Bleacher Report - Super Bowl XLIII

Steelers' Dennis Dixon Asked To Work Overtime, but Clocks Out Early

TJ Jenkins — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:30:11 -0500

Wow.

What a game.

Let me start this off by saying congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens and their fans. Well played game, as games in this series always are. Both teams played their hearts out and really dug deep within themselves to put forth their best efforts.

Moving on from that, let's take a look at how the Pittsburgh Steelers played.

Might as well start with Dennis Dixon, right?

Now, if you had the opportunity to join myself and some friends of mine in the Live NFL Game-Thread at Sports Jabber , then you may have seen my frantic dismantling of Dixon's play directly after the interception he threw to Paul Kruger in overtime that set up the winning field goal.

Let me chalk that up as a heat-of-the-moment rant that was full of both Tommy Maddox comparisons and expletives.

To put it lightly, I was mad that we had lost a very winnable game and perhaps even more mad that the game had to be placed in the hands of a quarterback making his first NFL start.

To be honest with you, prior to that interception, Dixon played fantastic. He made plays with both his feet and his arm and truly shocked most, if not all, of Steeler Nation.

He was only called upon to throw the ball 26 times and responded well, tossing one touchdown on a perfect pass that saw Santonio Holmes sprint to the endzone.

He also rushed three times for 27 yards and a touchdown that was greatly aided by Mewelde Moore's vicious block to seal the edge for his quarterback.

The biggest issue with Dixon isn't really an issue with Dixon himself. It's with Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians (I know what you're thinking: another Arians rant) he absolutely refused to roll the speedy quarterback out of the pocket, even though Dixon's release point is a prime target to get knocked down at the line of scrimmage.

Think back to Dixon's college days.

He played at Oregon, a team renowned for their speed and their execution of the spread offense.

Arians excuse for not running him more?

He was wary of injuring the young starter due to the lack of depth at the position.

The sad thing is that as paper-thin as the excuse is, it's passable and won't make a lot of people think twice.

While on the subject of running the ball, the Pittsburgh ground game looked good again. Rashard Mendenhall put up a 95-yard performance, spinning all the while.

In fact, I'm not sure that he knows that he's allowed to make a move besides spinning, which adds to his tendency to fumble the ball. Not to say that I have a problem with his running style persay, he's just not what I expected him to be. Still an upgrade over Willie Parker though.

The Pittsburgh defense is what concerned me the most, however. Including an uncharacteristic mistake by Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau.

There is absolutely no excuse to have James Farrior playing man to man coverage on Ray Rice, Baltimore's leading receiver. It was an absolute disaster as Rice finished with 155 total yards from scrimmage against the generally tenacious defense.

Tackling is becoming a concern for our cornerbacks as well.

Ray Rice shook the check off of the entire defense's Nike's on fourth down that would set up the field goal to send the game into overtime. William Gay absolutely must improve his tackling.

Ike Taylor having no ball skills is really starting to irritate me as well. The man is an excellent cover corner, but even shadowing Holmes last year before training camp didn't help him increase his interceptions. He currently has a grand total of zero this season.

Ryan Clark and DeShea Townsend both also could have had an interception, but couldn't make a play on the ball.

That being said, the defense did pretty well and I'm just magnifying mistakes.

They got to Joe Flacco five times, forcing three fumbles.

Lawrence Timmons is showing us all why the coaching staff was confident enough to allow Larry Foote to walk to Detroit. He's a special player that is going to continue making an impact in the middle of the Steelers defense.

Timmons is surprisingly fast for a linebacker and there's always the option of moving him outside once James Harrison calls it quits.

The Steelers came into this game with viewers expecting an easy Baltimore victory. Many were expecting to be watching something else come halftime, but Dixon and company made it a game, and perhaps we found something special in the former Duck.

As I've said, great game on both sides.

Time for the defending champions to look ahead to the Oakland Raiders, grit their teeth, and push on, in the true fashion of Pittsburgh Steelers football.

As always, TJ Jenkins' work can also be found at both the Pittsburgh Pigskin Blog and the Sports Jabber Forums .

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Hines Ward: Why His Comments Are As Wrong As They Are Unnecessary

Joe M — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:00:09 -0500

I get it. He's frustrated. He doesn't like losing. He probably thinks that if Ben was in the game, they might have won. I mean, they almost won it with Dennis Dixon. Dennis Dixon! His mechanics are so bad, my dog covered his eyes every time that DD dropped back to throw.

The Steelers lost too many games this year and the frustration is mounting for Hines and the team. Perhaps, the most frustrating aspect of this season has been the margin of their defeats. They've had the lead so many times and just let it slip through their fingers.

It's time to shore up the defense. It's time to find a way to win out. It's time to re—establish the ground game. Most importantly, it's time for Hines Ward to just shut up. Throwing your quarterback under the bus on national television is stupid.

Suggesting that he should lie to the doctors because you have made that stupid choice in the past is worse. Maybe Ben should buy some weed and stash it in his SUV because that's what the other star wide receiver did. Risking another head injury for one game is silly.

Even if Ben isn't under serious head trauma, it makes Hines look bad. Everyone still remembers the temper tantrum he threw when Ben was asked what he wanted in the draft and he responded by saying a taller receiver. We all kind of ignored that one, figured he was just venting but this time, there can be no ignoring.

Hines needs to be sat down and talked to like the bad teammate he was on Sunday night. He might make the Hall of Fame on his first ballot. He may go down as the greatest Steelers receiver of all time. I hope that he does.

Today I just hope that he shuts up and apologizes for throwing a teammate under the bus when it was none of his business.

The doctors made a decision. Hines didn't like it. Until he goes to Med School and gets his degree his opinion is as relevant as his feelings about quantum physics. He just needs to shut up and do his job.

Part of that job is leading the locker room. I hope that two Super Bowl victories in the last few years hasn't made him a prima donna. Pittsburgh is a tough resilient city. So is their football team. They can recover from this loss but first one of their leaders needs to man up and admit he made a bad mistake. He lacked loyalty. Shame on him.

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Pittsburgh Steelers: Rusting from the Inside Out

Brian Carson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:12:56 -0500

The Super Bowl hangover has officially arrived in full force for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It started as a light wind, but now rampages at category five hurricane status.

Who would have thought that 11 games into the 2009 season the Steelers would be 6-5 and fighting for their playoff lives?

Who could have predicted the defense would consistently play flat late in games, the locker room would be in turmoil, and festering anger and frustration would cause the ultimate team player to call out his star quarterback on national TV?

This is the sad state the defending champions are in.

Let's not sugarcoat this. If the Steelers don't get their act together soon, like right now, the playoffs are history.

Pittsburgh has lost three straight games and is close to sliding free-fall down the slippery slope.

The rest of the team should heed what DE Brett Keisel said after the loss to the Ravens last night:

"We've got to win out. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. We've got to win out in order for us to be playing in January."

A tall order.

Can it be done? The schedule says yes.

The Steelers can right the ship in a hurry with Oakland (3-8) coming to town this week, and a road date with Cleveland (1-10) following. That should put them at 8-5.

Home dates with Baltimore (6-5) and surging Green Bay (7-4) will be tough before closing out the season on the road at Miami (5-6).

Beating the Ravens and Packers would put Pittsburgh in pretty good shape for a playoff birth, but mark my words, it won't be easy by any stretch. They can't afford to lose focus or have a letdown. The Kansas City game proved that much.

The locker room is in disarray. There can be zero argument against that now. Not after last night.

The seeds of discontent were sewed last week when LB James Harrison stated he felt they weren't playing together as a team. The word of division in the locker room spread. Coach Mike Tomlin downplayed it in his weekly press conference.

Just when Tomlin thought it blew over, Hines Ward went and threw grease right on the fire. Ward, the heart and soul of the Steelers, called QB Ben Roethlisberger out, and on national television to boot.

Speaking with Bob Costas on a taped portion of the NBC pregame show, Ward talked about the locker room being "like a 50/50 toss-up" over whether Roethlisberger should have played last night despite a concussion from seven days earlier.

"It's almost like a 50/50 toss-up in the locker room: Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say. I've been out there dinged up; the following week, got right back out there. Ben practiced all week. He split time with Dennis Dixon. And then to find out that he's still having some headaches and not playing and it came down to the doctors didn't feel that they were going to clear him or not—it's hard to say. Unless you're the person [himself]. ...I've lied to a couple of doctors saying I'm straight, I feel good when I know that I'm not really straight.

"This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before."

Wow! Strong words indeed.

Ward attempted to downplay his comments after the game, but the damage has been done.

Words can cause as much, if not more, pain than physical abuse. No matter how much the doctors try and spin it, the all-time franchise leader in every receiving category implied that Roethlisberger wasn't tough enough to play last night. In essence, according to Ward, Big Ben let the team down.

And notice he said the rest of the guys are 50/50 on the issue. That sounds like a divided locker room to me.

Tomlin needs to get these guys on the same page in a hurry or the season could be lost.

Injuries, coupled with tension and frustration, have spilled over into their on-field performance.

For the fourth time this season, the defense couldn't hold a lead in the fourth quarter. Don't blame Dixon's pick for the loss. He played a decent game under the circumstances. It was the defense, or lack thereof, that let Ray Rice and company rip them up in overtime.

This squad was made of tough, Pittsburgh steel last season, and they won their sixth ring because of it. This year that steel is rusting due to injuries and internal strife.

Now, with the season on the brink, only Tomlin and his staff can repair the damage and get the Steelers back on track.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Hines Ward Didn't Get the Memo on Concussion Safety

Paul Preibisius — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:59:12 -0500

I realize that as a fanbase we want our heroes to "gut it out" whenever they can, especially when the playoffs are on the line.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are teetering and needed this game to stay at the top of the wildcard race. So when one is hopeful Big Ben can play, it is understandable. However, the severity of a concussion is not a matter to be glossed over.

I appreciate Hines Ward as a feisty tough player. As a non-Steeler fan, I really don’t see him as a Bill Romanowski (or even Albert Haynesworth) when it comes to cheap shots and "dirty" play, despite his being voted as such.

However, his quotes in a pregame interview were out of line and his tough guy image/approach may have stepped a bit far this go around.

In a pregame interview with Bob Costas, here are some of the things Ward stated (a little long but I wanted to make sure "out of context" was not as easily applied):

"This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before,'" Ward said to Costas, in an interview taped Saturday at the team's Suburban-Baltimore hotel as a prelude to the Steelers-Ravens game.

"It's almost like a 50-50 toss-up in the locker room: Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say. I've been out there dinged up; the following week, got right back out there. Ben practiced all week. He split time with Dennis Dixon. And then to find out that he's still having some headaches and not playing, and it came down to the doctors didn't feel that they were going to clear him or not—it's hard to say. Unless you're the person [himself]…I've lied to a couple of doctors saying I'm straight, I feel good when I know that I'm not really straight."

It is great to want to be a competitor and win. Yet I can’t help but feel that the comments were a little disingenuous. It's not surprising that he thinks that way, but that is not laundry that should be aired out in an interview. It undermines a quarterback who was attempting to play and held back by doctor clearance. He did not pull himself.

Not one of the three quarterbacks suffering concussions last week played in this weekend’s games. They are even discussing the possibility of barring a quarterback from entering the following week’s game after a concussion-type injury.

I realize Hines Ward is a competitor and his team is about two games behind where they likely expected to be at the outset of the season. Yet why put undue pressure in the locker room, and risk a division in the locker room, just when they need to band together and fight for a wildcard berth?

Public opinion is also hinged on quotables. He risks half the Steeler fan base by blaming Ben for this loss should they fall just shy of the playoffs, and also risks pitting another big piece of Pittsburgh against himself for potentially divisive comments.

Yes, many players go out and lie about injuries, and some tough it out to try and give their team what they need. Many players also gut it out, get hurt worse, and miss more games than if they would have if they sat when they originally needed to.

