Steelers Almost Beat Ravens With Wounded Back-Up

     Less than a minute into the game, the Pittsbugh Steelers' Byron Leftwich rolled right on a pass play, then took off up the right sideline. Leftwich fell awkwardly as he stumbled across the goal line and grabbed for his right shoulder. This would be the only offensive touchdown of the game. The Steelers scored only 3 more points on a field goal to lose 13-10 to the Baltimore Ravens.

     Baltimore's offense did next to nothing. Ray Rice managed a only 40 yards on 20 carries. The Ravens only had 200 yards of offense to the Steelers 311. Joe Flacco struggled in the passing game  throwing for just 164 yard to an injured Byron Leftwich's 201 yards. The Ravens’ six points on offense came off two Pittsburgh turnovers. Pittsburgh’s second punt was returned for a touchdown adding 7 more.
    
     Pittsburgh had its chances, including two forced drops on the final drive of the game. In fact, the Steelers came within inches of taking a lead late in the third quarter, when Leftwich and Mike Wallace narrowly missed on a touchdown. You could tell Leftwich was injured, but they kept sending him out there. The injury appeared to limit Leftwich, as he missed badly on several throws late in the game. He was seen wincing and grabbing his ribs  multiple times.

     Leftwich reportedly injured his ribs during the first quarter on Sunday, but still played the rest of the game. He fractured two ribs on Sunday and will now miss Pittsburgh's next game, according to a report from the Associated Press. With Leftwich out and Roethlisberger's status still unknown, the next man up is Charlie Batch.

     The Steelers (6-4) will likely start 37-year-old backup Charlie Batch when they face the (2-8) Cleveland Browns next. It will be Batch's first start since the 2011 season. Batch is 5-2 as a substitute starter over the past decade . Byron Leftwich hasn't won an NFL game since 2006. What they gain with Batch is a better game manager and a proven track record.

A Batch Of Reasons The Steelers Should Start Charlie

      Ben Roethlisberger suffered a sprained shoulder and a dislocated rib in Monday night's win over the Kansas City Chiefs. He was replaced by backup Byron Leftwich, who played all but one series in the second half and managed the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 16-13 overtime victory. He completed 7 of 14 passes for 73 yards Monday night and was hit nearly every time he dropped back. If he starts for the Steelers Sunday night, it will be his first start since week 3 of the 2009 season when he was with the Buccaneers.

      That brings this question to mind: Who is the best choice to replace Big Ben at quarterback? Leftwich or Batch. Yes, Batch is 37 and slightly more durable than Byron. But he's also done well in replacement duty during his 10 years with the Steelers. Charlie went 2-1 in 2010 while Roethlisberger served a four-game suspension. The 1 loss was because the defense allowed the Baltimore Ravens to score on a late fourth quarter drive.

      Back in 2005, Batch started twice for Roethlisberger and went 2-0 with wins over the Packers and Browns.Over all, Batch is 5-2 and more than that, his style is a better fit for this new-look Steelers offense under Todd Haley. When you compare Batch to Leftwich, several things stick out. For starters, Batch has better touch on the now-favored short and intermediate routes. And although he doesn't possess Leftwich's cannon, he can air it out when he has to.

      Maybe most importantly, Batch doesn't look like he's wearing cement moon boots when he drops back to pass. Leftwich redefines what it means to be a pocket passer mostly because of his immobility. It's exacerbated by a windup that has him bringing the ball below his waist before he gets around to throwing it. since the Jaguars cut Leftwich in 2006, he's made five starts and he's 0-5.With
Haley's "dink-and-dunk" offense Batch seems like a no-brainer.  The Steelers won with Batch before, and they can win with him again!

Isaac Redman And Steelers Beat Giants 24-20

      The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to overcome questionable officiating and blind booth refs to beat the New York Giants 24-20 on Sunday. If you ask me, I couldn't see much difference between the regular NFL refs and the replacements. If this is the kind of officiating we're going to get from the NFL, then you can start giving the refs credit for some of the scores!

