Easterbrook & TMQ on Steelers-Ravens

[Mosca]

The more I read this guy the more I like him. He's a worthy, more analytical counterpart to Peter King.

So Long, Steelers: Maybe it was always folly to think Ben Roethlisberger, coming off a motorcycle accident and then removal of his appendix, should be playing this season. The quarterback with the formerly charmed life now has 19 interceptions on the season and a 3-7 starting record. But, ye gods, everyone on the Steelers' offense played poorly at Baltimore. The Ravens blitzed a lot, and this normally risky tactic worked in part because Pittsburgh running backs seemed to make no attempt to blitz-block on key downs. The Steelers' offensive line, normally solid, blocked poorly even on standard-defense downs when there were more blockers than pass rushers. On the game's decisive play, Baltimore led 17-0 and Pittsburgh faced third-and-5 on the Nevermores' 30: sack, fumble returned for a touchdown and TMQ wrote the words "season over" in his notebook regarding Pittsburgh. On this play Steelers' left tackle Marvel Smith just stands there, making no attempt to hit anybody, as Corey Ivy blows through Smith's gap for the forced fumble that concludes the defending champion's season. Because the Pittsburgh offensive line usually has played with heart, Sunday's sack fest was some combination aberration and great Baltimore performance. But ay caramba, was the Pittsburgh blocking bad. Roethlisberger can't block for himself.

The rest of the article analyzing last week's games is also excellent.


Tom

[BigDuke6]

It just seems that in all facets of the game, no-one would stand up and "make" a play.

[Atlanta Dan]

Easterbrook is great but if he needed to wait until the fumble return to write "season over" he is a bigger Steeler diehard than many of us on this board. His call out on Marvel Smith is spot on.

Ed.B. of the P-G also has had it with our LT in today's online blog - "Marvel Smith, however, has got to go. He looks like he has absolutely nothing left, and speed rushers are blowing through him like he's a hologram."

http://www.post-gazette.com/steelers/blogngold/