker’s carries. The better Mendenhall plays, the more touches he’ll get. Parker needs this. Though 28 and having only about five years of tread on his tires (remember, he didn’t play much at North Carolina), Parker runs with potent acceleration only when healthy and fresh.
Fullback Carey Davis (225 pounds) may not have enough power to keep his job from fifth-round rookie Frank Summers (242). Last year, H-back Sean McHugh filled in as a lead-blocker at times, while Davis served as the short-yardage back. However, Summers––or even the 224-pound Mendenhall––can probably move the pile in goal-line sets. Thus, the Steelers may have to cut ties with Davis––especially if they want to keep valuable multipurpose back Mewelde Moore.
http://www.nfltouchdown.com/pittsburgh-steelers-2009-preview/
July 8, 2009 by Andy Benoit
To truly understand the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers is to understand the importance of all the peripheral details. Take, for example, inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons. In the big scope, we see Timmons, a 6′1″, 234-pounder who plays with an upright posture that makes him look 6′4″. Speedy agility and fervid tackling suggest that the 23-year-old could one day be a star.
But look closer; 2009 will be Timmons’s debut as a starter. The significance here is symbolic; Timmons was a first-round draft pick in ’07. By spending his first two seasons as a nickel linebacker, he became Pittsburgh’s only first-round draft pick since 1996 to not regularly start by at least his second season.
Think about this for a moment. The league-wide success rate for first-round draft picks is somewhere around fifty percent. Since ’99, the Steelers have basically batted 1.000.
Timmons is replacing veteran Larry Foote in the lineup. Foote is one of just two starters from last year’s Super Bowl squad not returning. The other is cornerback Bryant McFadden. McFadden, like Foote, was replaced from within (third-year cornerback William Gay will now start).
Timmons will be flanked by third-year stud LaMarr Woodley and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison, forming the best outside linebacking duo in football. Like Timmons, Woodley and Harrison both began their Steeler careers as backups.
Pittsburgh’s trend of in-house replacements is even more startling along the offensive line. Left tackle Max Starks, once a backup to Marvel Smith, just signed a four-year, $26.3 million contract. Next to Starks is left guard Chris Kemoeatu who, for his first three years, backed up Pro Bowler Alan Faneca. Kemoeatu inherited the starting job last season and played well enough to receive a five-year, $20 million contract. His counterpart, right guard Darnell Stapleton, spent a year on the bench before taking over for injured veteran Kendall Simmons last season. The undrafted Stapleton is heading towards a long-term contract himself in the near future. And should he, for whatever reason, tail off, third-round rookie Kraig Urbik will be primed to start.
Are you seeing the point here? The NFL is all about change. The Steelers, by grooming their own backups into starters, always remain one step ahead of the curve. They don’t endure change––they embrace it. The Patriots and Colts are the same way. This is what wins Super Bowls. Yes, having superstar quarterbacks like Ben Roethlisberger helps. But there are also superstar quarterbacks on teams that fight change instead of welcome it; those quarterbacks become Pro Bowlers, not Champions.
The Steelers have obviously been the Reigning Champs before. Just four years ago, in fact. They defended the Lombardi Trophy with a pathetic 8-8 season in which, by their own admittance, complacency set in. So what will be different this time?
Coaching, for one. Bill Cowher was on his way out in ’06. Mike Tomlin, who, at 36, became the youngest Super Bowl winning coach in history, is only in his third season. Amazingly, all of Tomlin’s original staff is still intact. This includes offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and Hall of Fame-worthy defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.
When the Rooney Family hired Tomlin, a Tampa 2 defensive specialist, NFL pundits assumed it meant the eventual dismissal of LeBeau, the father of the 3-4 zone blitz scheme. But what is known about Tomlin now that wasn’t known at the time is that his unabashed confidence is safely weighted down by a noble sense of humility. While other coaches would have been busy proving themselves and stamping their mark on their new team, Tomlin was busy doing what was needed to win. With a plethora of 3-4 personnel, that meant retaining LeBeau. Last year, under LeBeau’s ingenious direction, Pittsburgh’s defense ranked first in yards and points allowed, first against the pass, first on third down, second against the run, second in sacks per play and first in Super Bowl victories. Give Tomlin credit for being hands-off.
