I've gone back and forth all week long with the Steelers game against Baltimore this week, one day liking Pittsburgh, the other liking the Ravens.
But that usually seems to be the case in this matchup, in which the games are usually decided by five points or less.
But one thing changed my mind this week to tilt me in Pittsburgh's favor. There had been some question as to whether Terrell Suggs would play or not.
Suggs suffered a sprained knee just two weeks ago against Cleveland on a hit from Brady Quinn that drew a fine. But he had been targeting the game against the Steelers for a return.
Remember, this is the guy who had two sacks against the Steelers in the AFC Championship playing pretty much with one arm. And he had four sacks in three meetings with Pittsburgh in 2008.
But Suggs was unable to practice all week and is listed as doubtful to play. Couple that with Fabian Washington's placement on injured reserve this week and the fact that both Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are nursing injuries as well and I'm leaning back toward the Steelers winning, 20-17.
© Jason La Canfora is back at it again with some truly ridiculous rumors.
You'll remember that La Canfora, who works for the NFL Network, reported in late August that the Steelers were considering releasing Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton.
Now, La Canfora is reporting that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger may not play Sunday against the Ravens despite being cleared medically to do so.
La Canfora goes on to report that Roethlisberger will inform the team Saturday morning whether he'll play or not.
Roethlisberger "may" also grow wings and fly to Baltimore on his own, but I doubt it.
The Steelers are quite certain that Roethlisberger will play. How do we know this?
They've only got one other quarterback on their roster, second-year man Dennis Dixon.
If they thought for a moment that Roethlisberger might not play Sunday, they would have signed another QB immediately.
They didn't.
And, because of the respect he'd lose in the locker room, Roethlisberger most certainly wouldn't wait until Saturday morning – when the team is leaving for Baltimore a few hours later – to inform the coaching staff if he intends to play.
So where did something like this come from?
La Canfora cites an unnamed source. But unless that unnamed source is Roethlisberger or head coch Mike Tomlin – and it isn't – this report holds as much water as the Hampton report, which was laughed off by both Hampton and the Steelers.
35 comments:
I think some of these hacks just make this sh*t up so they can get their name out there in the blogosphere and beyond. Once in a while they have good info so it gives them a small modicum of respectability but I wouldn't waste my time on Canfora, he's a lame wannabe.
For your prediction to come true, the score needs to be at worst 20-3 entering the 4Q.
La Canfora is obviously a douche. The anti-Adam Schefter.
Also I have to compliment you Dale for being rather accurate (minus your game predictions) about whats really going on with the Steelers
Cheers!
Totally agree! Until a roster move is made, I ain't buying it. If Ben TRULY had this concern, he would of told the team earlier in the week and another QB would of been signed to the active roster and it would not of been Palko. Ben is playing if he can put the shoulder pads on the right end.
But he also said that Ben said this to Tomlin already. So why would he make that part up?
if the Ravens run back a kick, a fumble or a pick they win. If they don't I see the Steelers winning by a 3 point margin, like Dale said. Probably in OT.
It is ridiculous to imagine or assume the other team running back something for an easy TD, but that is the story of the 2009 Steelers thus far.
Jay Glazer of Fox is also reporting Ben will not play in the game. Surely we wont go into the game with Dixon as our only healthy QB?
I can't stand La Canfora either, but he may have had the scoop on this one. Glazer is also now reporting that Ben is out, and Jay certainly has credibility.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10442146/Roethlisberger-won't-play-Sunday-
This might be a blessing in the long run. Lets get back to playing Steeler football. I hate to see Ben not playing but I am interested to see how Dixon looks.
chas steel
Ed Bouchette just reported that Ben's out and Palko is going to be signed from the practice squad. I don't want to believe this, but if it's from Bouchette I have to give it some credibility.
Whoops
I have to say Dale, your credibility is going to be rather sunk if Ben is out.
If Dale is wrong, hen he is wrong. He is right more times than wrong and this Ben thing is a very strange, out of nowhere report. No one thought it was legit until today.
And what he said had nothing to do with "credibility". Dale never said he had a source, he was just saying his opinion on the report. And that is what you come to this site for most of the time anyway
Note to Lolley: The media doesn't end because you and that other bozo Wexell didn't report something. Other media have "sources" too.
I am a fan of Dale- but he deserves the get smacked a bit because of his snarky tone. He could've just disputed the report but instead hammered it and made the saracastic comments.
I am sure Dale can take it... otherwise he wouldn't dish it out.
All that said, this is not good for the Steelers and that should be the main thought.
I'm excited to see Dixon and, quite frankly, the offense hasn't been scoring for awhile anyway.
Actually Patrick, most of us come to this site for information from someone close to the team. We assume and believe that Dale has information that is more "reputable" than people one thousand miles away.
Dale can be right, and Dale can be wrong. Dale _should_ be right, because he is theoretically reporting on events he observes. When Dale says something like "If they thought for a moment, then X", we believe that because of Dale's relationship with the steelers that he is able to properly make such assertions.