One would think you would (at least in the court of public opinion) try and support the guy who has led you to multiple Super Bowls and wish him a speedy recovery. I would certainly prefer that to making the wildcard, then trying to get by without Big Ben as he stares woozily from the sidelines.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Steelers Report Card/Week 12: Headaches Extend Beyond Final Score

Paul Ladewski — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:59:07 -0500

Here’s my take on the Steelers’ 20-17 overtime defeat against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night:

1. In terms of chemistry and leadership, this team isn’t in the same zip code as the one of a year ago. But who would have thunk that team captain Hines Ward would be part of the problem?

In an NBC television interview, Ward claimed that the locker room was divided about whether Ben Roethlisberger should play one week after the quarterback had suffered the third known concussion of his career. According to the report, Roethlisberger wanted to play despite exercise-induced headaches late in the week, but on the recommendation of medical personnel, head coach Mike Tomlin wisely decided against it. The inference was that Roethlisberger should have kept his mouth shut and played the game, which Ward likened to a playoff encounter.

Look, I admire Ward and his competitive spirit, but if I made a list of players in the league most likely to turtle in a big game, Roethlisberger might be the last one on it. That Ward of all people would throw the QB under the team bus kind of makes me wonder if he has taken too many blows to the head himself.

2. No head coach talks a better game than Tomlin, who promised that his team would “unleash hell in December” after the game.

What Steelers World wants to know is, why didn’t the defending champions unleash hell in October and November? Even purgatory would have been nice.

3. Linebackers Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley combined for 12 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble, but one monster game doesn’t atone for so many forgettable ones at the start of the season. It only makes them worse, in fact.

4. The inability of offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to make the necessary adjustments reared its ugly head again. Emergency fill-in Dennis Dixon played a solid first half, but the Ravens defense read him like a book in the final two-plus periods.

Dixon is not a drop-back passer, so why make him into one? His legs are his greatest asset at this point, but he wasn’t allowed to use them on draws, bootlegs and the like. Dixon and feature back Rashard Mendenhall excelled at the option play in college and the Ravens would have been hard-pressed to defend against it.

5. Because there was no proven back-up available, it was important to keep Dixon in one piece. But given the choice between a healthy back-up quarterback or a 7-4 record, I’ll take the 7-4 record and worry about who plays quarterback later.

6. Before the season, there was a concern that the d-line had grown a bit long in the tooth. Sure enough, the Ravens ran the ball down its throat for 132 yards on only 29 carries. That’s 4.6 yard per attempt.

Nosetackle Casey Hampton and ends Brent Keisel and Travis Kirschke played like they were 30-something years old, probably because they were 30-something years old.

7. Farrior and nickelback Deshea Townsend have been frequent targets on third-and-medium situations this season, so it came as no surprise that the Ravens would pick on one of them on the biggest play of the game. Required to cover Ravens feature back Ray Rice by himself on fourth-and-5 late in the fourth quarter, Farrior was toasted for 44 big ones.

James Farrior versus Ray Rice? I’ll be the last guy to tell defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau what to do, but he may want to rethink that one.

8. Want another bad matchup? How about cornerback William Gay versus wide receiver Mark Clayton? Clayton caught so many balls (a dozen for 129 yards), I thought Lenny Moore had made a comeback.

9. Halfback Willie Parker was born 40 years too late. If he had played at a time when guards weren’t the size of tackles, his 4.3 speed would have been hell on sweeps and pitchouts, which have been phased out of professional football practically.

10. Oh, to be a fly in the mind of Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt when he looks at the standings and sees his former team in third place with a lousy 6-5 record.

You know, the guy who was the most qualified candidate to become Steelers head coach three years ago.

The grades:

Offense regulars

WR Hines Ward: C

Weekly grades: B/B/C/B/A/A/D/A/C/B/C

Season average: B

LT Max Starks: B

Weekly grades: B/F/C/B/C/C/C/A/C/D/B

Season average: C

LG Chris Komoeatu: DNP

Weekly grades: D/C/B/A/B/B/B/C/D/B/DNP

Season average: C+

C Justin Hartwig: B

Weekly grades: F/C/B/A/B/B/B/A/D/B/C

Season average: C+

RG Trai Essex: C

Weekly grades: C/B/C/B/D/D/C/C/F/C/C

Season average: C

RT Willie Colon: B

Weekly grades: D/B/C/A/C/C/A/A/F/D/B

Season average: C+

TE Heath Miller: C

Weekly grades: A/B/B/A/A/A/A/C/C/D/C

Season average: B

WR Santonio Holmes: A

Weekly grades: A/D/F/C/B/A/C/A/B/B/A

Season average: C+

WR Mike Wallace: D

Weekly grades: B/C/A/B/B/B/A/A/D/D/D

Season average: C+

QB Ben Roethlisberger: DNP

Weekly grades: A/B/A/A/B/B/B/B/D/A/DNP

Season average: B

RB Rashard Mendenhall: B

Weekly grades: C/B/INC/A/A/D/D/A/C/A/B

Season average: B

RB Mewelde Moore: D

Weekly grades: B/C/C/A/B/B/B/B/B/C/D

Season average: C+

RB Willie Parker: C

Weekly grades: D/C/B/DNP/DNP/D/INC/INC/INC/B/C

Season average: C

Defense regulars

LE Travis Kirschke: B

Weekly grades: C/B/C/C/B/B/B/DNP/DNP/DNP/B

Season average: C+

NT Casey Hampton: D

Weekly grades: B/B/B/C/B/A/C/A/B/A/D

Season average: B

RE Brett Keisel: C

Weekly grades: A/B/C/B/B/A/A/A/B/B/C

Season average: B

LOLB LaMarr Woodley: A

Weekly grades: D/D/D/D/C/B/B/B/B/A/A

Season average: C+

LILB James Farrior: B

Weekly grades: B/A/C/B/C/A/A/B/B/B/B

Season average: B

LILB Keyaron Fox: B

Weekly grades: A/A/C/C/B/D/A/A/F/C/B

Season average: C+

RILB Lawrence Timmons: A

Weekly grades: DNP/B/B/D/B/A/B/DNP/B/A/A

Season average: B

ROLB James Harrison: B

Weekly grades: A/B/A/A/A/B/A/A/C/A/B

Season average: B+

LCB William Gay: F

Weekly grades: C/C/B/B/B/C/D/C/B/D/F

Season average: C

RCB Ike Taylor: C

Weekly grades: C/B/A/A/B/D/B/C/A/A/C

Season average: B

SS Troy Polamalu: INC

Weekly grades: A/DNP/DNP/DNP/DNP/A/A/A/INC/DNP/DNP

Season average: A

FS Ryan Clark: C

Weekly grades: B/B/A/B/A/B/B/DNP/A/D/C

Season average: B

Special teams regulars

PK Jeff Reed: A

Weekly grades: B/F/C/A/B/B/D/B/C/B/A

Season average: C+

P Daniel Sepulveda: B

Weekly grades: A/A/A/A/B/B/B/A/A/B/B

Season average: B+

KR Stefan Logan: C

Weekly grades: B/D/A/C/B/B/B/C/C/B/C

Season average: C+

PR Stefan Logan: B

Weekly grades: C/C/C/F/C/INC/C/B/B/B

Season average: C

Coaches

HC Mike Tomlin: C

Weekly grades: B/C/D/A/C/B/B/A/D/F/C

Season average: C+

OC Bruce Arians: C

Weekly grades: C/D/C/A/B/A/C/B/F/C/C

Season average: C+

DC Dick LeBeau: B

Weekly grades: A/B/C/B/B/A/B/A/A/A/B

Season average: B+

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Matt Leinart, Cardinals Win Character in Loss

Chris Farmer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:13:51 -0500

No team wishes to suffer a loss, especially one as heart-wrenching as an 18-play, 99-yard drive that ends on a TD pass as time expires.

But give credit where it is due; Vince Young and the Titans, perhaps the hottest team in football, outperformed the Cardinals by one play in a game no team deserved to lose.

Typically, the refrain is, "We don't need moral victories; we need wins." For the Arizona Cardinals, yesterday's outcome is that rare game when a moral victory is acceptable.

Let me count the ways.

1. Matt Leinart proved me and all the other doubters wrong. After struggling to find his rhythm in the first half, Leinart came raging back in the second to answer all the questions about his ability to lead the ball club.

Remember, Kurt Warner took all of the first-team snaps in practice this week and was expected to play despite the mild concussion he suffered in last week's game. When Warner was declared a late scratch, Leinart had to essentially wing it with very little preparation, no small task considering he was replacing the most efficient QB in road games this season.

Leinart showed poise, savvy, confidence, pinpoint accuracy, and yes—leadership. For Cardinals Nation it is a big sigh of relief, and one of many reasons to celebrate this game even in a loss.

2. The Steelers, the Ravens, and the Titans are the poster children for smash-mouth NFL football, yet the Cardinals went toe to toe with Tennessee. In a black and blue brawl, it was the Cardinals who were every bit as physical and matched the intensity and toughness of the Titans all game and all over the field.

Tennessee is a trash-talking, big-stick-wagging squad that uses intimidation as part of its game plan. Arizona not only didn't back down, they dished out some of their own handcrafted punishment as well.

For a team that is usually defined by the finesse of its efficient passing game, this was a statement game. Given that the Cardinals next host the Vikings in a flexed prime time Sunday Night Football affair, they will need that violence to carry over into the next game and beyond.

3. Coming into the contest, Tennessee had allowed a league-fewest seven sacks in 10 games. By the end of their 11th game they had allowed 11 sacks.

Darnell Dockett was an uncontainable beast, notching three of the sacks on his own against one of the best offensive lines in the league.

4. Perhaps most importantly, this was one of the best all-around performances by the Arizona team this season. The entire team stepped up with Warner out. The game ball could be given to any of a handful of players who made tremendous contributions.

My game balls go to:

Matt Leinart, who answered the critics with a stellar performance, completing 21 of his 31 passes for 220 yards without a turnover.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie for three huge textbook pass deflections in pass coverage, and for causing the fumble on Kenny Britt that gave Arizona the ball with four minutes to play while clutching a four-point lead.

LaRod Stephens-Howling for being a special teams demon. After Chris Johnson's deadly 85-yard run to put Tennessee up by 10 points, LSH answered on the very next play with a 99-yard kickoff return to cut the lead back to a manageable three. He downed two punts inside the two-yard line and made a huge hit in kickoff coverage.

Ben Graham continued his Pro Bowl caliber punting. Our "Big Ben" had five of his six punts downed inside the 20, with a long of 64 yards and an average of nearly 50 per punt. Graham is one of the quietest special teams MVP candidates in the league.

Darnell Dockett had 3 sacks. In big games, big time players make big time plays. Again, this was against the team that had allowed the fewest sacks in the league this season.

Tim Hightower ran hard, averaged five yards per carry, scored a TD, and displayed his smash-mouth style by making Titans defenders pay for coming into contact with him. He accounted for 78 total yards on 14 touches.

Karlos Dansby did one heck of a job in run coverage. Yeah, that's right, run coverage. That’s what you call it when you are playing against Chris Johnson.

Anquan Boldin made several highlight reel catches.

Antrel Rolle, Michael Adams, and Adrian Wilson should all get a mention for helping set the tone of the game with devastating hits.

You can't call a loss a character win, but you can still win character in a loss.