       On a lighter note, how about the Steelers running game? For the third straight week they had a hundred yard + running back. This week it was Isaac Redman who embarrassed the Giants defense by rushing for 147 yards. This is after Jonathan Dwyer rushed for over a hundred yards two weeks in a row. Give credit to an offensive line that has played well despite losing some key players.

      The defense also played well against Eli Manning. They were able to pressure Manning so that he had a hard time completing his throws. The Steelers are #1 in passing defense, even without Troy Polamalu. The coverage by Keenan Lewis and Ike Taylor kept the Giants wide receivers in check. This game looked more like Steelers football. They're starting to play better on both sides of the football.  

Steelers Defeat RG3 And The Redskins 27-12

       The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have a winning record this year. They are 4-3 after defeating the Washington Redskins Sunday. Despite the ugly throwback uniforms that made them look like huge bumble bees, they were able to play Steelers football with defense and a dominating run game. 

       The Steelers defense was able to confuse Redskins' quarterback, Robert Griffin III and keep the talented QB from working his magic. They were helped by the 'Skins receivers who dropped ten passes. This was just an ugly games for the Washington Redskins.

       On the other hand, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a good game on offense with Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns. The running game came alive for the second week in a row when RB Jonathan Dwyer added 107 yards rushing in his 2nd NFL start. Now that the Steelers have some momentum, they'll need it next week when they play the defending Super Bowl Champion, New York Giants.

Steelers Looking Good Without Some Vital Parts!

        The Pittsburgh Steelers went into Cincinnati with a lot of missing parts. Their top two running backs, Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman, both were sidelined with injuries. Also the offensive  line was decimated with injuries, especially to all-pro center, Maurkice Pouncey. But, the worst injury was on the defense. Strong safety, Troy Polamalu has been trying to overcome a nagging calf injury for weeks. So, the 2-3 Steelers would have to have some players step up if they were going to get to 500.

        The defense was able to keep the game close, even without Polamalu. And Ben Roethlisberger kept looking for some receiver that could hold unto the ball. His most reliable receiver was tight end, Heath Miller. When Ben as in trouble he used Heath to bail him out. But the most surprising performances came from two back-up running backs.

        The speed and shiftiness of Chris Rainey proved to much for the Cincinnati Bengals defense at the goal line. He slashed through them like a hot knife through butter. And Jonathon Dwyer brought back memories of Jerome Bettis. This hulking back showed the same dancing feet and power as he rushed for over 100 yards.

         The Steelers won 24-17 to improve their record to 3-3. The Baltimore Ravens lost allowing Pittsburgh to gain a game on the division leader. The next test is RG3 and the Washington Redskins. Altough they beat Cincinnati, there were still too many dropped passes, especially by usually sure-handed, Mike Wallace. Get well Steelers and give us your best effort against the 'Skins.

Hines Ward Dancing With His Contract

Hines End Zone Dance

Steelers Wide receiver Hines Ward has been playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers since he was drafted in the 3rd round in 1998. A quarterback at the University of Georgia, Hines was moved to wide receiver in the NFL. Since then, he has went to the Pro Bowl four times and was the Steelers MVP three times.  He's a two time Super Bowl champion. Ward has the Steelers records for receptions 1,000, receiving yards 12,083, and receiving touchdowns 85.

At the ripe old age of 36  and a great dancer , he's scheduled to make $4 million next year. Faced with the prospect of having to leave Pittsburgh for another team, Hines has decided to try a new dance move of his own. He's already expressed a desire to retire a Steeler.  Ward wants to restructure his contract in order to stay with the team he loves. Meanwhile, NFL.com reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers want to let him go..

"I don't normally like to respond to rumors, but as I've said all along, I want to finish my career with the Pittsburgh Steelers," the former Dancing With the Stars champion posted on Facebook this past weekend,as reported by the AP. Hines had surgery recently on his right ankle to remove some bone fragments. As a result, he had the lowest production in his career since his rookie season. In 2011 he caught 46 passes for 381 yards and 2 touchdowns. The majority of Pittsburgh Steelers fans would like to see Hines Ward remain a Steelers and finish his career there.

