Post-Gazette Asks - What's wrong with the Steelers?

[Atlanta Dan]

Pretty good overview by Ed.B. of the P-G, who actually did some reporting and asked some commentators for their views on what is wrong.

Some might care to ignore Bob Trumpy's opinions since he is a bombastic Benglas shill, but Jack Ham has, to put it mildly, fairly solid credentials for Steelers fans. Here are Ham's thoughts, which are not kind to our woeful WR corps:

Ham, who lives in Sewickley and analyzes his former team on ESPN Radio 1250, believes the problems lie more with the receivers than the quarterback.

"I don't think any secondary fears those wideouts," Ham said. "Ben doesn't have the kind of team around him that can run for 150 yards every game like he's had. If you don't have the wideouts -- you saw Pittsburgh's running game -- you stop Pittsburgh. I can't remember the last deep ball we made in the passing game."

Ham noted that Roethlisberger has a combination of young receivers and a veteran in Hines Ward, who is trying to get over a hamstring injury that kept him out of every preseason game.

"Santonio Holmes is your only deep threat and he's probably a ways away from being a factor. Hines Ward is not a deep burner to begin with and he has a hamstring problem now and he's in his ninth season; would you double him if you were a secondary coach? I wouldn't."

Ham said it's only natural that all that would affect Roethlisberger's play.

"He's had too much success here the last couple of years," Ham said. "It's not just Ben. On a couple of those shots he took downfield, he's getting hit delivering the ball. I have a feeling he's back there looking down field and when he's looking at his wideouts, it's a concern to him. "...

Ham does think the offensive line, running game and quarterback will be OK.

"They played some pretty tough teams against pretty tough defenses," Ham said of the line. "I think that running game will come around."

One point Trumpy makes, with which I do agree, is that it is not an issue of talent

Trumpy watched the Chargers beat the Steelers Sunday night and remarked at the time that San Diego could not match the Steelers in talent.

"I'm not sure any offensive linemen for San Diego would make that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line. Maybe two or three Chargers defensive players would make the Steelers.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06285/729343-66.stm

No matter the reason, time is up for the Steelers. Even the biggest optimist on this board
has to agree that the season is cooked if they lose to the Chiefs. With Porter and Townsend hurt that is more than a remote possibility.

[SteelerFanInCA]

Have they say how bad Porter and Townsend's injuries are?

[Interceptor]

I think the Steelers defense is still solid. The offense seems to be out of sync.

[Atlanta Dan]

Originally Posted by SteelerFanInCA

Have they say how bad Porter and Townsend's injuries are?

Status of both for Sunday is "doubtful" - I believe it is worse to be "questionable." It apparently will be a game time decison - colder weather on Sunday presumably will not help getting loose.

With the James Harrison injury the Steelers are in big trouble at LB if Porter is out and, with Coclough gone, have no CB depth behind Taylor and McFadden.

This season is looking snake bit.

[ExtonSteelFan]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Status of both for Sunday is "doubtful" - I believe it is worse to be "questionable." It apparently will be a game time decison - colder weather on Sunday presumably will not help getting loose.

With the James Harrison injury the Steelers are in big trouble at LB if Porter is out and, with Coclough gone, have no CB depth behind Taylor and McFadden.

This season is looking snake bit.

ESPN and si has them both as questionable. I always thought doubtful was worse...

[HometownGal]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

No matter the reason, time is up for the Steelers. Even the biggest optimist on this board has to agree that the season is cooked if they lose to the Chiefs. With Porter and Townsend hurt that is more than a remote possibility.

You rang? While I won't be quite as optimistic if the Steelers lose to the Chiefs on Sunday (and adding in the numerous injuries that continue to plague the Steelers), until they are mathematically eliminated (which won't be the case after Week #6), I'm going to continue to believe in my team and keep the positive energy going. The Bungles and Rats still have to play each other twice and we have 5 division games remaining where anything can happen.

I really enjoyed JacK Ham's take on the Steelers' less than stellar start this season and as always, he makes a lot of sense. While I realize that two of our wideouts are rookies and Ben's favorite target has been hobbled up by a hammy injury, there is a certain tight-end that he developed a great connection with last season who I feel isn't being utilized to his fullest potential. Why Wiz and Cowher aren't calling more plays sending the ball his way is a total mystery to me.

[floodcitygirl]

Originally Posted by HometownGal

You rang? While I won't be quite as optimistic if the Steelers lose to the Chiefs on Sunday (and adding in the numerous injuries that continue to plague the Steelers), until they are mathematically eliminated (which won't be the case after Week #6), I'm going to continue to believe in my team and keep the positive energy going. The Bungles and Rats still have to play each other twice and we have 5 division games remaining where anything can happen.