Don't hang your heads for too long, Cardinal fans. To do so would overlook what a fantastic game Arizona just played.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Tennessee, Vince Young's "Music City Miracle II" Crushes Cardinals 20-17

Scott Z Brady — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:59:33 -0500

CARDINALS - TITANS REPORT CARD It was a crushing defeat! It was the kind of defeat that gnaws at you ..eats at you. What happened today in the shadows of Graceland will be tough to get over. It takes time to recover from a loss like this. Who knows how long it will take? ..or what toll it will take? I'm referring to the Cardinals faithful, of course. The team will fly back disappointed, to be sure. But they will be proud of what they did today, despite that disappointment. The word "If" will be prominent, both on the flight home, and in the film room at the facility in Tempe this morning. They’ll get treatment on what ails them physically, and lick their own emotional wounds left by the visuals that keep playing in their heads. They’ll cuss their own errors while watching film. It very well may take me until Thursday or Friday to get over this loss. Maybe even next Sunday afternoon, when the natural juices start to flow preparing for the upcoming game. But the Cardinals will hash out their plays, both good and bad, today. And by tomorrow, be 100% focused on the Minnesota Vikings. The Cardinals have a lot to be proud of indeed. This was a fantastic game! It had everything! Great defensive plays. Great offensive plays. Great special teams plays. The only time a team took more than a 6 point lead, ..it lasted all of 12 seconds. It was a mini see-saw battle that seemed like it went back and forth all day. And if you had any questions before this game about Titans QB Vince Young, and whether or not he’s truly the real deal, he answered them. The same can be said, to a lesser extent, about Cards QB Matt Leinart, too That said.. lets get to the grades. Shall we?

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Indianapolis Colts Could Have Won Super Bowl XLIII

alex jung — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:37:41 -0500

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What? The Colts? No way. They couldn't run, their defense was bad, and the team just wasn't the same Colts we were used to seeing throughout the decade.

During the 2008 NFL season the Pittsburgh Steelers were truly the best team. There was really no competition in the NFL during that season if you think about it.

To me the Steelers won just like how the Houston Rockets won those two titles when Michael Jordan was retired during those two seasons—just like how the Knicks finally beat the Bulls in the playoffs without Jordan on the team.

Now the Steelers won that year without Tom Brady and Peyton Manning at their best. Yes, I said Peyton Manning.

Even though Manning played throughout the 2008 season unlike Brady, he had to go through knee surgery and miss the entire training camp and preseason. We all know how Manning loves training camp and can't go through a season without it. He needed his training camp to get in sync with his players and his rythem with them. You can tell at the beginning of the season that the surgery had affected his performance and didn't have that chemistry with his players.

Teams were also taking advantage of the Colts. Knowing that Manning wasn't the same that year they were always blitzing and putting him under pressure. I also believe that they coudln't get the run game going and have that balanced offense were used to seeing because he had to throw many times because they were down in most games.

Now compare the 2008 Indianapolis Colts to this year's team. They had a healthy Marvin Harrison, a veteran wide receiver and one of Peyton's best weapons throughout his whole career. You had a healthy Anthony Gonzalez playing the slot position, and you had an experienced back in Dominic Rhodes who was part of the 2006 championship.

What would have happened if Manning had not had his knee surgery and was completely healthy and in training camp during the 2008 season?

I believe if Manning were healthy and had gone through training camp, they would have won the Super Bowl that year. If Manning were healthy, the team would not have gone through that horrible start; they wouldn't be struggling to win their division or make the playoffs.

They had better weapons that year compared to this season. Come on now: Donald Brown, Pierre Garcon, and an injured Gonzalez—yeah, nothing more needs to be said.

Also, if Brady were healthy during the '08 season, I think the Colts still could've beaten them because they had just gone through that tough loss to the Giants, and I think it would have taken them some time to get that bitter funk out of their system.

It's obvious now that Manning and Brady are completely healthy for the 2009 season, the Steelers are not doing too well. Even though the Steelers didn't play the Colts or Patriots this year, who would you take in the playoffs?

Also, Tony Dungy was still their coach. It would have been great if he had retired with another championship.

Can you imagine if they had the same players from last year?

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

2009 Steelers: The Non-Closers Lose a Tough One To Ravens

Chris Staaf — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:52:46 -0500

If the season ended today, the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers could sum up their season in three words: failure to close.

In Glengarry Glen Ross , Alec Baldwin's character says, "ABC: Always Be Closing." These Steelers failed to close once again, losing a tough one to the Baltimore Ravens 20-17 in overtime.

For the fourth time this season, the Steelers blew a fourth quarter lead and lost the game. The Steelers, now at 6-5, are pretty much just fighting for a wild card spot which they still could not earn even if they win out and finish 11-5 a la the New England Patriots last season. It is a possibility that the Steelers and Steeler Nation needs to come to grips with quickly.

Some observations from tonight's game:

The Good

1. Dennis Dixon played OK given the situation. Yes he did throw the back-breaking interception to Paul Kruger in overtime and just looked lost in OT period, but you have to give the second-year QB his due. He played within himself. He did not take any sacks, and got rid of the ball quickly whenever he could. He also flashed his quickness and foot speed which made him a Heisman candidate in 2007, scoring on a 24-yard run.

Dixon has shown to be a capable backup, but Steeler Nation will obviously want their franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger to come back as soon as possible, likely next week at home against Oakland. It is good to know what the Steelers have in Dixon. So expect Charlie Batch to be put on injured reserve within few days.

2. Bruce Arians called the best game of the season. Yes, even in a loss, Arians did his job well and should not face too much criticism this week. His play-calling protected Dixon and had 38 run plays to 26 pass plays, a great combination for an inexperienced QB.

Rashard Mendenhall got 24 carries for 95 yards against a tough Ravens defense, and the Steelers as a team rushed for 153, which is admirable even in a loss. Arians should definitely stick with this philosophy even when Roethlisberger comes back. It will protect Roethlisberger from unnecessary contact and help the team control the clock more efficiently.

3. The kickoff coverage was much better Sunday night because, well, they did not give up any returns for touchdowns. All sarcasm aside, the Steeler coverage unit held Ravens return man Ladarius Webb to 21.3 yards per return, which for them is phenomenal. Chris Carr got loose on a punt return once for 34 yards but other than that, the Steelers also did their job efficiently.

The Bad

1. The defense was not great tonight. Let's get one thing clear. This Steelers defense is not the 2008 Steelers defense. Tonight they gave up two long touchdown drives in the first half before finally clamping down on Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense in the third quarter and part of the fourth quarter. The tying FG drive by the Ravens? 10 plays for 84 yards, something that has become usual for these Steelers defenders this year.

This Steelers defense played their hearts out tonight, but let's give credit where credit is due. Ray Rice is a star running back and he made the Steelers look silly in the game-tying drive, easily beating James Farrior on the gutsy 4th down catch with 3:31 to go in the game.

In OT, Rice drove the ball all the way down inside the 12 yard line after Kruger's interception return was stopped at the Steelers' own 28 yard line. The Steelers knew who was getting the ball but it did not matter. They came into tonight's game as the best run defense in the league. Tonight that number meant nothing. 132 yards rushing against the No. 1 ranked rush defense is inexcusable no matter who is not playing or who is playing.

2. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor and William Gay were not good tonight. Gay has been picked on by opponents all season and tonight was no different. The real surprise was Taylor, who is usually a very good cover man, getting beaten consistently by Derrick Mason. Tonight Taylor was beaten for a touchdown and was flagged for a pass interference.

Gay, a free agent at the end of this season, will likely just play out his contract with the Steelers and will not be asked to come back for 2010. With Deshea Townsend at age 34, the Steelers will need to draft another cornerback, or groom 2009 draft picks Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett to eventually take over. Given how little Lewis and Burnett have played this season, it remains to be seen if they are the long-term future or if they are just in Steel City for another year.

The Verdict

Was this loss a sign of things to come? Now with three losses in a row, the Steelers are in a deep hole in the AFC playoff picture. They might as well forget about playing at Heinz Field in January, because barring a Denver Broncos -like collapse by the the Cincinnati Bengals, the division is lost.

Like 2005, the Steelers need to win out to ensure a playoff berth. The best things about the Steelers right now are these things: One, they have made playoff runs before. Two, wins against the now surging Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, and even the San Diego Chargers will loom large if it comes down to tie-breakers.

But enough of that.

While this Steeler team is no doubt talented, they don't look like a team trying to attain a common goal like last season. There seems to be no real fire inside this team, almost like they are content with last season and just want to play out the string this season.

I think that the month of December will show how important Mike Tomlin is to this team. For the first time in his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Tomlin is facing the reality of not making the playoffs. Some Steeler fans have questioned Tomlin's leadership and coaching calls this season.

Bill Cowher cemented his legend in Pittsburgh in December 2005 and January 2006 by leading the Steelers to nine consecutive wins, including four straight wins in the playoffs. Before 2005, Cowher was just a good coach. After 2005, he was a great coach who could go to the Hall of Fame when he officially retires.

While last season Tomlin was the toast of the town, but the NFL is a fickle business. Tomlin can shut up the remaining naysayers if he can lead the Steelers to wins and a deep playoff push this year, especially in the first real moment of crisis in his coaching career.

The Steelers need to take care of their own business and not worry about what the Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, or anyone else is doing. Troy Polamalu will likely not be back this Sunday against the Raiders or next Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns. While he makes the Steelers a better team, one man should not make an entire defense.

The remaining schedule sets up favorably for the Steelers, but this is the same team that could not close out a 10 point lead against the Kansas City Chiefs. Bottom line, the Steelers need to close out games. If they don't, they will be watching football during the playoffs, not playing in them.

Next game: December 6 vs. Oakland Raiders @ 1 pm Eastern

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Steelers-Ravens: Arians Tries To Fit Square Peg Into Round Hole

Lee Heisler — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:49:36 -0500

Well, the Steelers gave the Ravens a better game than most people thought they would.

The defense made a few big plays, yet gave up a few big plays. The worst part was, once again, Bruce Arians and his play-calling. Several calls puzzled me, but what else would you expect from Arians?

The thing that upset me the most was that Arians tried to make Dennis Dixon into a pocket-passer. The Ravens are a tough enough defense to go up against, but even tougher when your offensive coordinator tries to make you into something that you're not.

Why didn't Arians use some more moving pockets and bootlegs to give Dixon a pass/run option, enabling him to use his athletic ability? The one time that they did it, it resulted in a big play touchdown.

Arians makes the players fit into his system, instead of forming his offense around the strengths of the players. That is a sign of a poor coach. All Arians had to do was take a look at how the Titans changed their offense while transitioning from Kerry Collins to Vince Young.

Granted the Steelers didn't have a whole week knowing that Dixon was going to be the QB, but "good" coaches should always be prepared and have their teams prepared.

There should have been an offensive package put in to utilize Dixon's strengths "just in case," but the Steelers didn't.

Thus far this season Arians has stuck with the empty backfield set that has failed much, much more than it has succeeded. It's really done nothing but hurt the Steelers and their franchise QB.

Arians has made the Steelers a one-dimensional team numerous times this season by becoming pass happy. He's made poor play-calls in the redzone or short yardage situations all season, which takes points off the board.

He's become enamored with calling the long pass, even when that's what teams are protecting against. He refuses to max protect when needed, see the games against the Bengals this year and the game against the Eagles last season.

And tonight he refused to maximize Dixon's talents by using rollouts, moving pockets, or any plays with pass/run options.

It's to the point now where I'm losing respect for Mike Tomlin. He has to step in and do what's best for the team, even if it means stepping on peoples toes.

If Tomlin continues to stand by and do nothing but talk and cut fringe players on the roster I've got one word for you...spineless !

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Steelers Historical Strong Defense: White, Green, Holmes, Greenwood

Damali Binta YAEL — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:22:50 -0500

During the same years the Pittsburgh Steelers were building "The Steel Curtain," America was building a defense for dropouts and push-outs in urban schools.

Those years saw the high school dropout rate for African-American males climb to an alarming high. There was a crisis because of a lack of presence of role models. Organizations like the National Urban League got involved in education, mainly to help reduce the dropout rate in urban communities.