If Ben does sit out, it is clear the Dale's relationship with the steelers and his reporting of "insider knowledge" both here and on SCI are prone to falsehoods, and should be taken with a grain of salt (though some have come to this conclusion awhile ago).
It's a sad day when the guy who said Hampton would get cut is right, and Dale is wrong.
LaCanfora deserves the snark regardless of whether he lucked out on this one or not. If Dixon does start we have to trust that the guys running this team are smart enough to have been prepared for this and to have taken the correct steps. I think their track record is pretty good. Let`s see what Dixon can do if that`s where we`re at. I`m not buying any reports until I hear it from Tomlin or read it on the main site though.
Given Big Ben's performance following his last concussion, this turn of events may be a net gain. However, tomorrow will be a loss: I'm thinking 27-10 based on my proprietary model. Seven of the Steelers points will come off a pick-six interception by Timmons resulting from a ball tipped by Keisel. I also predict that Bruce Arians will keep his job as offensive coordinator for the rest of the season in spite of the game.
To all who think this is a good chance to see Dennis Dixon for your entertainment or because you have him in reserve on your fantasy football team, please go somewhere else. Most of us here are Steelers fans, including Patrick, and we are not interested in your twisted point of view.
BTW, Patrick, tomorrow will test the basic math lesson you received from one of the other Patricks. No Roethlisberger and no Polamalu equals no Super Bowl.
It's not a sad day at all if Dale's information turns out to have been wrong. The main site reported Ben as starting just yesterday. All he can do is report what's available; if a new development came up in the meantime that's understandable. Dale hasn't reported anything incorrectly in the time I've been reading this blog. He reports the facts as he sees them, sometimes the situation changes. I didn't think he had Ben Rothlisberger's phone tapped and surveillance cameras on Mike Tomlin or anything.
I was wrong. It happens. But La Canfora was wrong about the Hampton report. I have yet to see a retraction of that scoop.
Oh well. Life goes on.
Noel, I'm not sure what you mean by the "main site" but ESPN is reporting that John Clayton has confirmed that BR is out, DD is starting, Palko is being signed to 53-man roster, and Shaun McDonald is being cut to make the room. If you are referring to the official propaganda machine (steelers.com) it isn't up yet.
Clayton is usually correct.
Dale is an excellent reporter, which is why I read the O-R online and this blog.
Jason reported it was a possiblity Hampton could get cut....and guess what guys,he was right. There was a possiblity. And for a number of reasons I was hoping it would happen. It didn't and not surprisingly in Hamptons final contract year he has played better than the last three. I love coming here and I put alot into Dale's words but it is obvious he is close to the team but not as close as we may want. Jason nailed this one. I just wish Dale would have investigated this with "his" sources before going typewriter postal on Jason.
Cajun-
By main site, I meant steelers.com - official team site.
Being wrong isn't the issue Dale, it's your general attitude to any media member not named Wexell is why people laugh at you when you look like a fool.
And I'm sure violating the practice agreement you had with the Steelers during XLIII week didn't help you either.
Noel: If I wanted information off of steelers.com, I could read it myself, thanks for the heads up though.
Dale is right though, LaCanfora is a giant douche. Stopped clocks being right and all...
Look, La Canfora was a hockey guy for 10 years and got hired by the NFL Network to cover the league this season. He doesn't have great contacts, but sometimes he gets fed stuff to drive people to the network site.
He was dead wrong about Hampton.
And I don't laugh at other media outlets. I have a great deal of respect for many of them. What I don't like are the rumor-mongers, who throw stuff against the wall and hope some sticks.
Bouchette does great work at the PG and he had nothing on this until 10:30-11 this morning.
clown patrick: my equation was clearly a joke, the other equation is the biggest "no shit" statement yet.
Thanks for dropping the knowledge.
Steelguy: Dale is a reporter like the rest of them. You can read into what his relationship is or isn't with the team. Thats fair.
But I appreciate his first hand observations and his playoff picks last year we're almost perfect. If you want to take what he says with a grain of salt, thats fine, but he definitely still has more access, and usually more insight, than anybody else on here.
Florio is entertaining and sometimes insightful, but EVERYONE takes him with a dubious mind. Last I saw though, his site is doing pretty well. Its the nature of the business.
C'mon Dale, you and your boy Wexell have taken shots at other Pittsburgh media for years, Alexander, Madden, Ellis, Shumway, etc. Please don't act like you haven't.
It's called professional courtesy. And you guys at SCI don't always have it.
Oh, Boo hoo. Is someone making fun of Alexander, Madden, Ellis and Shumway? Give em an effin medal.
Hey did the Steelers media people do in the there big media boy's for the NFL Network that they knew earlier in the week. Seeing the big media boy's getleft out of this does my heart good.
In most cases, it's not anything I wouldn't say to their face.
I like Ellis and Paul. I have nothing against them. But I tweak them every once in a while. It's no biggie.
Heck, I had beers with Ellis last night.
You drink beer? You mean you are a person like the rest of us? Prone to a mistake now and then?
Amazing
Imagine that.
Jason La Canfora says Dale Lolley is ridiculous.
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