I really enjoyed JacK Ham's take on the Steelers' less than stellar start this season and as always, he makes a lot of sense. While I realize that two of our wideouts are rookies and Ben's favorite target has been hobbled up by a hammy injury, there is a certain tight-end that he developed a great connection with last season who I feel isn't being utilized to his fullest potential. Why Wiz and Cowher aren't calling more plays sending the ball his way is a total mystery to me.

All I can add to that HTG is.... and

[hardwork]

Originally Posted by Atlanta Dan

Pretty good overview by Ed.B. of the P-G, who actually did some reporting and asked some commentators for their views on what is wrong.

Some might care to ignore Bob Trumpy's opinions since he is a bombastic Benglas shill, but Jack Ham has, to put it mildly, fairly solid credentials for Steelers fans. Here are Ham's thoughts, which are not kind to our woeful WR corps:

Ham, who lives in Sewickley and analyzes his former team on ESPN Radio 1250, believes the problems lie more with the receivers than the quarterback.

"I don't think any secondary fears those wideouts," Ham said. "Ben doesn't have the kind of team around him that can run for 150 yards every game like he's had. If you don't have the wideouts -- you saw Pittsburgh's running game -- you stop Pittsburgh. I can't remember the last deep ball we made in the passing game."

Ham noted that Roethlisberger has a combination of young receivers and a veteran in Hines Ward, who is trying to get over a hamstring injury that kept him out of every preseason game.

"Santonio Holmes is your only deep threat and he's probably a ways away from being a factor. Hines Ward is not a deep burner to begin with and he has a hamstring problem now and he's in his ninth season; would you double him if you were a secondary coach? I wouldn't."

Ham said it's only natural that all that would affect Roethlisberger's play.

"He's had too much success here the last couple of years," Ham said. "It's not just Ben. On a couple of those shots he took downfield, he's getting hit delivering the ball. I have a feeling he's back there looking down field and when he's looking at his wideouts, it's a concern to him. "...

Ham does think the offensive line, running game and quarterback will be OK.

"They played some pretty tough teams against pretty tough defenses," Ham said of the line. "I think that running game will come around."

One point Trumpy makes, with which I do agree, is that it is not an issue of talent

Trumpy watched the Chargers beat the Steelers Sunday night and remarked at the time that San Diego could not match the Steelers in talent.

"I'm not sure any offensive linemen for San Diego would make that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line. Maybe two or three Chargers defensive players would make the Steelers.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06285/729343-66.stm

No matter the reason, time is up for the Steelers. Even the biggest optimist on this board
has to agree that the season is cooked if they lose to the Chiefs. With Porter and Townsend hurt that is more than a remote possibility.

As a fan of another team I won't pretend to know what the problem is with the Steelers right now. I know I don't like it when I see fans of other teams pretending to know what's going on with the Patriots. 99% of the time they're clueless. However, to me, Hams reasoning looks pretty solid. It's the most direct analysis I've seen so far.

[Livinginthe past]

I have said many times that the Steelers WR corps is the real weak link in the team.

Any success they have enjoyed last year was because Ben was able to do such a great job of keeping the play alive while they finally found some space.

As mentioned in the article, it takes time and patience to get your reward from rookie WR's - we have plenty of posters on the Patriots board labelling Chad Jackson as the next Bethel Johnson - even though he has rarely taken the field due to a nagging hamstring injury.

One of the things that should improve with Bens fitness is not only his accuracy and concentration levels but also his ability to take off on a run if needed - the only worthwhile pass he made in the SB was off a broken play where he rolled out to the left (if I remember correctly) then hit Hines Ward deep.

One of his best traits was how slippery and strong he was when under pressure, I lost count of the number of times we should have sacked him last year but somehow he bought just enough time to get the ball away.

NM

[Atlanta Dan]

LITP - I agree that a big difference from the last 2 seasons is that Ben is not a threat to run for positive yards but, when he does scramble, only does it behind the line. One of the huge post-season plays last season was Ben converting a third down on a run early in the second Q of the Bengals playoff game when the Steelers were down 10-0. The Steelers scored off that drive and away we went.

If Ben is a threat to run for positive yards that not only adds yardage but forces the defense to come towards the line to stop Ben.

Ed.B. of the P-G had some thoughts on this today:

Perhaps it merely is coincidental that in the game after Bill Cowher advised Ben Roethlisberger to take off and run if he saw some room and no one open that the quarterback did not run at all Sunday night. He was sacked five times, but had no runs. To date, he has two runs from scrimmage for minus-one yard. Last season, he ran 31 times for 69 yards. As a rookie, he ran 56 times for 144 yards.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06285/729063-367.stm