Pittsburgh Steelers (RIP) Rest In Pieces

The 8-8 Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow beat the 12-4 Pittsburgh Steelers 29-23 and eliminated them in the first round of the NFL AFC wildcard playoffs in OT. The severely injured Steelers limped into Denver only to be carried out on a slab. The NFL's #1 defense played it's worst game of the season and a hobbled Big Ben Roethlisberger was careless enough with the ball to help the Denver defense secure a 23-23 tie and move the game into overtime.

Tebow connected with Demaryius Thomas on the first play from scrimmage after the overtime kickoff to secure the win for Denver. You could tell as the game progressed, the Broncos wanted it more. Tebow had his best game of the season and took advantage of a soft Steelers defense. The Broncos will face the New England Patriots next on the road to an improbable miracle run to an AFC championship and maybe the Super Bowl!

Lights Out For Steelers In San Francisco

The Pittsburgh Steelers hopes for another AFC North title were dimmed Monday night in San Francisco. Even before the San Francisco 49ers stadium went dark, Steelers fans were concerned about their chances to win. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was already nursing a broken thumb and a high ankle sprain that would have kept most players out of the game. As tough as Ben is there was a lot of speculation he might not start. He hadn't practiced since the ankle injury, but there he was hobbling unto the field anyway.

Ben received a shot for pain in the locker room that the Steelers hoped would last the whole game. When the lights went out before the opening kickoff, the 20 minute delay made that doubtful. Ben was off on his passes early in the game and he threw 2 interceptions. The Steelers defense was able to stop the 49ers from scoring touchdowns both times resulting in just two field goals. The the lights went out again. This time the game was delayed 15 minutes.

Steelers fans could sense the game was turning in favor of the forty niners. It looked like the offense would be unable to score and the 49ers seemed to be always working with a short field. You just can't give a good team those kinds of chances. The 49ers’first touchdown came after Roethlisberger’s fumble was aided by a highly questionable Steelers penalty. Pittsburgh’s defense initially held the 49ers to a field goal on the drive, but the Steelers were called for unsportsmanlike conduct for leaping in an attempt to block the kick. Replays didn’t appear to support that call, and the 49ers took advantage by scoring a touchdown following the penalty. Just as it wasn’t a good night for Roethlisberger, it wasn’t a good night for the officials.

This loss represents a huge missed opportunity for the Steelers. When the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans both lost on Sunday, it thrust the Steelers into a position where all they had to do was win their remaining three games to clinch home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. But tonight’s 20-3 loss to the 49ers drops the Steelers back behind the Ravens in the AFC North, and now the Steelers appear to be a wild card team, likely headed for Denver and a date with the Denver Broncos in the first round of the playoffs.

Injured Ben Roethlisberger Inspires Steelers To 14-3 Win!

Already smarting from a broken thumb and wearing a splint on his throwing hand, might be enough to inspire any team to victory. But the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback showed how tough he really is when he experienced an unexpected injury that would have sidelined most players. Ben Roethlisberger was not going to let his team down in a game the Steelers needed to stay ahead of the Baltimore Ravens for the lead in the AFC north division.

The 9-3 Steelers were favorite to beat the 4-8 Cleveland Browns on Sunday and resume their march toward another playoff appearance . The crowd at Heinz field was glad to see Big Ben put together a masterful drive to give the Steelers a 7-3 lead before half-time. But, with less than 3 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, Ben was sacked and was unable to get up. After being looked at on the field, he was helped to the locker room for x-rays.

It seemed like all the air was sucked out of the stadium. No one knew if he could even return to the sidelines, let alone play the second half. Back up Charlie Batch filled in, but was ineffective. Roethlisberger wasn't the only Steeler injured in the first half. All-pro center, Maurkice Pouncey also left the game with a leg injury and didn't return.