Defenses needed to be built in American education. Young men needed to be herded off the streets and back into the classrooms. The legislation that would fund the dropout prevention programs, which was America's defense for an emerging problem, was called the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA).

As the project director of a Houston Area Urban League ESAA project, I was told to hire four strong men who could help find the dropouts and encourage them to return to high school, and to identify those who were potential dropouts.

I found four good men to implement the project. One of them, I distinctly remember, was a relative of Dwight White, a defensive player with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The name of Dwight White's relative was Bob White, and he had been a probation officer. He was perfectly suited for the job.

The other man I hired was an ex-U. S. Marine who wanted to help young people.

Mr. White constantly talked about his relative Dwight. I was curious and Mr. White would share with us, the experiences of Dwight White, "Mean" Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes and L. C. Greenwood.

Each NFL player stands out in my mind for a different reason.

Dwight White stood out because he was the relative to a man who worked as a counselor in the program I directed.

"Mean" Joe Greene stood out because of his performance on the football field and his name.

Ernie Holmes stood out because he attended Texas Southern University, and he was known for his intensity on the playing field. His name stands out in my mind even more now because he fathered one of the promising young mathematicians in the United States, Dr. Rod Holmes.

There were really four outstanding defense players with the Pittsburgh Steelers at that time. I made no connection with the fourth player.

Here is what an interesting chapter in history looks like in 2009. Ernie Holmes who passed away, at 59 years old, in a car accident somewhere between Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas is the father of a young mathematician who has made history.

I work with Ernie Holmes' son.

Dr. Rod Holmes, the second African-American man to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston, must have put up a powerful defense to negotiate his way to the end of a historical accomplishment.

He was mentored by Dr. Willie Taylor, the first African-American man to receive his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Houston.

Is it possible that the wisdom of his father, the great defensive player with "The Steel Curtain" rubbed off on the son, Dr. Rob Holmes?

The determination, persistence, and passion you need for football is also needed in intellectual endeavors. Perhaps the powerful attributes of the father were passed on to the son, giving him the coping skills to wedge forth and get a Ph.D. in one of the most challenging areas in mathematics, functional analysis? I think so.

Does the tradition of building and having a powerful defensive team continue in the current Pittsburgh Steelers team? Probably so.

Traces of genius stood out in the career of Ernie Holmes. In one quote we see:

"Holmes, drafted out of Texas Southern, was part of a defense that held Minnesota to 17 yards rushing and 119 total yards in the 1975 Super Bowl. The Steelers won their first title, 16-10. They were back a year later, beating Dallas 21-17 for the championship.

"The 1976 Steelers defense was one of the best in NFL history, shutting out five opponents -- three in a row -- during a nine-game, season-ending winning streak. The Steelers allowed only 28 points during those nine games, an average of slightly more than a field goal per game.

"He was devastating and would just destroy the opponent across from him," Russell said. "Sometimes I had to remind him to tackle the guy with the pigskin. He was a brilliant player. He played all with his heart."

"He used his head, too. Besides "Fats," he was also known as "Arrowhead" because in 1974 he shaved his head, leaving only an arrow-shaped pattern of hair on his skull.

"I asked him, 'What the hell did you do that for?'" longtime Steelers director of communications Joe Gordon said. "We were getting ready to play the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. He said, 'That's to point me to the quarterback.'"

What stands out is the comment "He used his head" and "he was a brilliant player."

So, the four men who often bragged about the brilliance of L. C. Greenwood, Joe Green, Dwight White and Ernie Holmes were good role models. Perhaps they saw the merit and power of a good defense.

And, the four men who took part in "The Steel Curtain" set a model in place for those times by being one of the best NFL defense squads in NFL history.

Out of that pool of talent was birthed one of America's promising mathematicians. It looks like Dr. Rod Holmes inherited the brilliance and heart of his father. It is no small feat to be one of the few African-American men to get a Ph.D. in functional analysis.

Brilliance can be in the genes, however, it may manifest itself in different ways. Ernie Holmes showed his on the playing field while his son shows his in intellectual pursuits.

Now there is a story telling about what Ernie Holmes did, and how he approached Gene Upshaw of the Oakland Raiders. Holmes forewarned Upshaw that the Steelers defense was, let's say, stronger and more fierce than the Raiders.

Well, a game is coming up on Dec. 6. Is there a "Ernie Holmes" making his way to a "Gene Upshaw"? Is the Oakland Raiders team being forewarned about the tactics and strength of the Pittsburgh Steelers?

A historical encounter is captured in this quote:

"To motivate his teammates, Holmes purposefully strayed into the Raiders' warm ups to tell star lineman Gene Upshaw before the January 1976 AFC Championship Game what the Steelers would do to him and Oakland.

"The Steelers went on to win 24-13. But at a team Christmas party, Holmes surprised everyone by dressing up like Santa Claus and handing out toys."

It's 33 years later. In 2009 is there a Steelers defensive player who will "stray into the Raiders' warm ups" and tell the Raiders' star lineman what the Steelers will do to him and Oakland on December 6?

I conclude by saying that out of the personal heritage of Ernie Holmes has come an outstanding young mathematician, Rod Holmes.

More broadly, then, we can say that out of the franchise heritage of both the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Oakland Raiders should come forth with a "Ernie Holmes" and a "Gene Upshaw."

Who will win the game on Dec. 6, 2009? I will leave it up to you, the readers, to give predictions.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Arizona Cardinals' Road Test Just Got Tougher; Kurt Warner Out, Matt Leinart In

Scott Z Brady — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:53:10 -0500

Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner, who has been nothing short of spectacular ever since that five interception outing against Carolina a month ago, has been ruled out for today’s game against the Titans in Tennessee. Warner, it seems, woke up with blurred vision this morning, and was made inactive by head coach Ken Whizenhunt.

Warner took himself out of the Rams game last week after a face-plant gave him a slight concussion.

In his place will be back-up Matt Leinart. Ironically, Leinart was chosen just behind Titans resurgent QB Vince Young, who has lead Tennessee to four straight wins. I’m sure Leinart would like nothing better than to perform at his best. Not only for personal and team reasons, but to possibly silence the ever growing list of critics.

Well Matt, here’s your chance!

This will be the first time in the past 42 games that Kurt Warner didn’t start at QB for the Big Red. Cards WR's Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston shouldn't have any problems related to the southpaw, except that Warner took almost all the snaps in practice with the first team this week.

I/we, of course, wish Leinart the best in his quest to extend the Cards road winning streak to six!

GBR

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Fantasy Football Update: Ben Roethlisberger Out For Week 12, and More

kevin roberts — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:40:29 -0500

Due to headaches stemming from his concussion he received in Week 11, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not compete in Week 12 's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

FOX's Jay Glazer has reported, via Twitter, that Roethlisberger will miss this week's action due to exercise-induced headaches, which has prompted the coaching staff to give him an extra week for recovery.

Given the effects concussions have had on other stars such as Clinton Portis and Brian Westbrook this season, the Pittsburgh management chose to be extra careful with their franchise quarterback.

Fantasy Perspective: This is bad news for the Pittsburgh passing offense, which was slated for a big day against a very vulnerable Ravens pass defense. However, former third string quarterback Dennis Dixon will assume the starting duties. Back-up Charlie Batch sustained a wrist injury (out 3-6 weeks) in last week's game, forcing the second year quarterback into the role.

This move will also increase the value of Rashard Mendenhall, as he will be leaned on even more than usual, despite facing a very solid Baltimore rush defense.

Read on for other updates on player injuries around the league :

Steven Jackson Iffy For Sunday

Jackson missed three straight practices this week, and despite reporting via Twitter that his sore back is "getting better", he's still expected to be a full-blown game-time decision on Sunday.

Jackson makes for a great play (as usual) against Seattle this week, but the Rams signing of Chris Ogbonnaya off their practice squad should raise some eyebrows.

If you have an even remotely decent RB option available, we suggest sitting S-Jax this week instead of facing the possibility of him landing you a goose egg.

Julius Jones to be a Game-time Decision

We're getting behind Justin Forsett completely this week, as we don't trust Julius Jones and his bothersome injured ribs. Jones has reportedly been dealing with a bruised lung as well, and considering Forsett's solid performances the past two weeks, his role is expected to be great enough to give him solid value going forward, regardless of Jones' status.

For more Breaking News , Player Rankings , and other Fantasy advice , go to NFLSoup.com

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Chris J. Nelson's Week 12 NFL Game Predictions

Chris J. Nelson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:53:01 -0500

Man, I knew I should have picked Denver at home on a short week. Oh well. At least I had a good week last week.

Last week's record: 12-4
Season record: 108-52 (67.5%)

Falcons over Buccaneers — Tampa Bay appears to be a long way off right now and Atlanta at home should have no problem handling their division rival, regardless of whether or not Michael Turner plays.

Dolphins over Bills — Buffalo's offensive line and secondary has been hit hard with injuries recently, swinging the advantage even farther toward the Dolphins. I like Miami on the road in this one.

Bengals over Browns — Brady Quinn had a fantastic day against the league's worst pass defense in Detroit last week, but he won't have that luxury again. Cincinnati is the much better team from top to bottom and I can't envision them losing.

Seahawks over Rams — In a battle between two dismal NFC West franchises, the difference could come down to the presence of Rams running back Steven Jackson. The Pro Bowler missed every practice this week with a back injury and is considered a game-time decision. Considering the Rams promoted rookie running back Chris Ogbonnaya from the practice squad today, I'm going to guess Jackson won't play and that the Seahawks will take advantage.

Jets over Panthers — Mark Sanchez has really come back down to earth lately and is just giving games away right now. Still, Carolina's pretty unimpressive and isn't as committed to the run as they should be, so I'm taking the Jets' strong defense at home.

Eagles over Redskins — Washington gave Dallas a game last week and could do the same against another division rival tomorrow. Still, Philadelphia is a much more talented squad and they have to be the pick.

Colts over Texans — Far less-talented Houston teams have beaten far more-talented Indianapolis teams in the past, but I can't justify picking against the Colts with the way Peyton Manning is playing right now.

Chargers over Chiefs — Kansas City pulled off the surprise upset against a much better Steelers team last week, but I don't see it happening two weeks in a row. San Diego is better and should win this one.

Jaguars over 49ers — It's never easy flying to the west coast, and Jacksonville arrives in San Francisco with some very unimpressive play lately despite some wins. Still, I just don't like much about the Niners except for a handful of players and I'm going to predict Maurice Jones-Drew leads the Jaguars to victory.

Cardinals over Titans — Tennessee has reeled off some wins recently with their quarterback change, but all the credit is due to running back Chris Johnson. However, I'm predicting they get taken down a peg and upset by Arizona this week.

Vikings over Bears — Chicago's offensive line is woeful, while Minnesota's gives Brett Favre all the time in the world to throw. I can't justify picking the Bears in this one.

Ravens over Steelers — Pittsburgh is certainly a talented squad and maybe even better than Baltimore at full strength, but I can't pick Dennis Dixon to win this one on his first start on the road against a very good Ravens team.

Patriots over Saints — New England is getting hot and they present one of the best challenges remaining for the Saints this season. I say Tom Brady wins a big one on the road.

Chris J. Nelson is a journalism major at Georgia State University. He operates his own Miami Dolphins web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and can be followed on Twitter here.

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Steelers Must Go Old School Against Ravens: Win It With Defense

Nick Signorelli — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:41:29 -0500

I have said numerous times this year, that this is not your parent's Pittsburgh Steelers football team. No longer is this unit forced to run the ball on first and second down, then hope for a decent pass on third.

The 2009 Steelers can win in the air. Ben Roethlisberger is one of the NFL elite, and they normally rely on him to take the game over, when it is on the line. When the Steelers travel to Baltimore on Sunday, Roethlisberger won't be able to save them, he will be inactive.

