With over 20 years of experience covering the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter, Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard on the Steelers radio network pre-game show on WDVE-FM game days and Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on ESPN 970-AM and WDVE during the season as a host of the Antonio Brown Show. Follow him on Twitter at @dlolleyor
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Sunday, September 20, 2009
Timmons active
As expected linebacker Lawrence Timmons is active today to play against the Bears and will start.
Inactive for the Steelers are Dennis Dixon, Limas Sweed, Keenan Lewis, Troy Polamalu, Kraig Urbik, Tony Hills, Nick Eason and Arnold Harrison.
Head scratching call on 3rd and 2 before Reed's 2nd miss. Late in the game, plenty of short yard options (Ward, Miller, Moore), ability to make Chicago use time outs, better field position for a FG if needed, why go for a TD there and not the first down?
Of course this would be moot if Mike Wallace had gone for the first down instead of running out of bounds.
Very disappointing that the offense could muster only 14 pts on a Bear defense missing 3 starters and losing a 4th late in the game. I'll note that Houston put 34 pts on Tenn after the Steelers struggled to put up 13 in 4 qtrs + OT. I'm thinking this offense is less than the sum of its parts.
someone said it well on the Steelers MB: when the oline plays as well as it did today and they still manage to lose, there's a problem.
And in my opinion, that problem is Tyrone Carter and the Steelers thinking there was no way the Bears were going to do what they did in the final drive.
Scoring 14 pts is a big problem. Having so little confidence in your offense's ability to convert short yardage that you have to run a QB boot for a TD and call a pass into the endzone on 3rd and 2 when driving to end the game is a problem. Having a QB continue to take big sacks in FC range is a problem.
Ty Carter is the LEAST of this team's problems. AFAIK, he wasn't playing defense by himself.
The defense gave up 17 pts. That is enough to win with any kind of competent offense which the Steelers don't have right now.
I seem to recall James Harrison taking a bad roughing the passer penalty that eventually led to Chi's first TD. And Timmons taking a dumb defensive holding penalty on the same drive which gave Chicago a crucial first down. Let's not forget the pass Cutler threw right to Ike Taylor that he failed to catch for a pick either.
This wasn't a bad loss, but it did show reasons why the steelers have to go back to the lab:
-- T. Carter is a liability in the starting 3-4 base. They singled him up twice on the goal-line and got two TD's out of that. I wonder if LeBeau would consider starting R. Mundy to get a little bit more speed in the starting 3-4 D. It's easier to protect Ty Carter in the nickel than it is the base 3-4.
-- Mendy and the running game made a brief appearance. When you average 4.8 yards per game running the ball, that is enough to get a W most of the time. Still, this team is a lot more comfortable throwing the ball now than running it.
-- If Santonio Holmes want to be the man, then he has to make that catch in the endzone in the 4Q. If he does, the game is over.
-- Jeff Reed, you've won more than you lost. The conditions weren't great, but it didn't bother the other kicker too much. He made his field goal.
-- The blueprint has been laid to beat the steelers. Pressure Big Ben, spread the field and go to quick drops to try to keep Woodley and Deebo from hitting your QB, dink and dunk'em and throw smoke screens and regular screens. Time for Dick LeBeau to create some more magic.
datruth4life, Are you sure you watched the same game? LeBeau did a masterful job trying to hide Carter. The defensive line failed to get ANY pressure on Cutler, so LeBeau was forced to mix in even more blitzes. The Bears oline did a great job on the front 7. Sure Carter did not hold up, especially in the redzone, but the defense shut down Forte and Olsen for the most part and only allowed 17 points, 3 of which was a long field goal to win the game.
This loss sits squarely on the offense and Jeff Reed. Also despite the rushing numbers, both FWP & Mendy show no confidence in their eyes. The line did a much better run and pass blocking job, the backs refuse to try to skinny the holes like the Bus would do. Neither can run in between the tackles.
Also Mundy is not an upgrade over Carter in coverage. No way, no how.
Jeff Reed hits the 38-yarder and that's a different game. The Steelers have a 10 point lead with 8 minutes left and I don't think the Bears can come back from that.
But being that Skippy doesn't normally chunder twice in a game, I'll take it as an anomoly
Lets hope that the offensive line is active Dave W.in Las Vegas.