To everyone's surprise Big Ben limped unto the field to start the 2nd half. Apparently he had a high ankle sprain but wanted to play anyway. With his ankle, shoe and lower leg heavily taped, he inspired his offensive linemen to give him the protection he needed to finish the game. After throwing an interception that almost cost them the lead, he found Antonio Brown down the sidelines for a touchdown that sealed the win.

It should be noted that Pouncey also had a high ankle sprain and Troy Polamalu had a slight hamstring injury. At one point in the game it looked like Polamalu was having safety Ryan Clark pull on his arm as if he had a dislocation. At least the Steelers will have 10 days to heal before they have to play the 10-2 San Francisco 49ers on NFL Monday Night Football.

A Bad Win Is A Win, Maybe

Now that the dust has settled and I am ready to comment on what I saw Sunday, I hope the Steelers take some lessons from this game that will help them reach the playoffs. The amazing thing is that the Pittsburgh Steelers did escape with a 13-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The highly favored Steelers who barely got out of Arrowhead with a victory, find themselves tied again with the Baltimore Ravens at 8-3 on top the AFC North conference.

With dropped passes by Heath Miller and Mike Wallace, a costly interception by Ben Roethlisberger and a lack-lustre performance by one of the top defenses in the NFL, they still won! The offense started out fine and it looked like Pittsburgh was going to steam roll the Chiefs. But, with the above mistakes and some stupid penalties thrown in, the outcome was in doubt the whole 2nd half.

The usually dependable Steelers defense lost it's energy when all pro strong safety, Troy Polamalu went out with concussion symptoms on an ill-advise head first tackle. After that, it was like the air went out of them and they reverted to a very base and conservative defense. The defense did have 4 take aways and help preserve the victory. Even though this bad win is still a win, it could be costly if Polamalu is lost, even for one game.

With the 7-4 Cincinnati Bengals and the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers next on their schedule, the Steelers will have to perform at a much higher level. Getting Polamalu and Lamarr Woodley back will greatly improve their chances and victories over those two teams could solidify a playoff berth. Improvements on offense and defense are the order of the day. Steeler fans hope to see a better game next week. Remember Tomlin, time is running out!

Thumbs Up For Ben Roethlisbeger,He's Tough!

Ben Roethlisberger did not miss a snap as the Pittsburgh Steelers advanced to 7-3. He completed 7 of 11 pass attempts for 70 yards in the 2nd half, which included a perfect 4-for-4 during the game-winning drive in the 3rd quarter. Big Ben seriously injured the thumb on his passing hand at some point during Pittsburgh’s 24-17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. He is not certain just when it occurred, only that he recognized it while coming out for the 2nd half.

“It hurt, but Steelers head trainer John Norwig did a great job taping it up, making a quick splint out of tape so I could go on it. ” Roethlisberger said. “Squeezing the ball is the hardest part, but it’s a good thing that I had a glove on it because that helps gripping it a little bit. ” “It was hard to determine it on the sideline, but we did all the tests Monday, and it’s fractured in there, ” Ben said.

This is not the 1st time Big Ben has performed with a broken thumb. He experienced a similar injury in 2005, even though it did not stop him from leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to their 5th Super Bowl championship. There ought to be no problems this time either, though Roethlisberger will continue to play with a splint. Pittsburgh journeys to the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 27.

It is not uncommon for Ben Roethlisberger to play with minor injuries. He experienced a sprained foot in a loss to The Houston Texans on Oct. 2nd then tied a team record with 5 TD passes in a win over The Tennessee Titans. “That’s just Ben, ” Mike Wallace said. “You know that something small isn’t going to slow him down like that. ”.

Pittsburgh Steelers Back On Top!

The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-17 in their first meeting this season. The 6-3 Bengals competed all game long and the Steelers had to work hard to secure the win. The best thing about the win is that it helps to erase the pain of losing the 2nd time to their other division rivals, the 6-3 Baltimore Ravens. The AFC North is the only division in the NFL with three teams having at least 3 wins half way through the season. Right now the Steelers are on top.

