While losing Aaron Smith for the season can never be considered a good thing - even though some idiots on local talk radio have tried to make a case for it by citing it as a chance for Ziggy Hood to play - the one silver lining for the Steelers is that they've got their annual whipping boys, the Cleveland Browns, coming to town.
Make no mistake about it, the Steelers will miss Smith on defense. They will not be as stout against the run.
But this team is better able to handle that because of a much-improved offense. This team can win shootouts.
The Steelers won't, however, have on this week with the Browns.
Cleveland has scored four touchdowns this season. The Browns have 55 points in five games.
The Steelers could score 55 points in this game if they chose to.
Take Pittsburgh, 34-6
© By the way, Rashard Mendenhall was back in practice today and will get the start against the Browns at running back.
Dale, How do you see the division of labor at running back? I see 34 practiced today.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite part is the annual rush to proclaim the 1st round pick a bust because they aren't stepping into a complicated system and dominating in their first year. Hood will have Woodley, Farrior, Clark, and Polamalu helping him cover the mistakes he makes while platooning with a couple of veterans. That would be a huge luxury for any other team.
ReplyDeleteThe D is great,fourth quarter prevent or not;the offense is shaping up. As soon as we start forcing some turnovers we'll start looking like a Super Bowl team again.
another game not on TV in Philly. Last year every one of them was televised. Bal-MN defintely trumps Pitt-Clev though.
ReplyDeleteI will def not be able to see this game and have to follow it online. Which isn't a big deal because I think the only way the Steelers give up more than 10 points is by major turnovers.
Play relatively mistake free and this game should be in the bag by halftime. The key is to finish them though. No turnovers, extensive pass calling or big drops in he 2nd half and the majority of the nation will be switched to Balt-Min by the 4th.
Can't blame stations for showing Balt-Minn.
ReplyDeleteI think the only way we lose this is if they get caught looking ahead to Minn then the bye. Tomlin doesn't seem like the type to let that happen.
We'll get to see how Ziggy Hood handles some plays, see how FWP looks back in the saddle, get Polamalu working back to game speed. Lots to watch for all us nitpicky obssessive fans.
According to Dulac at the Post-Gazette, Mendy will start Sunday and they don't have a plan yet for how much Parker will play. That sound to me like Parker will just spell Mendy every 3rd series or so, which I love.
ReplyDeletewhy is everyone expecting us to blow out the browns?
ReplyDeletein regulation, they held cincy to 167 yards passing and benson to 32 yards on the ground. those are better than our numbers.
in regulation, they completed 58% of their passes for 245 yards with a 11.1 yards per completion. they also ran for 121 yards and 4.2 yards per carry. similar to our numbers against the bengals.
yes, they don't have edwards, but massaquoi is good. you can throw out that game against buffalo in the wind tunnel. i live near cleveland and watched the game. not even montana could have passed for 50 yards in that game the wind was so bad.
we should have blown out the lions, but that didn't happen.
divisional games are tough, and never look ahead, etc etc.
ReplyDeleteBUT if this Steelers team doesn't beat that Browns team convincingly at home, then just forget this season because there is no way we can compete with the big boys of the league then or have any chance of the playoffs
that is why everyone is expecting a blow out. and they should
"idiots on local talk radio" = Mike Prisuta
ReplyDeleteMike wasn't who I was talking about.
ReplyDeleteI sense some jealousy with the "idiot" radio guys remark. Totally unprofessional coming from a person who I never expected a comment like that from. Those guys have a job just like you and I never heard them taking shots at the Steelers beat guy from Little Washington. Anyhow, I believe the Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood with the confidence that he will someday replace Aaron Smith. He now has an opportunity before him just like James Harrison had replacing Joey Porter. Please be careful with your words, Dale, or you will lose readership.
ReplyDelete-A Steeler Fan
Huh, I sensed no jealousy at all. I mean really, what is there to be jealous of?
ReplyDeleteHey Dale,
ReplyDeleteI prefer an honest opinion to a sugar coated one any day. Call it like you see it!
Anyone who tries to spin losing your best run defender into a positive, is an idiot, not to mention self serving.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is replaceable even the idiot calling Lolley...Aaron Smith cannot play forever and it sure seems like he may be breaking down after 12 years of wrestling 300+ pounders. It does not take a rocket dcientist to figure out Smith is a helluva player but his time is winding down. Kevin Colbert & Mike Tomlin are not idiots and they like what they have in Ziggy Hood or they would not have wasted a 1st round pick on him. This is what happens in football...it is a game of attrition. Everyone thought the world ended when Tommy Maddox went down in 2004 because Roethlisberger was not ready....the rest is history.
ReplyDeletePatricia - get your skirt on and go to a bar to watch the game! be a real fan for once!
ReplyDeletethanks for the suggestion darling, but I'm in a school that has quarters instead of semesters, so I have finals in less than 2 weeks.
ReplyDeletePlus, going to a bar isn't cheap and I'm usually not in the mode to drink at 1 pm.
I used to do that all the time when I was younger and it was a blast. There is a bar in Philly that is pakced to the limit with Steelers fans every Sunday. But money/time aren't as available as it was back then.
Patrick,
ReplyDeleteTry Fox and Hound if you're in Philly. They might even put it up on a big screen.
That was the bar I was referring to. Thanks for the heads up though.
ReplyDeleteI was there last weekend, it is insanity there during Sundays when the Steelers aren't on tv locally.
Unfortunately I'm in one of the 2 law schools in the country that run a quarter system and have 4 finals in 2 weeks. I think tomorrow will be a CBS sportsline day instead of drinking at Fox and Hound. I HATE missing games, but thats the way it goes right now.