Dennis Dixon will make his first career start due to the concussion like symptoms Roethlisberger suffered when he took a knee to the head in overtime against the Chiefs last week.

For the Steelers to come out of Baltimore with the victory, they are going to have to do it old school. The defense is going to have to shut the Ravens down, keep them out of the end zone, and possibly put some points on the board themselves.

The Steelers defense will be without Troy Polamalu yet again this week, but they will have to play at their highest level of the year.

The Ravens strength at the beginning of the season was Joe Flacco putting the ball in the air. Lately, Ray Rice has been the gear that turns the wheel in Baltimore. The Steelers defense is the best in the league against the run, allowing 139 yards less than the second place Bengals, and under 70 yards per game.

The key to success for the Steelers will be keeping Rice in check and forcing Joe Flacco to beat them through the air. Ike Taylor is going to have to lock down Derrick Mason, and keep him under 100 yards receiving.

The other key for a Steelers victory will be running the ball, which against Baltimore, is easier said than done. Haloti Ngata returns to the Ravens line up for the first time in a month.

There are some injury issues that the Ravens defense is concerned with as well. Both Ray Lewis (foot) and Ed Reed (undisclosed illness / foot) are questionable, while Terrell Suggs has been ruled doubtful, meaning he likely will not play.

Brendon Ayanbadejo and Fabian Washington have both been placed on IR, while Samari Rolle is on the PUP list, so none of them will be playing the rest of this year.

Dennis Dixon is going to have to play mistake free football for the Steelers to be successful. He needs to not try to be Roethlisberger, and when his receivers are not open, do what you did best in college, take off running. Dixon will have to go through his progressions, check the check down, then take off running if no one is open.

On offense, the Steelers are going to have to limit mistakes and run the football to exploit the injuries the Ravens have, and to give the defense as much rest as they possibly can.

For the Steelers to win, they are going to have to do it with defense. They will have to play old school football, like only the Steelers can.

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Dennis Dixon Supplants Ben Roethlisberger at QB | NFL Fantasy Football Rankings

Fantasy-Info .com — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:27:42 -0500

Last week, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suffered a concussion in an overtime loss to the Chiefs . Once Roethlisberger left the game, the team turned the reigns over to steady veteran Charlie Batch to finish the game.

Unfortunately, for the Steelers, Batch suffered a wrist injury and will be out for the rest of the regular season. Because of this key injury, the team is now left with inexperienced but talented young quarterback Dennis Dixon to backup Roethlisberger.

Likely In, Likely Out

For most of the week, it looked like the Steelers would have their star quarterback under center for an all-important game on Sunday night against the Ravens. Roethlisberger passed all medical tests and was given a clear bill of health to play but in spite of all that on Friday Big Ben told his coach that he might not play.

Roethlisberger needed to sleep on his decision to play and on Saturday mourning Fox Sports' Jay Glazer broke the news that the Steelers would be without their star quarterback for this week's game.

Now Pittsburgh is faced with starting second year quarterback Dixon, who has thrown one completion (last year) in his short NFL career.

In the Heat of the Night

While Dixon had a fabulous career with the Oregon Ducks , he will now be tested against one of the best defenses the NFL has to offer in his first career start. The Ravens thrive on playing offenses that have problems stretching the field with the deep passing game.

If the Steelers are not able to make the Ravens' respect the passing game down the field then Ed Reed and the secondary players will sit on the Steelers short passing routes.

Not only that but when the Ravens are able to play that kind of game you can forget about running the football with regular effectiveness.

One of Dixon's weapons that should give the Ravens problems is his ability to move out of the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs.

The main question for Dixon is will he be able to handle playing at the NFL speed?

Fantasy Outlook

Unless you don't have good options on your bench, I would suggest you bench your Steeler fantasy players for this contest. We don't know what Dixon will be able to do, but in a game like this, on the road, the odds are that it won't be good.

That is not to say that Dixon can't be a good quarterback in the future but in this game, I'm not sure he can sustain drives down the field to give fantasy owners the stats they need for success.

Next week the Steelers will face the Raiders in Pittsburgh and in that game if Dixon is in you should definitely get your main players in.

NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings writer Sean E. Douglas: fantasy-info.com

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Steelers-Ravens: Will This Be a JV Game?

Nick Signorelli — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:02:22 -0500

When the NFL schedule was released, Steelers and Ravens fans alike were shocked that these two AFC powerhouses would not meet until this late in the season. It does make some sense, building the anticipation for the battle.

Not only that, but this late in the season, the games would take on more meaning. With two games left to play in the last six, these two teams would have to win to earn their playoff rights.

Although that remains true, it is not the AFC North crown they will be fighting for. Cincinnati already has a strangle hold on that. The Steelers and Ravens will be battling for the wild card, and maybe both.

When the Steelers visit Baltimore on Sunday night, in the match up Ravens fans spent the off season hoping for, at home, in prime time, are they getting what they had hoped for? I don't think so.

Most Ravens fans looking at the Steelers injury report would normally be ecstatic. Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Aaron Smith, Chris Kemoeatu, and Charlie Batch have all been ruled out for the Sunday matchup.

In addition, Travis Kirschke is questionable and may not play.

Normally, this would shoot the odds of the Ravens through the roof. With second year pro Dennis Dixon making his first career start, even though he was the third stringer just six days ago, the Ravens defense, one of the best in the league, would eat him alive.

Maybe not.

Though their injury report is not as bad as the Steelers, some of the names on the Ravens report give Steelers fans some hope that they have a chance.

Terrell Suggs is listed as doubtful, along with Ed Reed and Ray Lewis as questionable. Lewis is still expected to play, but will be slowed down by a foot injury. Reed has some undisclosed illness along with a foot injury as well.

Either way, this game is still important to both teams wild card chances, even if it is the JV playing.

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Steelers-Ravens: Ben Roethlisberger Out, Dennis Dixon In

Brian Carson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:54:46 -0500

In a stunning turn of events, it appears Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens.

Roethlisberger complained of headaches after practice on Wednesday and Thursday, despite passing all neurological tests this week and pronouncing himself fit to play.

Team doctors will test him today and tomorrow to see how he feels and if he'll be able to go, but all signs point to Big Ben not playing.

Dennis Dixon, who started the season as the No. 3 man, will be making the first NFL start of his career.

The Steelers plan to sign quarterback Tyler Palko from the practice squad today to their 53-man roster and he will back up Dixon tomorrow in Baltimore provided Roethlisberger does not suit up.

Palko's first practice with the Steelers came Thursday after he cleared CFL waivers and was signed to their practice squad. Veteran receiver Shaun McDonald will be released.

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Breaking News: Ben Roethlisberger Will Not Play Vs. Ravens Due To Concussion

Matt Miselis — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:51:28 -0500

In the disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, Pittsburgh held their breath when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a "concussion-like injury."

The entire Steelers staff, lead by head coach Mike Tomlin, wanted to observe Roethlisberger's progress, and would make a decision as to whether or not No. 7 would play.

Earlier this week, Roethlisberger was rumored to start against the Baltimore Ravens, their division rivals, on Sunday.

Many tests were taken throughout the week, making sure Roethlisberger could hold his own in a match up like this.

As of Friday, he was determined a game-time decision. But that did not last long, according to Fox Sports .

According to FOX.com, Roethlisberger will not play against their rival Sunday, in what could be the biggest game of the year.

Both the Steelers and Ravens are fighting for playoff spots, and with the blow already to Troy Polamalu, they are taking it safe by resting their quarterback this week.

Due to Charlie Batch requiring season-ending surgery earlier this week, former Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon will make his first career start.

The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers will square off in one of the NFL's more heated rivalries Sunday Night.

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

FOXSports.com: Ben Roethlisberger Will Not Play Against Baltimore Ravens

Vincent Jackson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 11:34:02 -0500

FOXSports.com NFL reporter Jay Glazer is reporting that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will not play this Sunday in a critical division matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Second year quarterback Dennis Dixon will get the start in his place and according to team doctors, the two-time Super Bowl champion was experiencing "exercise-induced headaches" that have deemed him unable to start.

Roethlisberger was hit in the head on a scramble play last week during the Steelers' overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and left the game after throwing for 398 yards and three touchdowns.

The NFL has come under fire for its handling of situations regarding concussions and has since launched a new initiative in dealing with players past and present who suffer from its symptoms.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers Are a Poorly Coached Team

George Kroger — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:53:48 -0500

In the wake of the latest defeat, a 27-24 overtime loss to the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, it’s becoming clearer exactly what the Pittsburgh Steelers problem is…coaching.

I’m not just talking about Bruce Arians and Special Teams coach Bob Ligashesky. Mike Tomlin also falls into this category.

Let’s look at the facts from last Sunday.

The Steelers gave up yet another return for a touchdown. That would be the 47th time that’s happened this year. What? You say the number not actually 47? Well, it sure seems that way.

Bottom line is returns for touchdown are happening every game. Or at least in the last eight games. Way too much for a well coached team.

Heath Miller became the latest receiver to magically turn his hands to stone, allowing for an interception that completely turned the game around. With the Steelers up 17-7 and driving, a score at that point in the game most likely end the contest early.

But alas, the most reliable receiver on the team (maybe after Hines Ward) has a major brain freeze and we’ve got a game again. This “receiver dropping passes whilst wide open” thing happens every game, and is not a mark of a well-coached team.

And how could I leave out the play calling? Once again, when all seems to be going well and the team is moving the ball at will against the opponent, something seems to happen to make the offense fizzle.

Last Sunday, it was a combination of things: a fumble, interceptions, inability to handle or anticipate a blitz, and finally an utterly ridiculous third-and-2 call from the Chiefs 35, just on the edge of field goal range.

Again, we see the not-so-well coached team repeat the same mistakes, week in and week out.

The Steelers have yet to put together a complete game, and after playing against some of the league’s worst teams (Detroit, Cleveland and Kansas City), this is shocking. If we were talking about a bottom-dwelling team, there would be no surprise.

But the Steelers are the defending Super Bowl champs and have virtually the same team they had last year.

OK, we all know players have to play. And it’s these players that are repeatedly making the same mistakes. But it’s the coaches’ job to get the ship straightened out when it starts to veer off course.

This team seems to lack the killer instinct that past Steeler teams possessed. I’m not in the locker room to see how Tomlin interacts with his players, but this team seems to lack direction.

I’m hoping that I’m wrong about Tomlin. But the evidence on the field seems to indicate that he truly is a bad coach.

Final thought: Only a bad coach would keep a moron like Bruce Arians on his staff.

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Steelers' QB Has Bell Rung But Looks To Play

steve tisch — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:47:02 -0500

Will Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger play against the Baltimore Ravens this week?

According to our Magic 8-Ball, ”All Signs Point To Yes”, but a line for the game has yet to be released.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported earlier that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin expected Big Ben to play, and yesterday said that Roethlisberger was taking snaps with the first-team offense at practice.

Pittsburgh lost to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday, and looked like they would lose their No. 1 QB as well.

With the game knotted at 24 apiece in OT, Roethlisberger took a knee to the head and was taken out of the game, replaced by understudy Charlie Batch.

The Steelers ended up losing 27-24 and failed to cover as 12-point road faves—the total was set at 39.5 and went over.

Big Ben, “took a blow, needless to say, it was a concussion-oriented thing so I doubt he was going to come back into the football game,” explained Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin after the game.

If that wasn’t enough, Batch suffered a wrist injury in relief and required surgery, out four to six weeks—QB Dennis Dixon is the team’s third-stringer.

Roethlisberger told the Post-Gazette in the postgame presser that he wasn’t sure if he was concussed and that he felt ok.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Cardinals-Titans Preview: Arizona Looks to Halt Tennessee Hot Streak

Chris Farmer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:45:59 -0500

The Cardinals face a tough matchup on Sunday afternoon versus a talented Titans team on a hot streak.

