Game 1 Report Card:

[lamberts-lost-tooth]

Game 1 Report Card: Steelers vs. Dolphins
Friday, September 08, 2006



Quarterback: All in all, a good night for Charlie Batch, who threw three touchdown passes and no interceptions as a replacement for Ben Roethlisberger. Batch connected with TE Heath Miller on an 87-yard touchdown with 6:11 remaining, atoning for an earlier gaffe in which he mishandled a snap on first down at the Dolphins' 1.
GRADE: B

Running Back: Willie Parker had his third consecutive 100-yard game in the regular season, finishing with 115 on a career-high 29 carries. Included was a 32-yarder to the Miami 33 that set up the second touchdown in the second quarter. Parker had 57 yards rushing in the first half. The Steelers finished with 145 yards rushing on 35 attempts.
GRADE: B+

Receivers: Miller made the game's big play, catching a 17-yard pass from Batch and turning it into an 87-yard touchdown with 6:11 remaining. WR Nate Washington made a nice leaping catch at the pylon on a 27-yard TD pass from Batch. Hines Ward made his first catch of 2006 a big one -- a 7-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone.
GRADE: B+

Offensive Line: The line did a decent job keeping the pressure off Batch in the first half, though he was hurried and sacked twice in the second half. Also, with the exception of Parker's 32-yard run, the backs had just 24 yards rushing in the first half. But when they had to clear space for Parker in the fourth quarter, they did.
GRADE: C

Defensive Line: RB Ronnie Brown had just 9 yards on eight carries as the Dolphins were held to just 11 yards rushing in the first half. However, Brown scored on a 2-yard run up the middle in the second quarter and got to the edge on a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Still, the line held the Dolphins to 43 yards rushing on 18 carries.
GRADE: B

Linebackers: It was a quiet night for the linebackers, until OLB Joey Porter intercepted a Daunte Culpepper pass and returned the pick 42 yards for the final score. Porter also had a sack on the second series. ILB James Farrior hurried QB Daunte Culpepper into a couple bad throws and had 7 tackles, including a sack. OLB Clark Haggans had seven tackles.
GRADE: C+

Secondary: S Troy Polamalu had a team-high nine tackles and intercepted a Culpepper pass at the Miami 45 with 5:51 remaining. CB Ike Taylor followed Pro Bowl WR Chris Chambers all over the field and held him without a catch in the first half. But Chambers had four catches for 40 yards in the second half.
GRADE: C

Special Teams: Ryan Clark missed the first tackle on Wes Welker's 47-yard punt return to the Steelers' 15, setting up the Dolphins' first touchdown. James Harrison's holding penalty negated Ricardo Colclough's 62-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. P Chris Gardocki did a nice job in the first half, averaging 49.5 yards on four punts, but K Jeff Reed yanked a 44-yard field goal with 3:09 left.
GRADE: F

Coaching: Coach Bill Cowher showed he was not going to be passive early, converting a fourth-and-1 at the Dolphins' 39 that allowed the Steelers to score their first touchdown. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau did a good job mixing blitzes and bringing different players, hurrying the usually accurate Culpepper into many bad throws. But the special teams were sloppy and out of sync.
GRADE: C

[nicesteel4life]

Did you come up with those grades?
If so I am glad your not a teacher!!!!!
Remember it was the first game of the year!!!!
I give them a B+ across the board.......
Special Teams was the only week spot I seen. But not a F!
And if your gonna say missed tackles, I would blam 90% on the slick field, change spikes!
Look how many times we slipped on Offense as well as defense!
Sorry but that report card doesn't show the setiment of a TRUE STEELER FAN....

[clevestinks]

Porter MVP!

[SteelerFanInCA]

The special teams play was poor last night. Do you guys think it had to do with Kiesel not playing on special teams any longer? Or is it too early to make any assessments?

[83-Steelers-43]

Originally Posted by SteelerFanInCA

The special teams play was poor last night. Do you guys think it had to do with Kiesel not playing on special teams any longer? Or is it too early to make any assessments?

The absence of Keisel and with Chidi off the roster contributed to our dismal ST's play to a degree I'm sure. But our guys were no where NEAR Welker on PR's, who in my opinion should also be given credit for simply looking damn good.

[SteelerFanInCA]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

The absence of Keisel and with Chidi off the roster contributed to our dismal ST's play to a degree I'm sure. But our guys were no where NEAR the Welker on PR's, who in my opinion should also be given credit for simply looking damn good.

That Welker guy was all over the place. I was getting pissed watching that guy run so freely. If it weren't for him, the phins never would have scored their first TD.

[83-Steelers-43]

On the other side of the ball, I thought it was a big mistake to have Reid inactive. Holmes looked a little shaky back there and Colclough is just bad.

[SteelerFanInCA]

I was under the impression Reid was going to be our punt returner? Is this not the case anymore?

[83-Steelers-43]

Originally Posted by SteelerFanInCA

I was under the impression Reid was going to be our punt returner? Is this not the case anymore?

That was also my impression after reading this article from the PPG....

Quick hits


Rookie wide receiver Willie Reid will open as the punt-returner. Cowher said he's not sure which two players will be deep on kickoffs, but strongly suggested Ricardo Colclough could be one. "He may also get a shot back there on punts," Cowher said.


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06246/718745-66.stm

Bill Cowher is the coach and he's forgot more about football than I know about the game to this day, but I'm still not seeing it with Ricardo Colclough and I'm not just talking about his PR and KR displays.

[SteelerFanInCA]

Originally Posted by 83-Steelers-43

That was also my impression after reading this article from the PPG....

Quick hits


Rookie wide receiver Willie Reid will open as the punt-returner. Cowher said he's not sure which two players will be deep on kickoffs, but strongly suggested Ricardo Colclough could be one. "He may also get a shot back there on punts," Cowher said.


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06246/718745-66.stm

Bill Cowher is the coach and he's forgot more about football than I know about the game to this day, but I'm still not seeing it with Ricardo Colclough and I'm not just talking about his PR and KR displays.

Yeah, I'm with you on that. I'm not sure if Colclough is our guy back there. He scares me everytime I see him run with the ball.