Steelers have proven little

[83-Steelers-43]

And to counter Smizik's article (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07260/818214-194.stm)....

Steelers have proven little
By Mike Prisuta
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, September 17, 2007

The celebration of the Steelers' 75th anniversary continued with the reaching of another milestone.

No, we're not talking about the 500th win in franchise history.

We refer instead to the Steelers playing a seventh preseason game, which matches the seven they played in 1975 and '76 (the exhibition schedule included the College All-Star Game for defending champions back then).

Such records only go back as far as 1965 in the media guide.

Still, it's hard to imagine a preseason that's been longer than this one.

What's really worth celebrating is the Steelers get credit in the standings for their 34-7 win Sept. 9 in Cleveland and their 26-3 clubbing of Buffalo on Sunday at Heinz Field.

The competition has been inferior enough over the regular season's first two weeks that the Steelers have been able to treat these first two games as exhibitions.

They've gotten backup quarterback Charlie Batch a little work on each of the past two Sundays.

They've gotten Najeh Davenport a combined 14 carries -- on which he's averaging a preseason-like 6.4 yards.

They've gotten reserve offensive linemen Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu into the games.

Eventually, they're going to have to play an actual NFL-caliber team.

Please don't present the Browns as an example of such. What happened in Cleveland yesterday had to be more a reflection of the Bengals' inability to physically recover from and emotionally handle their win over Baltimore than it was the Browns' prowess.

Only then will we know just how good these Steelers really are.

In the meantime, they're eating these JV quarterbacks the other teams keep sending at them for lunch.

J.P. Losman was predictably overmatched in his efforts to dent a defense that feasts on passers who are either inexperienced or lack the ability to read and react and make plays under pressure.

Losman actually has been in the league as long as Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers just made Losman look like a clueless rookie.

The Steelers' defense, with its ability to disguise and confuse and because of its refusal to let anyone generate anything resembling a consistent running game, deserves a great deal of credit. The unit exposes overwhelmed opposing signal callers, and in the case of Charlie Frye, getting them traded to the Seahawks.

But we won't have a better feel for whether the Steelers' defense is simply good or on the verge of greatness -- as the players who comprise that defense contend -- until it's time to play Carson Palmer and the Bengals and Tom Brady and the Patriots. Or, perhaps, Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Seattle.

Until then, the Steelers get the likes of Frye and Derek Anderson and Losman and, this coming Sunday, third-year pro Alex Smith of San Francisco.

Let the feeding frenzy continue.

As it does, the Steelers' offense can go about its business with relative calm and confidence.

And as long as that offense can protect the ball and the special teams don't implode, the Steelers' prospects are about as golden as the helmets they wore Sunday.

How good are they?

We'll find out soon enough.

In the meantime, these Steelers continue to put on quite an exhibition.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_527827.html

[The Duke]

Prisuta wrote this, no surprise

[JackHammer]

I think there's one thing that the Steelers have proven. We've proven that we can beat the teams that we're supposed to beat. We couldn't make that statement last year. No game is a gimme, but I feel more comfortable this year about playing teams that we should beat as opposed to last year. I do agree though, that we won't be able to say great until we beat some better teams, and I'm confident that we'll do just that.

[fansince'76]

But we won't have a better feel for whether the Steelers' defense is simply good or on the verge of greatness -- as the players who comprise that defense contend -- until it's time to play....Shaun Alexander, Matt Hasselbeck and Seattle.

Yep, never mind that Alexander and Baldy lost to a team comprised largely of our castoffs today. Prisuta = clueless assclown.

If I have any apprehension about our team, it's the offense - we should have been up 28-0 at half instead of 12-0. FGs aren't going to cut it against the better teams down the road.

[83-Steelers-43]

Originally Posted by JackHammer

I think there's one thing that the Steelers have proven. We've proven that we can beat the teams that we're supposed to beat. We couldn't make that statement last year. No game is a gimme, but I feel more comfortable this year about playing teams that we should beat as opposed to last year. I do agree though, that we won't be able to say great until we beat some better teams, and I'm confident that we'll do just that.

Good post and I agree completely. I also believe they have proven that this years defense is damn better than last years defense.

I am keeping in mind that we might have just played the two worst teams in the league. By no means am I taking anything away from the two wins, just prefer to keep things in perspective while many are already predicting a deep playoff run in mid-September.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

The Steelers are supposed to blow these teams out and they are.....If the Steelers were struggling to beat these teams then I think there would be some room for concern.....lol

[LVSteelersfan]

What a load of trash. These are REAL NFL teams. Who gives a crap what a writer has to say. The Browns scored 51 points today for Criminees sake. That is a real NFL team in my book. Where do these jerks get off writing such gibberish? If we play badly or lose we are the laughingstock of the league. They still want to make our team a mockery writing crap like this. I realize we will know what our team really consists of when we play Baltimore, New England, Cincinnati and Denver. But in the meantime the Steelers deserve kudos when they absolutely kill two NFL teams.

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by LVSteelersfan

I realize we will know what our team really consists of when we play Baltimore, New England, Cincinnati and Denver.

I've got news for you, since I live in Broncos country - the Broncos aren't all that. They are 2-0, but the Raiders took them to OT here in Denver after trailing 17-3, and they could have just as easily lost to Buffalo last week as well, barely scraping out a win there with a last second FG. Cutler resembles Plummer a lot more than Elway, and their run D has fallen WAY off. Cincy's D - 'nuff said. The only team in that group you mentioned that worries me is NE.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

I've got news for you, since I live in Broncos country - the Broncos aren't all that. They are 2-0, but the Raiders took them to OT here in Denver after trailing 17-3, and they could have just as easily lost to Buffalo last week as well, barely scraping out a win there with a last second FG. Cutler resembles Plummer a lot more than Elway, and their run D has fallen WAY off.

I agree 76....The Broncos havn't impressed at all this year.....They have struggled against the Bills and Da Raiders...lol If the game was in Pittsburgh then I think the Steelers would win in a cake walk....I think the only reason the Broncos have a chance is since the game is in Denver...But we all know what happened the last time the Steelers visited the Rocky Mountains.....They only wiped the floor with the Donkeys in the 05 AFC title game...lol Yes some of the characters have changed for both teams......But I like the Steelers chances when they have to go to Denver...

[LVSteelersfan]

I am just saying we have to beat some of the big name teams to prove we are for real. I have no doubt whatsoever that we can compete with the big boys. But after watching New England dismantle San Diego tonight, I need to see us play a good game against them to show that we are a top 5 team. I sincerely hope that some of the other teams can compete with them this year so they don't waltz into home field advantage. I am a bona fide, card carrying, Patriots hater. No class clowns.