The Steelers have one more win than the other two team because they haven't had a bye week yet. Ironically the Steelers will have their bye week this week while Baltimore and Cincinnati play each other. That game could determine which team is on top when the Steelers return.

The bye week couldn't come at a better time for the Steelers. With a tough schedule ahead and players needing time to mend, it's just what the doctor ordered. Hines Ward, Ben Roethlisbereger and Lamarr Woodley along with some offensive linemen could really use the time off. Nagging injuries and two emotional games in a row have really taken a toll. Get well Steelers, see you next game.

Steelers Loss Not So Bad

There's no doubt that the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens hurts. The Ravens now control the AFC North with 2 wins over the Steelers. The good thing is that the Steelers hung with the Ravens this time. Their first meeting resulted in a 35-7 pounding by Baltimore that could have been discouraging to any but a veteran team. The Steelers slid to third place in the division, but playoff hopes are still alive.

The (6-3) Pittsburgh Steelers are behind Baltimore (6-2) and the Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) and will meet the Bengals this week before going on a bye. The remaing games are 2 with Cincinnati, 2 with the (3-5) Cleveland Browns, the (4-4) Kansas City Cheifs, the (7-1) San Francisco 49ers and the 1-7 St. Louis Rams. If they win at least 5 of those 7 games, they could still make the playoffs. If they win all of them, there's a chance to win the division.

I'll admit that there are some tough games ahead. But this team has been able to put together winning streaks in the past that took them all the way to the Super Bowl. Because of having their bye week late in the season, the Steelers wil get some much needed rest and a chance for some players to get back into action.  This loss to the Ravens was bad, but it could have been a whole lot worse. The season is not over yet. This is just the start of the 2nd season.

Steelers Win! Experts and Patriots Lose!

Almost all the so called experts had the Pittsburgh Steelers going down in defeat to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Not so fast my friend, you have to play the game. And that's just what the Steelers did as they went on to win 25-17. They beat Bill Belichick and the Patriots at their own game. Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff out coached the great mastermind on both sides of the football.

Offensively Ben Roethlisberger looked like Tom Brady, throwing 50 times for 365 yards. That's almost unheard of from a Steelers team. “We can be as good as we want to be,” Roethlisberger said. “When we don’t kill ourselves and stop ourselves, we can be pretty dangerous.” Tom Brady on the other hand, was held to under 200 yards passing.  “We all have to individually look in the mirror and figure out what we need to get better at,” Brady said.

The Steelers looked great on defense too. Before Lamarr Woodley got injured , he sacked Brady twice. Instead of their traditional zone defense, the Steelers played man 70% of the time. This switch confused Brady and disrupted the receiver's routes. With Troy Polamalu flying around and the rest of the defense playing up to their talent, the steelers looked good going into next week's rematch with the Baltimore Ravens. The Pittsburgh remains on top the NFL AFC North division at 6-2.

Steelers Disappointing Loss To The Ravens

I've been trying all week to process the 35-7 loss of the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Baltimore Ravens and words fail me. My wife cautioned me about some morbid tragedy analogy I was thinking of in light of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. My wife's birthday happens to be September 11th. The way this defeat could be more embarrassing, is if it had happened in Heinz Field.

When I first looked at the Steelers schedule, I couldn't believe how easy it looked besides the Ravens. After Sundays shameful display, I wonder if the Steelers can beat some of the weaker teams on their schedule. It's only 1 loss and we won the AFC North division with 4 losses and went to the Super Bowl last season. I hope the Baltimore game is a wake up call and the team gets serious about playing football.

I'm glad I didn't say some of the things I had in mind on Monday. The Pittsburgh Steelers are still the best and most talented team in the NFL until they prover otherwise. I pity the Seattle Seahawks if the Steelers decide to make a statement this week. If they can hold onto the football and play solid defense no telling how may games they'll win.

