Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was spotted last week at a University of Kentucky basketball game and speculation has mounted that Tomlin was not only there to do some pre draft recon, but maybe also visit with then offensive line coach Jimmy Heggins. Heggins has since been told he would not be retained by new Wildcat head coach Joker Phillips. Heggins said, he was going to hang around Lexington for a while and see what I can do as far as getting a job somewhere.
Heggins joined Kentucky in 2005 and offensive line was considered a strength of UK this past season, when they finished 21st in the Read more [...]
The Steelers 2009 season showed many holes that the Steelers need to address during the 2010 NFL draft. Below I will list I what I feel the draft needs are going into the draft. These are in no particular order and I will have my mock draft up pretty soon in the coming days.
Nose Tackle - Regardless if the Steelers decide to franchise Casey Hampton or not, the Steelers need a young 3-4 nose tackle in waiting. There are rumblings a future shift to a 4-3 defense may be coming in future years, but I do not see this happening while Dick LeBeau is still in charge of the defense. If one is drafted, Read more [...]
It's that time of year again. Here is a closer look at the 2010 Steelers free agents list as we head into the offseason. I listed the probability of their return with a brief summary of the player. The 3 most high profile free agents are Casey Hampton, Jeff Reed and Willie Colon. I also noted if they are restricted or unrestricted free agents.
LB Patrick Bailey RFA – Bailey is a special teamer that registered 13 tackles on returns in 2009. He was also part of one of the worst Steelers special teams units in quite a while. Bailey is a coin flip at best to return in 2010. He could be re-signed Read more [...]
With every offseason comes the hope that the Steelers will make a splash in the free agent market and sign a higher profile player that meets a need. Most times it ends with some cusp player signings like a Cedric Wilson or a Keiwan Ratliff. With no new CBA on the horizon, the unrestricted free agent pool will not be as deep as it has been in previous years, because players will need 6 years of service instead of the normal 4 years to become unrestricted. The smaller the pool, the more expensive the good players in the pool will likely cost and thus driving the Steelers further away.
With the Read more [...]
Two of the most pressing offseason things the Steelers will need to do, outside of the draft and free agency, is to get contract extensions done with wide receiver Santonio Holmes and linebacker LaMarr Woodley. Both players enter 2010 with it being their final years on their contracts. Both Holmes and Woodley put up career numbers with Holmes falling 1 reception short of 80 on the season and Woodley closing out the 2009 season by registering at least a half a sack or better for the final 8 games.
The contract extension that Holmes is likely to receive will be somewhere in the neighborhood of Read more [...]
The Steelers will have two franchise tags (teams will have use of one franchise tag and one franchise transition tags) to use should the 2010 season be an uncapped year. Right now the Steelers have 11 unrestricted free agents listed below. Their are really only 2 players that realistically could be considered for the franchise tag, those being Casey Hampton and Jeff Reed. By placing the franchise tag on a player, the Steelers must offer a one-year contract for an amount no less than the average of the top five salaries at the player's position as of a date in April of the current year in which Read more [...]
Below is the video of Dolphins back up quarterback getting knocked out cold by Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor in the week 17 game in Miami. White was immobilized and taken off the field on a stretcher.
Below are my picks for the week 17 games around the NFL. You get what you pay for them. 11-5 in week 16 & 151-83 overall.
Buffalo Bills 20 Indianapolis Colts 17
Carolina Panthers 24 New Orleans Saints 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 28 Cleveland Browns 17
Philadelphia Eagles 30 Dallas Cowboys 24
Chicago Bears 24 Detroit Lions 10
Houston Texans 25 New England Patriots 17
Pittsburgh Steelers 24 Miami Dolphins 16
Minnesota Vikings 27 New York Giants 20
Cincinnati Bengals 24 New York Jets 17
San Francisco 49ers 31 St. Louis Rams 14
Atlanta Falcons 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19
Green Bay Packers Read more [...]
If the Steelers want any chance of making the playoffs, it must start with a win in Miami. The defense needs to keep the Wildcat offense of the Dolphins in check and the linebackers will get a workout today. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne is vulnerable to the sack and the Steelers defense needs to be in his face all day. Dolphins running back Ricky Williams is banged up coming into the game and must pay for every yard he gets. Nose tackle Casey Hampton will be tested up the middle in what could be his final game in a Steelers uniform. The Dolphins offense must be put in obvious passing situations Read more [...]
Below are seven matchups or things to look for on Sunday as the Steelers take on the Miami Dolphins.
Wildcat Hunting - The Steelers struggled against the Browns offense that ran Joshua Cribbs out of the Wildcat. The Dolphins run it without many flaws. Even though running back Ronnie Brown is missing, the Dolphins offense can still run the package.
Cold Ginn Time - We all now about the problems the Steelers have had on special teams this year. Dolphins return man Ted Ginn Jr. is dangerous in the return game and Anthony Madison will need to lead the coverage teams in tracking down the game Read more [...]