Ever since team owner Bud Adams demanded that Vince Young get another shot as the No. 1 QB, Tennessee has responded with four straight wins after beginning the season winless with Kerry Collins under center.

VY is clearly rejuvenated and playing with more confidence than ever in his young career. The team has changed its offensive approach, sprinkling in the college option play with positive results.

The interesting and maybe unintended effect of running the option is that not only does it allow Young to pick up first downs with his legs when the time is right, it also gives Chris Johnson even more chances out in open space, where he thrives.

With Collins in the lineup, CJ was good for 596 yards in six games. With Young starting, Johnson has rushed for 646 yards in four games.

It is a pretty scary thought to think that the Titans may have found a more effective scenario for Johnson and his deadly speed to flourish. CJ is on pace to become only the sixth back in league history to surpass 2,000 yards, and he is doing it at a 6.2 yards per carry clip.

Now for an absolutely ridiculous stat—Johnson has 18 carries of 20 yards or more. Adrian Peterson, the one usually anointed as the best back in the league, is the closest contender with 11.

The focus for the Arizona defense is quite obvious—attempt to contain Chris Johnson, as few teams have been able to do. They did a pretty good job versus Steven Jackson last game. If you throw out the 48-yard run, he only had 68 yards rushing otherwise. Not bad considering Jackson is second in the NFL in rushing behind Johnson.

Then again, that 48-yard run could be a frightening premonition of things to come on Sunday, as CJ is the fastest back in the league and the long runs, as stated earlier, are his forte.

Tennessee's challenge will be to slow down Kurt Warner and the prolific Cardinals passing attack. The Titans enter the game ranked 31st against the pass but have been playing better as of late, led by the fiery Cortland Finnegan.

Even if Finnegan is unable to completely slow down Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, he will surely get under their skin and try to provoke a ruckus. He is the type of player that welcomes a fracas because it helps him elevate his level of play.

This game should be a slugfest and may come down to the last drive of the game to determine the outcome.

This article also appears on NFLTouchdown.com

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State of the Arizona Cardinals, as They Prepare for Titans

Chris Farmer — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:40:50 -0500

Losing rookie backer Will Davis for 4-6 weeks is a blow to a defense. There is hope he can play again this season, as he was coming on strong with two sacks, twelve tackles and increased playing time.

Now more than ever the Cardinals need Chike Okeafor to battle through his back issues and get back on the field. Though he has missed the last two games, he is still tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. The immediate future looks bright as Okeafor participated in practice this week and will likely play.

Having the luxury of signing Monty Biesel off the street is fortunate though. Biesel was on Kansas City's roster briefly this season, and has 43 games with the Cardinals under his belt. Biesel can fill in admirably at linebacker and is a special teams warrior.

One quiet development of late is receiver Early Doucet apparently passing Jerheme Urban on the depth chart. Although it is still not reflected officially on the team-issued depth chart , Urban was a healthy inactive two games in a row, and has not registered a productive game since the fifth game of the season.

Last season Urban was a very productive fourth receiver with nearly 500 yards receiving on 34 receptions—impressive considering the three above him all had over 1,000 yards. The curious bit is that Doucet hasn't obviously outplayed Urban and is not as fast.

Maybe Urban was benched for one too many drops in key situations? Perhaps the coaching staff is eager to groom Doucet to take over Anquan Boldin's role on the team for next season?

There were all kinds of people weighing in on Matt Leinart and questioning what the outcome of this weekend's game versus the Titans would be if Kurt Warner was unable to play. Fortunately for Cardinals' fans, Warner has practiced in full and is likely to start, so for the short-term the point is mute.

For the long-term however, there is growing concern about Leinart's lack of readiness to take over should Kurt go down with a serious injury. For this set of eyes, the team should strongly consider signing a proven veteran such as Jeff Garcia to back up Warner for the pending playoff run.

This article also appears on NFLTouchdown.com

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Big Ben, Do You Know about Iron Mike?

Kevin Lindsey — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:09:21 -0500

Ben Roethlisberger may be undertaking the biggest risk of his life by playing on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.

Big Ben suffered a concussion last Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Roethlisberger suffers another concussion this weekend he will be at enhanced risk for long-term brain damage.

I hope that those around him have adequately explained the long-term risks to his health. I hope that someone has told him about Steelers Legend Mike Webster.

Not about how Webster earned four Super Bowl rings protecting Terry Bradshaw and leading the way for Franco Harris.

Not about how Webster was so tough that he started in 150 straight games and played in 177 consecutive games.

No. The story that needs to be told is what happened after Webster stopped playing.

Webster retired from football in March 1991 after playing 16 years and suffering multiple concussions, which had damaged Webster’s frontal lobe.

The remaining 11 years of his life after football were not pleasant.

Webster’s health deteriorated, leaving him unemployed, debt-ridden, and occasionally homeless. Webster even found himself on the wrong side of the law, accepting five years of probation after being charged with forging prescriptions for the drug Ritalin.

Webster died at age 50. At the time of his death he was suffering from brain damage and had been diagnosed with traumatic or punch-drunk encephalopathy.

Prior to his death, Webster sought to collect disability benefits from the NFL’s Retirement Plans. The dispute ended up before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals before Webster’s estate reached a reported multi-million dollar settlement. [1]

The NFL Retirement Plans were undoubtedly encouraged to reach settlement by the finding of credible evidence that Webster had suffered brain damage before he retired from the game.

The story that needs to be told about Webster is how the league reacted in response to his death.

After the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion was issued, the league faced criticism over how proactive the league was to ensure the safety of its players.

The Webster case was a significant factor of why Congress invited the NFL to Washington to discuss reducing concussions among its players. The visit to Congress has already prompted the NFL to act.

This week the Associated Press reported that commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to NFL teams on Tuesday about concussions, which stated, in part, that the co-chairmen of the league’s committee on brain injuries had resigned.

Goodell’s memo also states that Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano had resigned and that the league was in the process of identifying their replacements. Goodell’s memo noted that he wanted to add new members “who will bring to the committee independent sources of expertise and experience in the field of head injuries.”

Dr. Casson was recently criticized by the NFL Players Association and members of Congress for his comments, calling into question independent and league-sponsored studies linking NFL careers with heightened risk of dementia and cognitive decline.

Commissioner Goodell also announced this week that he is looking into rule changes and how teams conduct practices and offseason workouts, in an effort to reduce the likelihood of concussions among players.

The story that needs to be told is about how Webster’s death may have lead to the discovery of a degenerative brain disease.

Jeanne Marie Laskas in the October issue of GQ magazine chronicles how Dr. Bennet Omalu discovered and named a progressive degenerative disease, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, after discovering a toxic protein in the brain of Webster. The identified toxic protein kills brain cells and impairs function.

CTE has been found in the brains of several former NFL players that have died prematurely such as Terry Long, Justin Strzelczyk, and Andre Waters. University research is now being conducted related to CTE.

There is no doubt that Big Ben is one of the game’s mightiest warriors by any measurable standard applied. There is also no doubt that the same could be said for "Iron" Mike Webster.

ESPN analyst Merrill Hoge, a former Pittsburgh Steelers running back who retired early due to the number of concussions he suffered during his career, suggested this week that the NFL needs to adopt a bright line policy for dealing with the return of players who have suffered concussions.

Hoge’s suggestion is that a player at a minimum would be held out for one week from any contact and would be ineligible to play for seven days.

His suggestion is based upon the consensus within the medical community that once a player suffers a concussion, they are much more susceptible to subsequent concussions in the future if they suffer head trauma prior to completely healing from the initial concussion.

The decision to play this week is not insignificant to Big Ben or the Steelers. Pittsburgh is in second place in its division at 6-4 and is fighting to make the playoffs. Big Ben leading the Steelers would be a pleasant sight.

Of course having a healthy Big Ben leading the team for several productive years and being a goodwill ambassador after he retires is also significant to the Steelers, and something the fans would love to see.

The decision to play after a concussion carries risk, as Brian Westbrook learned earlier this season. I hope Roethlisberger makes the right decision after having all the facts before him.

I hope that someone has told Big Ben about Iron Mike.

[1] See Sunny Jani v. The Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Retirement Plan; The NFL Player Supplemental Disability Plan, No. 05-2386 (Dec. 13, 2006).

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NFL Week 12 Predictions

Bobby Lewis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:21:51 -0500

This article is going to be a little bit different from my other prediction articles as I didn't have a chance to write the wrap-up this week. I've been pretty busy this week with school and going home for the holiday and I figured that it wasn't really worth doing the wrap-up when I would just end up making predictions a day later.

So here's a mini-version of my usual end of the NFL week article for Week 11:

Everything that could have gone wrong for the Steelers did go wrong. Losing to the Chiefs is simply inexcusable and now they are in a virtual must-win against Baltimore. Kansas City deserves a lot of credit, but Pittsburgh should not have lost this game.

Ben Roethlisberger should be able to go in Baltimore, but the Steelers are in trouble if he can't in the wake of Charlie Batch's injury.

Dallas needs to find their offense. Tony Romo didn't complete a pass to a wide receiver until very late in the game and they barely got past the 'Skins. They need to get back to establishing the run and putting up a lot of points.

The Browns continue to find new ways to lose games. They jumped out to a big lead on a bad team, but couldn't stop a badly injured rookie from throwing the game-winner. On the other side, Matthew Stafford won't play for the next few weeks, but he established himself as a leader with his play.

Is there a way for a team to feel worse after a win than Green Bay probably does? They almost lost a big second half lead then found out afterwards that two of their best defensive players, Al Harris and Aaron Kampman, are done for the year. Heck, the Niners may feel better after this game than the Pack do.

It's been a while since the Giants got a victory, but they finally got one against the Falcons. However, they lost Brandon Jacobs and the once vaunted defense gave up late scores that almost cost them their fifth straight loss. They still have a lot to fix.

If the Browns keep finding new ways to lose, then the Colts keep finding different ways to win. Their fourth quarter goal line stand was huge and their ability to force turnovers kept Indy undefeated. Baltimore had a chance to win at the end, but they couldn't overcome their mistakes.

The Broncos can forget about winning the AFC West. They are only a game down, but they will not overcome the combination of their losing streak with the way the Chargers completely dominated them. Losing a three-and-a-half game lead in the course of a month is too much for Denver to get over.

This time last week the Bengals were being heralded as one of the best teams in the league. That's not necessarily wrong, but great teams don't lose games to Oakland. They turned the ball over and the Raiders actually took advantage. Shocking, I know. Fortunately for Cincy, the Steelers didn't gain any ground on them.

What has happened to the Jets? They've been pretty horrible since their 3-0 start. The Pats completely dominated them and the 31-14 final isn't an indication of how one-sided this was. This was a complete beat down.

Steelers fans know how reliable Kris Brown is in the clutch. He's starting to show Texans fans the same thing. Obviously he's not the sole reason they lost, but his final kick wasn't even close. Now at .500, the Indy game is a must-win if they want any shot at a Wild Card.

The Titans just continue to win with Vince Young playing mistake-free ball and Chris Johnson running anywhere he wants to. They still won't make the playoffs, but they are making teams sweat.

Finally, here are the top 12 teams, with their previous ranking in parenthesis:

New Orleans Saints (1)
Indianapolis Colts (2)
Minnesota Vikings (3)
New England Patriots (5)
Cincinnati Bengals (4)
Arizona Cardinals (7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
San Diego Chargers (9)
Dallas Cowboys (8)
Philadelphia Eagles (10)
Green Bay Packers (NR)
Houston Texans (11)

Week 12 Picks

Last week's record: 12-4

Overall record: 109-51

Lock of the Week: 8-for-11

Green Bay (6-4) @ Detroit (2-8): To start off the horrible Thanksgiving Day schedule, Green Bay will travel to Detroit. The Lions will be without Calvin Johnson and Stafford, so the Packers will have to work to lose this one. They will overcome their injuries and get an easy win.