The Steelers are in an unusual spot. Pretty much everyone is back. Most, if not all, of the key contributors are in their prime. Offseason distractions and controversy have been non-existent (thanks in large part to Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert, who re-signed veterans Hines Ward, James Harrison and most of the offensive line). Perhaps no defending Super Bowl champion in the salary cap era has been in a better position to repeat. And that could be Pittsburgh’s greatest obstacle.
Offense
Tomlin’s willingness to let his assistants actually coach has helped cultivate a fantastic working relationship between offensive coordinator Bruce Arians and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Working with Big Ben requires unique patience and flexibility. Roethlisberger is very quick with his first read and maddeningly slow with everything after that. Critics lampoon the 27-year-old for holding the ball too long, and they carp about how if he continues to endure 50 sacks a season, his 6’5”, 241-pound body won’t survive past President Obama’s first term. But Arians recognizes what predecessor Ken Whisenhunt either could not or would not:
Roethlisberger is above the rules of quarterbacking. His sandlot style of play is a double-edged sword––but one that has a proclivity for finding the torso of adversaries in critical situations (just ask the Arizona Cardinals).
Big Ben will be the first to say that Pittsburgh became a Super Bowl quality club when its makeshift front five gelled. A line once-contrived of a sluggish left tackle (Max Starks), an untested and underpowered left guard (Chris Kemoeatu), a weak-legged journeyman center (Justin Hartwig), an undrafted right guard with inconsistent power (Darnell Stapleton) and a short-armed right tackle that couldn’t recognize a blitz to save his life (Willie Colon) has, remarkably, meshed into one of the most cohesive and cerebral units in the game. Give a world of credit to O-line coach Harold Goodwin.
All five of the line’s starters return in 2009, plus there’s 324-pound swing tackle Trai Essex and lauded third-round guard/tackle Kraig Urbik. The aforementioned limitations of each starter have been ameliorated but not nullified. Roethlisberger’s familiarity with the group, however, masks a lot of the pass-blocking deficiencies.
Assuming Charlie Batch––who’s likely to fend off second-year scrambling quarterback Dennis Dixon for backup duties––isn’t filling in for an injured Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh’s wide receivers will enjoy the big-play opportunities put forth by their captain’s improvisational brilliance. No receiver has benefitted from Big Ben’s style more than Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. A first-round pick in ’06, Holmes has steadily progressed as a crisp, deceptive route runner with enough speed to beat defenders over the top. Hines Ward’s reliability in the short game makes him Roethlisberger’s first option, but Holmes is clearly the best option.
Stretching the field may not be as easy without slot receiver Nate Washington. The hope is that last year’s second-round pick, Limas Sweed, can fill this void. Sweed showed little promise in catching only six passes as a rookie. He’ll be given an opportunity to succeed, but the Steelers aren’t about to wait patiently for him to mature and toughen up. Former Lion Shaun McDonald, a dangerous speedster in the slot, was signed, and Mississippi return ace Mike Wallace, also a receiver, was drafted in Round Three. Tight end Matt Spaeth, in his long 6’7” frame, was drafted in ’07 to stretch the seams. Spaeth, however, hasn’t emerged past being an extra run-blocker. Soft-handed starting tight end Heath Miller is tremendous in every facet, but he doesn’t have the raging athleticism of an elite player.
It may sound like heresy, but the Steelers don’t really need a punishing run game in order to succeed. After all, they ranked 23rd on the ground last season, with leading rusher Willie Parker gaining just 791 yards on a 3.8 yards per carry average. Of course, life is much easier when your offense is multidimensional, which is why there’s giddy anticipation for the return of last year’s first-round pick, Rashard Mendenhall. The expectation is for Mendenhall, who broke his shoulder in Week 4, to vie for half of Parker’s carries. The better Mendenhall plays, the more touches he’ll get. Parker needs this. Though 28 and having only about five years of tread on his tires (remember, he didn’t play much at North Carolina), Parker runs with potent acceleration only when healthy and fresh.
Fullback Carey Davis (225 pounds) may not have enough power to keep his job from fifth-round rookie Frank Summers (242). Last year, H-back Sean McHugh filled in as a lead-blocker at times, while Davis served as the short-yardage back. However, Summers––or even the 224-pound Mendenhall––can probably move the pile in goal-line sets. Thus, the Steelers may have to cut ties with Davis––especially if they want to keep valuable multipurpose back Mewelde Moore.