ReplyDeleteHead scratching call on 3rd and 2 before Reed's 2nd miss. Late in the game, plenty of short yard options (Ward, Miller, Moore), ability to make Chicago use time outs, better field position for a FG if needed, why go for a TD there and not the first down?
ReplyDeleteOf course this would be moot if Mike Wallace had gone for the first down instead of running out of bounds.
Very disappointing that the offense could muster only 14 pts on a Bear defense missing 3 starters and losing a 4th late in the game. I'll note that Houston put 34 pts on Tenn after the Steelers struggled to put up 13 in 4 qtrs + OT. I'm thinking this offense is less than the sum of its parts.
Shouldn't a flag been thrown on that play? Is that the play that Holmes's jersey was being pulled in the endzone?
ReplyDeletesomeone said it well on the Steelers MB: when the oline plays as well as it did today and they still manage to lose, there's a problem.
ReplyDeleteAnd in my opinion, that problem is Tyrone Carter and the Steelers thinking there was no way the Bears were going to do what they did in the final drive.
Very sloppy play at the end. And theres lose #1
Scoring 14 pts is a big problem. Having so little confidence in your offense's ability to convert short yardage that you have to run a QB boot for a TD and call a pass into the endzone on 3rd and 2 when driving to end the game is a problem. Having a QB continue to take big sacks in FC range is a problem.
ReplyDeleteTy Carter is the LEAST of this team's problems. AFAIK, he wasn't playing defense by himself.
both TD's and a huge play to Olsen were on Carter.
ReplyDeleteHe was a problem. A BIG problem,
Patrick is right. Ty Carter absolutely sucks
ReplyDeleteHe also cost us the playoff game verse the Jags
I can't believe he is still on our team
The defense gave up 17 pts. That is enough to win with any kind of competent offense which the Steelers don't have right now.
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall James Harrison taking a bad roughing the passer penalty that eventually led to Chi's first TD. And Timmons taking a dumb defensive holding penalty on the same drive which gave Chicago a crucial first down. Let's not forget the pass Cutler threw right to Ike Taylor that he failed to catch for a pick either.
Dale,
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't a bad loss, but it did show reasons why the steelers have to go back to the lab:
-- T. Carter is a liability in the starting 3-4 base. They singled him up twice on the goal-line and got two TD's out of that. I wonder if LeBeau would consider starting R. Mundy to get a little bit more speed in the starting 3-4 D. It's easier to protect Ty Carter in the nickel than it is the base 3-4.
-- Mendy and the running game made a brief appearance. When you average 4.8 yards per game running the ball, that is enough to get a W most of the time. Still, this team is a lot more comfortable throwing the ball now than running it.
-- If Santonio Holmes want to be the man, then he has to make that catch in the endzone in the 4Q. If he does, the game is over.
-- Jeff Reed, you've won more than you lost. The conditions weren't great, but it didn't bother the other kicker too much. He made his field goal.
-- The blueprint has been laid to beat the steelers. Pressure Big Ben, spread the field and go to quick drops to try to keep Woodley and Deebo from hitting your QB, dink and dunk'em and throw smoke screens and regular screens. Time for Dick LeBeau to create some more magic.
datruth4life, Are you sure you watched the same game? LeBeau did a masterful job trying to hide Carter. The defensive line failed to get ANY pressure on Cutler, so LeBeau was forced to mix in even more blitzes. The Bears oline did a great job on the front 7. Sure Carter did not hold up, especially in the redzone, but the defense shut down Forte and Olsen for the most part and only allowed 17 points, 3 of which was a long field goal to win the game.
ReplyDeleteThis loss sits squarely on the offense and Jeff Reed. Also despite the rushing numbers, both FWP & Mendy show no confidence in their eyes. The line did a much better run and pass blocking job, the backs refuse to try to skinny the holes like the Bus would do. Neither can run in between the tackles.
Also Mundy is not an upgrade over Carter in coverage. No way, no how.
Jeff Reed hits the 38-yarder and that's a different game. The Steelers have a 10 point lead with 8 minutes left and I don't think the Bears can come back from that.
ReplyDeleteBut being that Skippy doesn't normally chunder twice in a game, I'll take it as an anomoly