Green Bay wins, 27-12

Oakland (3-7) @ Dallas (7-3): Who decided Oakland should play on Thanksgiving? Anyway, as long as Dallas doesn't turn the ball over in droves, they'll send their crowd home happy.

Dallas wins, 18-7

New York Giants (6-4) @ Denver (6-4): Denver really, really needs this game. They've been bullied and pushed around for a month now and they can only absorb so many losses before they fall completely out of it. The Giants haven't looked great in a while, but they will do just enough to continue Denver's woes.

New York Giants win, 27-18

Tampa Bay (1-9) @ Atlanta (5-5): Atlanta is in a pretty bad stretch so Tampa is a good opponent for them. The Bucs have looked much better over the last month or so, but Atlanta will win in a blowout. They need something to spark them and this game will provide that.

Atlanta wins, 36-13

Miami (5-5) @ Buffalo (3-7): Terrell Owens will need a repeat of last week if Buffalo is going to steal this one. Their offense is usually pretty bad, but they will lose the game on defense. They can't stop the run to save their collective lives and Miami is a great running team.

Miami wins, 21-9

Cleveland (1-9) @ Cincinnati (7-3): If we can go by this season's stats, Cleveland probably won't put up more than six points over each of the next few weeks. Cincinnati will come out angry and destroy Cleveland, although I said the same about Pittsburgh last week after their loss to these Bengals.

Cincy wins, 30-6

Arizona (7-3) @ Tennessee (4-6): The Cards are undefeated on the road and Tennessee has won four straight; one of those streaks will obviously end. Kurt Warner is dealing with the head injury, but Tennessee won't be able to get to him enough to make that a huge factor.

During their winning streak, the Titans have hung around until the fourth quarter and eventually taken the lead. They will not have the ability to do that here because the Cards will simply outscore them and the Titans are not a quick-strike offense.

Arizona wins, 26-20

Seattle (3-7) @ St. Louis (1-9): There's really no logic in picking games between two bad teams, but for whatever reason, I think the Rams will get their second victory on the broad shoulders of Steven Jackson.

St. Louis wins, 17-13

Chicago (4-6) @ Minnesota (9-1): Chicago really needs this game as they're only a couple of losses away from focusing on April's draft. At this point, the Vikes are gearing up for the playoffs so the Bears may catch them sleeping, but Minnesota's playing too well to lose to an average team.

Minnesota wins, 28-16

Carolina (4-6) @ New York Jets (4-6): Amazingly, the Jets would still be very much in the playoff race with a victory. That would mean something if they were playing well. Right now Carolina is playing better football. If they run the ball to open up the pass, they'll get the win.

Carolina wins, 19-14

Washington (3-7) @ Philadelphia (6-4): This game will be similar to their matchup a few weeks ago. Washington's defense will play relatively well, but give up a few big plays that go for touchdowns.

Philly wins, 26-10

Indianapolis (10-0) @ Houston (5-5): The games in this matchup in Houston have been very close and this will be the same. The Texans have to keep the ball out of Peyton Manning's hands for as long as possible, which means the running game will have to be huge. If the defense can keep Manning out of the end zone, they have a great chance to win.

If this game comes down to Kris Brown, forget everything I said about this game because the Colts will win.

Houston wins, 24-17

Kansas City (3-7) @ San Diego (7-3): Kansas City will not win three straight games. The Chargers are on a roll and the Chiefs will only be a speed bump. They may make it close, but they won't pull the upset.

San Diego wins, 23-13 (Lock of the Week)

Jacksonville (6-4) @ San Francisco (4-6): With a win, Jacksonville will be in the driver's seat for a Wild Card berth. If they jump out to an early lead, the game will be over with Maurice Jones-Drew running the ball. The Niners need to stop the running game and put up points, but Alex Smith has started out extremely slow in most games this year. San Fran is not built to make comebacks so the Jags get a nice road win.

Jacksonville wins, 24-18

Pittsburgh (6-4) @ Baltimore (5-5): The three games between these teams last season were vicious. That alone makes this extremely dangerous for Ben Roethlisberger. Concussions are tricky to begin with and Baltimore will be out for blood. If Roethlisberger can stay relatively clean (a big if), he can pick Baltimore's defense apart.

Pittsburgh wins, 21-13

New England (7-3) @ New Orleans (10-0): This will be an very entertaining, high-scoring affair. We all know what each of these offenses can do so the key will be which defense can get stops. I trust Bill Belichick's schemes more than I do Gregg Williams', so the Saints' undefeated season will die here.

New England wins, 37-31

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NFL Week 12 Picks, Predictions, and Upset Specials Galore!

Nick Signorelli — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:01:15 -0500

Overall 89-41

Last Week 14-2

My best week to date. The only two games I got wrong were the Steelers losing to the Chiefs (who didn't get that one wrong?), and the Bengals at the Raiders (again, predicted this?).

I also picked two of the three upset specials, hitting on the 49ers covering against the Packers, and the Colts defeating the Ravens.

I called for the Saints to beat the Bucs, but thought that Tampa would cover. Hey, no one is perfect.

Now that I have a separated shoulder from patting myself on the back, it is time to get into Week 12, since there will be three games on Thursday.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone that is taking the time to read this. I hope that everyone has a blessed day and enjoys a day full of getting fat and watching football.

Thanksgiving Games.

Green Bay @ Detroit

Injuries have hit both of these teams, especially the Packers. Al Harris and Aaron Kampman are either on IR or on their way to it. You would think that would be a disadvantage for the Packers, but this is the Lions, and Matthew Stafford isn't playing.

Packers win, 27-13.

Oakland @ Dallas

Oakland is coming off of the upset of the week, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys struggled against the Redskins.

Lightning will not strike twice for Oakland and the Cowboys will handle them.

Cowboys win, 31-17.

New York Giants @ Denver

The Broncos are in desperate need of a win, while the Giants have had trouble and winning last week is not a cure-all. The losing problem for the Broncos is infecting the team, and they are on the verge of self-destructing.

Last week we witnessed Brandon Marshall and Knowshon Moreno shouting at each other after a Moreno fumble in the end zone. Josh McDaniels has his work cut out for him.

Giants win, 24-10.

Five Star Picks of the Week

Indianapolis @ Houston

The Texans lost a heart breaker to the Titans on Monday night, and this week they have to play against the undefeated Colts. The Colts are due to lose, and the Texans are basically in a playoff game.

If Houston loses, they fall to 5-6. Doubt can creep in and destroy this team, who is looking for their first playoff birth and winning season in franchise history.

Indy can ruin the Texans' season by winning this game.

Colts win, 34-17.

Chicago @ Minnesota

The Bears need to thank the Lions for being so bad, or they would be the worst team in the NFC North.

Minnesota knows that if the Patriots can beat the Saints on Monday Night Football (Upset Special Alert), they will be tied for the best record in the NFC, with home field advantage at stake.

Minnesota is not going to let up, and the Bears will get pounded.

Vikings win, 34-13.

Washington @ Philadelphia

Clinton Portis is still out, as is Ladel Betts. The Redskins are trying to play spoiler to the Eagles, but they just don't have enough weapons in their arsenal to even keep up with them.

Eagles win, 28-17.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore

This is probably the most painful thing I have ever had to do.

Ben Roethlisberger is saying he is going to play, but is he really 100 percent after taking a knee to the head in overtime against the Chiefs?

The Ravens took the Colts to the closing minutes last week. Guard Chris Kemoeatu is injured, and lets be honest, this game is in Baltimore.

As much as I want to pick Pittsburgh to win, and as much as I hope I am wrong on this:

Ravens win, 21-17.

Kansas City @ San Diego (-13.5)

Even though the Chiefs beat the Steelers in overtime last week, winning their second game in a row, they still do not look like the kind of team that can be consistent week in and week out. I don't think they have a chance to win on the road at San Diego, who beat the Broncos last week, in Denver.

KC's bubble is about to burst.

Chargers win, 31-13.

Upset Specials of the Week

Miami (-3.5) @ Buffalo

Miami is not the same team they were with Ronnie Brown. Even though they beat the Panthers last Thursday, I am not sold on them being a legit playoff contender (sorry Hotnuke).

Buffalo is playing with a ton of inspiration with interim coach Perry Fewell, and I think they will cover and win.

Bills win, 21-20.

Cleveland @ Cincinnati (-14)

Do you think the Vegas odds makers forgot that the last time these two teams played, the Bengals won with about :02 seconds left in OT, with a field goal that may have been no good?

The Bengals are going to win, but they will not cover the 14-point spread.

Bengals win, 27-17.

Arizona @ Tennessee (-3)

Kurt Warner, like Ben Roethlisberger, was knocked in the head last week, and also said that he is going to play this week. Mistake.

The Titans secondary is playing like last year, and Warner is going to have his hands full. The big difference is, Arizona is not going to be able to stop Chris Johnson, and the Titans are going to continue their winning streak.

Titans win, 28-21.

Seattle (-3) @ St. Louis

Neither team is playing very well, but the Rams stayed with the Saints until late in the game a couple of weeks ago.

The Seahawks' entire team may be on the injury report.

Many people believe that the Rams are horrible, and I agree, but Steven Jackson will be too much for the Seahawks.

Rams win, 17-13.

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta (-14)

Atlanta is on a four-game losing streak, and though Tampa is not a very good team, 14 points is a lot to give up when your team is not playing well. Matt Ryan is playing more like a rookie than he did when he was a rookie.

Falcons win, 24-13.

Carolina @ New York Jets (-3)

Carolina is fighting for their playoff lives, while the Jets, who started the season at 3-0, look nothing like the team that beat the Patriots earlier this year.

Mark Sanchez is playing like a rookie, while Jake Delhomme is not playing as bad as he did at the beginning of the season.

Panthers win, 17-14.

Jacksonville (-3) @ San Francisco

Most people gave up on Jacksonville, except Jacksonville.

San Francisco started the season off as a surprise pick to go to the Super Bowl, but that talk is now dead and gone.

The Jaguars are going to pound the 49ers.

Jaguars win, 27-10.

New England @ New Orleans (-3)

A fitting game for Monday night and will be the best game of the week.

New England had the Colts all but defeated two weeks ago, before Bill Belichick gave the game to the Colts, and basically home field advantage through the AFC playoffs.

The Saints are a great team, but they have not played against a team as good as the Pats. This will be a high-scoring game, and if you like to gamble (which I am not saying you should, and if you do it is not my fault if you lose money, so don't blame me) bet the over (56).

Patriots win, 37-31.

Read more Super Bowl XLIII news on BleacherReport.com

Pittsburgh Steelers' Week 11 Report Card

GridironFans.com — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:42 -0500

The Steelers have a chance to close some ground in the division race and they piss it away. You have to win the games your supposed to and that just wasn't the case on this day. The Chiefs outplayed the Steelers and took advantage of several Steeler mistakes to come away with the victory in overtime.