The Steelers Fly Past The Browns 41-9

The Pittsburgh Steelers came to Cleveland Sunday and played football like the Steelers we all know and love. On the Cleveland Browns 2nd play from scrimmage after the opening kickoff, Troy Polamalu flew in to pick of a Colt McCoy pass. It was obvious that the Steelers were about to make a statement with this game.

On the very next play, Ben Roethlisberger  connected with rookie wide receiver, Mike Wallace for a 56 yard touchdown pass. The Steelers would score 5 touchdowns and a field goal on six consecutive drives before they would have to punt. The result, a 41-9 beat-down to put an explanation point on their season!

With a 4 to 6 game suspension of quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger looming before the start of the 2010 season, most experts did not pick them to make the playoffs. The Steelers won 3 out 4 without Ben and with Ben the went 9-3. This Steelers are starting to come together at just the right time.

Knowing they had to win to get the 2nd seed and a bye week in the playoffs, the Steelers played inspired football. They were concerned about the health of Polamalu and Aaron Smith, but Troy played like he was already at 100%. Good new for the Steelers, bad news for the competition. Pittsburgh will play either the Indianapolis Colts or the Kansas City Chiefs at home in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Go Steelers! Got Penn State gear?

A Shaky Steelers Start

A shaky start from the Pittsburgh Steelers defense netted the Bengals an early touchdown. That would be the only touchdown they would score. The Steeler defense allowed Cincinnati only 6 first downs after that. They held the Bengals to 208 total yards of offense and a field goal in the 27-10 victory.

On offense, Ben had another game without throwing an interception. He threw for a touchdown to Heath Miller and ran one in for 6. His injured shoulder didn't seem to bother him. Jeff Reed kicked a field goal and backup running back, Gary Russell scored his first NFL touchdown from 2 yards out.

Coach Mike Tomlin said after Russell's performance on Sunday that he earned a bigger role in the future. With the lack of production from Willie Parker, that decision came into play when Russell punched it in against the Bengals.

The Steelers are now 8-3 and 1 1/2 games ahead of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens play the Eagles on Sunday.

The "Bus's" Motor Is Still Running In His Mouth!

Jerome Bettis, "the Bus" may be out of football, but he's still making headlines. Since leaving the Pittsbugh Steelers after winning Super Bowl XL, "the Bus" has predicted that the Steelers won't do very well this season and that Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher will retire after the 2006 season, even though he has a contract until the end of the 2007 season. Bill Cowher wasn't too happy with Jerome's comments and neither are the fans. We all know that sooner or later Cowher will retire, but what good does it do to bring that up now. The Steelers are preparing to defend their championship (a championship that Bettis had a lot to do with) and it doesn't show much class for him to stir up controversy before the season even gets started. I believe in free speach and he has every right to say it, but he needs to use better judgement. Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh steelers news.

Santonio Holmes, T. O. Or No ?

Let's hope the Pittsburgh Steelers don't have another Terrel Owens on their hands with 1st round draft pick, Santonio Holmes. Holmes has gotten into trouble twice after being picked #1 by the Super Bowl XL champion Steelers. His first arrest came in Miami on Memorial Day weekend for disorderly conduct and his 2nd arrest was on June 18th in Columbus, Ohio for domestic violence against Lashae Boone, the mother of one of his three children.

But that's only where the story begins. Apparently,the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger tried to talk to his future wide receiver after his 2nd arrest, but Santonio never called him back. "I called him a bunch of times and left a bunch of messages for him, and he has never called me back, so I don't know how to take it," Roethlisberger said two weeks ago. "The ball is in his court ... " Santonio, that's no way to treat the one who could make you a star. Roethlisberger said he was trying to do what Jerome Bettis did for him when he was dealing with his problems. Let's hope Santonio Holmes brings his apologies to camp and thanks Ben for his support. Get the rest of the story. That's Pittsburgh Steelers news.