This weeks tea leaves are pretty murky as far as game day inactives versus the Dolphins on Sunday. Quarterback Charlie Batch will be the number 3 again with all likelihood this week as Dennis Dixon is the clear number 2 now. Safety Troy Polamalu and guard Chris Kemoeatu in all likelihood will be inactive this week. Kemoeatu might still play, but I look for Ramon Foster to start again in his place and that means Tony Hills will likely be given a helmet again this week while rookie Kraig Urbik seeing his normal spot on the inactive list. Newly signed cornerback Trae Williams probably is not up to Read more [...]
There is a pretty good chance that Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton could be playing his final game in a Steelers uniform on Sunday versus the Miami Dolphins. Big Snack is an unrestricted free agent and will be 33 by the time the 2010 season starts. His return to Pittsburgh will likely decided by whether or not a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) is agreed upon and if 2010 is an uncapped year in regards to a salary cap. If there is no salary cap in 2010, the Steelers could place the franchise tag on him in February and pay him for 1 year at around 6-7 million dollars. This move of course Read more [...]
Lost in all of the Frank Summers and Isaac Redman training camp buzz, was the buzz about undrafted wide receiver Tyler Grisham. Many Steelers beat writers and bloggers joked that they never actually saw Grisham drop a ball during training camp and nearly every catch he made was a thing of beauty. While Grisham had no chance of making the Steelers 53 man roster over the Summer, he accepted it and continued to work as if he did. Grisham impressed the coaching staff enough to earn a practice squad spot. Practice squad spots are not glorious; players receive a weekly pay check based on a $88400.00 Read more [...]
Did we all want to the Colts to beat the Jets yesterday? Absolutely! Were we all sick to our stomachs when we saw Curtis Painter take the keys to the Colts offense? Without a doubt. Were we all mad at Colts coaching staff and front office for not recognizing NFL history and greatness laid out before them? Oh, yes indeed. The thing Steeler Nation needs to accept is that the Colts did none of this to spite the Steelers. The Steelers were the farthest thing from their minds. We, as fans, are selfishly motivated. We tend to paint pictures in our heads that look good to us and us only. It is only natural.
It Read more [...]
Had the Steelers not beaten the Ravens yesterday, it would of been quite fathomable that Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu would of been placed on injured reserve for the final week of the season. While the MRI last Tuesday on Polamalu's knee was considered favorable by media accounts, Polamalu did not practice at all last week. Head coach Mike Tomlin said yesterday in his post game press conference that he may or may not have a new MRI update on Tuesday regarding his condition. That being said, I do not see Polamalu being pressed into action versus the Dolphins this coming Sunday.
Most would Read more [...]
Mike Tomlin said it best following the Steelers 23-20 win on Sunday versus the Baltimore Ravens. Not dead yet! That is pretty much the long and short of it following an afternoon of some good and bad Steelers football. The Steelers defense, who had been responsible for several 4th quarter collapses this season, did not surrender any 4th quarter points to the Ravens today. The defense forced some turnovers and was aided by several Ravens miscues and penalties. The Ravens committed 11 penalties for 113 yards on the day. One resulted in a negating a Willis McGahee touchdown and following a few more Read more [...]
Here is the long and short of what the Steelers need in week 17 to get either the #5 or #6 Wild Card seeds in the AFC. Regardless, the Steelers MUST beat the Miami Dolphins and the Texans must lose or tie the New England Patriots. Both of those things must happen for starters. Below are the scenarios. The Texans can win in the last scenario, but the Jets, Ravens & Broncos must all lose or tie.
Pittsburgh clinches a playoff spot:
1) PIT win + HOU loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie
2) PIT win + HOU loss or tie + BAL loss or tie
3) PIT win + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + DEN loss or tie
Lets Read more [...]
Would you want it any other way as a Steelers fan? A week 16 matchup that means a ton to both teams playoff wise. The Ravens are currently on the inside looking out, while the Steelers are on the outside looking in. At the end of the day on Sunday, the Steelers could have their destiny in their own hands with a win against Baltimore and several other key games falling their way.
The Steelers once again will be without safety Troy Polamalu, while the Ravens will likely be minus safety Ed Reed. The Ravens secondary limps in also without cornerback Lardarius Webb, who has been lost for the season. Read more [...]
Below are seven matchups or things to look for on Sunday as the Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens.
Silverback And The Blindside - James Harrison showed up on the Friday injury report as questionable with a bicep injury, but all signs still point to him playing. Harrison very well could be lining up against Ravens rookie Michael Oher, who looks to line up at left offensive tackle for the third consecutive game in place of the injured Jared Gaither. Oher will be in charge of protecting the blindside of Joe Flacco. Harrison has 43 tackles, six sacks and four forced fumbles in the past six meetings Read more [...]
This weeks tea leaves are pretty clear as far as game day inactives versus the Ravens on Sunday. Quarterback Charlie Batch will be the number 3 again with all likelihood this week as Dennis Dixon is the clear number 2 now. Safety Troy Polamalu is out once again. Guard Chris Kemoeatu will also be inactive after suffering a set back with his wrist injury. Ramon Foster will start again in his place and that means Tony Hills will likely be given a helmet again this week while rookie Kraig Urbik seeing his normal spot on the inactive list. Cornerback Keenan Lewis is out with a back injury and continues Read more [...]