The Report Card

Quarterbacks: Roethlisberger threw for almost 400 yards and three touchdowns, and the Steelers would have won this game easily if that's all he did. Ben had his share of blunders as well, he made some plays by eluding defenders and breaking sack attempts but he also had some boneheaded plays. He overthrew a few receivers in the first half, and in the redzone he threw an interception that almost went back for a touchdown the other way. The other interception was not Ben's fault as it bounced off Heath Miller into the defenders hands but as i've said before turnovers in the endzone are inexcusable. Roethlisberger was injured in overtime while driving the Steelers down to attempt a game winning field goal. Concussion like symptoms kept Ben sidelined. Batch came in and completed a 17 yard pass to get the Steelers closer to field goal range but on his next throw he threw a limp pass that was almost intercepted. He ended 1/2 and was also injured. B-

Runningbacks: Mendenhall had a strong day rushing 21 times for 80 yards, he also caught four balls for 36 yards and had a nice touchdown grab. Mendenhall was exceptionally good in overtime having three carries for 7,7, and eight yards. He was not given an opportunity on the third and two in overtime as the Steelers attempted a moronic toss to Moore the slowest runningback on the roster. Mendenhall also showed great effort chasing down Studebaker and saving four points on the interception return. Parker seen more action then he had the last few weeks and he looked good he had some solid carries and caught one ball and had a nice 11 yard run after the catch. Moore had a key run going for four yards, surprisingly again he had no catches, what is going on here. A

Wide Receivers: Hines Ward added onto his monster year grabbing 10 balls for 128 yards and a touchdown, followed by the Tomahawk celebration. He did have careless fumble that luckily rolled out of bounds. He also had a holding call in the 1st quarter. Santonio Holmes also had a big day as he had 86 yards and had a few impressive grabs, he did show a lack of effort on chasing down Studebaker on the interception return, he could have easily caught him but lollipopped around instead, luckily Mendenhall showed some heart and chased him down. Mike Wallace had two catches for 46 yards, he made a sick catch in the first quarter but it was quickly forgotten as he fumble the ball on the run after the catch. Just one of the many mistakes leading to the upset. Sweed dressed but did not play. Ward A- Holmes A- Wallace C- Sweed Inc

Tight Ends: Heath Miller had a huge day as far as offensive production goes catching seven balls for 95 yards and a touchdown, but that can be overlooked by mistakes. He was the root of a key turnover when a perfectly thrown ball by Roethlisberger bounce up right off of his body eventually being intercepted by the defender. On the very next drive he had an 15 yard boneheaded penalty. He also had a terrible block attempt on the third and two in overtime that led to the punt, which was the last time the Steelers offense had the ball. Outside of that the tight end blocking was surprisingly acceptable. Matt Spaeth and David Johnson also had one grab a piece for short yardage. Miller C Spaeth B Johnson B

Offensive Line: The offensive line had another acceptable outing, too many penalties but the run blocking and pass blocking wasn't bad at all. It got a little shaky after the injuries to Kemoeatu and Starks. Foster and Legursky took over duties as a few positions were changed around on that offensive line. The pass blocking wasn't great in the fourth quarter or overtime when it needed to be though, this could be due to the injuries. Just too many penalties. B-

Defensive Line The defensive line again played well even when the rest of the team isn't. The penetration against the run was great today. Even Hampton provided some rare pressure on a loss of yardage right in the middle of the line. Hood had some good pressure and a nice deflection. Kiesel again just kept the right side of the field quiet and contained. A

Linebackers: James Farrior again had another average work day at the office, not doing too much and getting tooled in the passing game. He showed his lack of speed on a few plays not being able to close in on the runners to the outside, in the first quarter on the short pass to the right to the Chiefs fullback Farrior was unable to get to the sideline to force the runner out and the play went for 19 yards when it should have went for four yards max. Harrison has an alright day, he had a few pressures, a nice hit in the first quarter. He also had a sack in the redzone forcing the Chiefs to settle for a field goal. Woodley recorded two sacks and contained a few of the runs going his way in what appeared to be his most impressive game of the season (that's not saying much). Timmons was everywhere once again as he has impressed me when healthy. He had a sack and forced a fumble which was recovered by James Harrison a rare turnover by the Steelers. For a unit that's supposed to be the heart and soul of this team, they have not been that over the last two losses. C

Defensive Backs: Tyrone Carter led the team in tackles and didn't make many mistakes, unfortunately he wasn't in position to make interception as he usually somehow is in the right place at the right time. Ike Taylor and William Gay contained their receivers for most of the game. They didn't do a bad job. Ryan Clark was out of position for alot of the game and most of the passes seemed to attack him. He did have a solid hit on a receiver but the receiver held onto the ball. Ike Taylor again had to show everyone that he couldn't catch a cold if he tried, he made a beautiful play in overtime as he out-jumped the receiver and met the ball at its highest point, he appeared to catch the ball but lost it as he landed. The very next play the Chiefs had the throw to Chambers that led to the field goal and the KC victory. C

Special Teams: Really? Again? The Steelers allowed yet another kick return for a touchdown the fourth time this season. This is just ridiculous, they aren't staying in their lanes and they are missing the tackles when they have the opportunity, just pathetic. The Steelers had a few good returns of their own, some were called back though. Woods who was brought up from the practice squad to try to relieve the issue had a holding call negating a good run back. Logan had some solid returns in the punt and kick return game. The coverage has to be fixed by any means necessary. We can't afford to be giving teams a free seven points. D-

Offensive Coordinator: I''m sick of beating the dead horse when it comes to Bruce Arians. If the run is working why not run the ball more? Instead he puts together a weak flail attempt at an offensive game plan. I'm just sick of it. D

Defensive Coordinator: This was a horrible day for all coaches and Dick Lebeau is no exception, the game plan was not up to par and it's very possible that the team overlooked the Kansas City Chiefs this week and was looking ahead to the Baltimore Ravens matchup. It really bit them on the ass this week. Lebeau was out-smartened by an offense that hasn't been able to muster up many points this year and its embarrassing. He didn't even get the defensive play call in during overtime on the Chiefs game winning pass that got them to the four yard line. That is why the defense was so confused, that is just unacceptable. D

Head Coach: How you don't come back from a devastating loss to the Bengals and beat a 2-7 Chiefs team is beyond me, and it blows my mind. It all reflects on the head coach, Mike Tomlin did not have this team focused on beating the Chiefs this week, if they were then there's no way to lose. All credit goes to the Chiefs they outplayed us but when it's all said and done the Chiefs beat themselves, and as the old saying goes "everything is fine when your winning" , well the Steelers have lost for games in the fourth quarter (or overtime) this season and it's all reflecting on Mike Tomlin. He better have this team focused to come out the remainder of the year and impose their will on the teams in their path. F

Player of the week: Rashard Mendenhall

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Cardinals Dish Up a Different Kind of 7-3 This Thanksgiving

Scott Z Brady — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:30:30 -0500

One year ago, the Arizona Cardinals had just dispatched the reigning division champion Seattle Seahawks up in the great northwest, sending the 12th (13th, etc..) man home in shock and sorrow. The Cardinals, of course, haven’t had much success there. That they just beat the Seahawks in Seattle, putting them at 7-3, felt fantastic!

I mean, you long time fans know that as the leaves changed colors (or in Ariziona's case, the snowbirds started filling our freeways)...and the faint waft of Thanksgiving came around, the Cards' season’s life would end up much like that of that 17 lb. gobbler with the little chef hats on their "ankles."

Done, and hoping next year’s crop fared better than the fate of the current one. Rare was the season in December that presented anything to look forward to but the draft order.

However, the 2008 version of our gridiron hero's came through. They gave us hope that "This year would be different." And it was. I mean, a week before Thanksgiving and our Cardinals at 7-3 and atop the division? Eeek-gad!

But you couldn’t be a long suffering fan of the Big Red and feel 100 percent confident, even at 7-3.

Excited? Sure! But confident? Well...let's just say this team has folded like a tortilla after getting our collective hopes up more often than an annual top 10 draft pick was waiting for a call from Cardinals brass once April rolled around.

Unfortunately, that glee didn’t end up making it into December. A road loss to the then unbeaten New York football Giants wasn’t unexpected. But following it up with being flushed down the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving night to the Eagles made me more nauseated than my ex-wife’s creamy-green-bean-and-crunchy-onion-disaster-in-a-dish thingy.

It wasn’t that they lost. But how they lost.

Even a home game against the Rams...a game that could/would clinch the teams first division title (all together now) since little Michael Bidwill was his ripping his diaper off and whipping it against the wall...errrrr, since 1975...couldn’t keep the excitement of the faithful at full tilt.

There were more than a few empty seats in UoP Stadium that fine December day that they slaughtered the Rams and hoisted that division title. Ask the scalpers, who were almost giving tickets away from their little pen northeast of the stadium.

After a dismal performance at home against the Favre-less Vikings (Brett already destroyed the Cards with 6 TD passes earlier in the year as a NY Jet), they laid a big fat chocolate bunny-egg in New England, making it four losses in five games.

Ooops, wrong holiday. Sorry

Anyway, they were called "The worst team ever to make the playoffs” to a national TV audience by soon-to-be-crow-eating NBC mouthpiece Chris Collinsworth. The worst part being, of course, that as much as it sucked to hear our team described in such a manner, it was looking pretty true!

Somehow, they won their next four games, however, and ended up in Tampa on Feb. 1, and the rest is Cardinals history/lore, etc...

But this years 7-3 IS different! It feels different. It’s an excitement that I didn’t feel at 7-3 last year, even moments after that rousing 34-10 win over the Rams that secured the division title the first week of December. Thrilled, yes...but not exactly confident.

This year, I actually DO feel confident! For several reasons, this years 7-3 feels a whole lot better than last years 7-3. It’s a confident feeling that, as an Arizona Cardinals fan, I've never felt before.

In fact, the only time I’ve felt this confident in “my team” at Thanksgiving time was living in Chicago 24 years ago, before the Cards even arrived here, and the Bears were Super Bowl Shuffling their way to a Championship.

Last year as the playoffs approached, I was seeking the team that would be the easiest to beat. With the way things shook out, I was happy to see the Atlanta Falcons coming to town. I mean, sure they had a great year. But they were still the Falcons, and at that time, a team with only a slightly better history than the Cardinals.

I mean, they weren’t the Giants, Eagles and/or others that generally spend January playing instead of watching football.

This year, I want them to play the Vikings! I want to see how we stack up against the suddenly mighty Saints! I am confident enough in this years team to be looking forward to anyone we play as the the playoffs approach!

It’s truly exciting to consider the prospects of where we can end up. It’s super exciting to look forward to a showdown with the Vikings on Dec. 6, with a potential playoff bye dangling in the balance of the outcome! That's right! You heard (read) me! A potential playoff bye in the balance!

For the first time in my 23+ years in Arizona, and my 21 years as a season-ticket-holding Cardinals fan, that I am truly confident that we can beat, really truly beat, any team we play!

Rise up, Red Sea! I have the feeling this can...even will be the most fun and exciting December for the faithful since the vagabond Big Red first pitched their tent in the Valley! GBR!

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Is Ben Roethlisberger's Clock Ticking? Concussions Could Cut QB's Career Short

Jack Stentwiller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:33:08 -0500

Ben Roethlisberger is quickly becoming an elite quarterback in the NFL. While his early career success was much more the result of a great team around him, there is no doubt that in 2009, Ben is great and carrying his team.

The good news? Ben is a go this Sunday versus the Ravens. The bad? He was questionable because he suffered his fourth concussion in his brief five-and-a-half year career.

Concussions and quarterbacks are a scary combination. Let's take a look at Troy Aikman as a case study. Ten concussions in 12 seasons cut a Hall of Fame career short. Many of those concussions happened in Aikman's last couple of seasons.

Roethlisberger's first four concussions seem to have been frontloaded. He is only five-and-a-half year's into his career and concussions come much easier the more you have.

With all of the publicity surrounding ex NFL'ers and the long-term effects and damages from head injuries, how many more concussions could Ben take before he starts to seriously consider early retirement?

This would be a sad development because Ben has just started to reach his potential and like Aikman, has a couple of Super Bowls under his belt early.

That being said, it would not be as sad as brain damage later in life because you didn't think beyond the short term of NFL stardom. I have no idea what Ben is thinking, but it almost seems impossible that these types of thoughts have not crept into his head before.

For now, it's Sunday and it's Baltimore. Ben is in and the Steelers are excited.

Both the fans and the organization however, might need to think about life when Big Ben cannot be wound back up;it may be sooner than anyone would have imagined.

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