The Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons 15-9 in the 1st game of the 2010 season. Below are my recap notes and nuggets I kept on the game along with my observations. I have much more coming on this game and am working through the night. These are initial reactions of mine as I am about to watch the game a second time and begin working up tape selections. Below are the notes I compiled throughout the game. remember these are initial reactions one time through the game. I think you saw more reasons today why Dennis Dixon was behind Byron Leftwich in the pecking order. Very shaky at times and got Read more [...]

A new Steelers season is about to begin in less than 48 hours as the Steelers will host the Atlanta Falcons at Heinz Field. Quarterback Dennis Dixon will make his second career start as Ben Roethlisberger begins his four game suspension and Byron Leftwich sits out with a MCL knee injury. Below are 7 keys to the game that I believe the Steelers need to focus on to beat the Falcons. Let Dennis Be Dennis - If we learned anything about Dennis Dixon in his only career start last year versus Baltimore is that he can make plays with his legs. This time around Dixon will not be on as short of leash Read more [...]

Opening Statement: So much has happened since the final 2009 season game against Miami and the start of the season must be a welcome sight for the Steelers players and coaches. The preseason was a bit of a blur and was overall a success until quarterback Byron Leftwich went down with a MCL injury in the final game against Carolina. The roster has been paired down to 53 and features 8 rookie draft picks and 17 players 30 years of age or over, 10 of which are defensive players. The picture heading into the 2010 season is pretty clear for the Steelers as franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger Read more [...]

The 53 man roster is set for now and the Steelers are about to announce their practice squad and begin preparations to face the Altanta Falcons in week 1 of the 2010 season. Before the season starts, I wanted to take a look at the current players on the 53 man roster who are in their final year of their contract and schedules to be free agents in 2011, if a new CBA is reached and a lock out is avoided. Currently 18 players are entering the final year of their contract and I have a small blurb on each. we will revisit this list much later in the season as it surely will be changed. QB Dennis Read more [...]

Thursday night the Steelers play the Carolina Panthers in the fourth and final preseason game of the 2010 season. Per my normal routine, I have listed below 10 things to look for Thursday heading into the game. Manny Time On Returns? - According to head coach Mike Tomlin, rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders will get his turn to show what he can do in the return game. Manny better be perfect, because any bobble might allow Tomlin to give Antonio Brown or Stefan Logan the remaining reps. Also just because Tomlin said that was the plan, means absolutely nothing. The Amazing Crezdon - 2 years Read more [...]

Ed Bouchette blogs that Maurkice Pouncey should now be given the starting job at center and the only question left is what to do with Justin Hartwig. He also points out the Steelers used a pony backfield a few times on Saturday night when both Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman lined up in the backfield together. Rookie linebacker Stevenson Sylvester has been turning heads all preseason, but Steelers linebackers coach Keith Butler says he needs to play lower and they are going to try to get the high playing out of him so he will have a lower center of gravity. Cornerback Ike Taylor apologized Read more [...]

The Steelers beat the New York Giants 24-17 in the 2nd preseason game of the 2010 season. Below are my notes and nuggets I kept on the game along with my observations. I have much more coming on this game and am working through the night. These are initial reactions of mine as I am about to watch the game a second time and begin working up tape selections. Below are the notes I compiled throughout the game. The team overall looked a little sluggish getting started. Camp finally breaking and traveling did not help. Let us hope Ike Taylor got that out of his system. Any how I gave Taylor the Read more [...]

Mike Bires of the Beaver County Times has a profile article on Bronko Doug Legursky. Sean Kugler loves the guy and calls him one of the strongest guys on the line. His position versatility also will likely help his chances of making the 53 man roster once again. Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette seems to think linebackers Patrick Bailey, Thaddeus Gibson and Stevenson Sylvester are battling for one open linebacker roster spot. I disagree and think there are actually two spots open and Bailey is not even in the mix. As much as I like the play of Keyaron Fox, I do not think he can be considered a Read more [...]

The Steelers beat the Detroit Lions 23-7 in the 1st preseason game of the 2010 season. Below are my notes and nuggets I kept on the game of my observations. I have much more coming on this game and am working through the night. Isaac Redman ran consistent and hard, especially between the tackles. Also improved greatly at pass blocking. He should have no problem making the 53 man roster. Maurkice Pouncey is the real deal. Got lots of time at center and can move some flesh as well as get to the second level. Played some right guard late in the game, but looks like he could very well start week Read more [...]

The first official practices start in Latrobe very soon as two a days officially begin. We will have news, notes, nuggets and practice information from today posted up on this page as we get it in. Check back often through out the day to see the updates. Only the second practice at 2PM is open to the public. Compiled from interviews and info on Steelers.com | ESPN Radio Pittsburgh | 93.7 The Fan Radio | Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Pittsburgh Tribune | Twitter Updates Steelers started first training camp practice with Ben Roethlisberger running 1st team, Byron Leftwich the 2nd team & Dennis Read more [...]

John Harris talks to cornerbacks Bryant McFadden, Ike Taylor and William Gay about the need for the Steelers to make more splash plays on defense in 2010 and more specifically in the secondary. This group has been training together down in Florida. John Grupp, caught up with Steelers legend Frenchy Fuqua one day after former Oakland Raiders Pro Bowl safety Jack Tatum died from a heart attack, Fuqua, once again, declined to publicly discuss one of the most famous plays in NFL history. The two will be forever linked together by the Immaculate Reception in the 1972 playoffs at Three Rivers Stadium Read more [...]

It is hard to imagine that the only active starting cornerback in the NFL to win two Super Bowls would finish his career in a uniform other than a Steelers one, but that is exactly what likely will happen with Ike Taylor. Taylor is entering the final year of a $23.75 million contract extension he signed in 2006 and regardless of his play in 2010, just will not be a priority next offseason for the Steelers. It is yet to be seen what type of tag if any will be included in a new NFL CBA, but the Steelers would likely not use it on Ike anyway. A healthy, productive season by "Face Me Ike" will price Read more [...]

A week from tomorrow and the Steelers report to 2010 training camp in Latrobe. We have been previewing each position this month leading up to camp and this preview is dedicated to the cornerback position. Make sure to read our previous previews by following the links below. Training Camp Preview – Safeties |Training Camp Preview – Offensive Line | Training Camp Preview – Tight Ends | Training Camp Preview – Wide Receivers | Training Camp Preview – Running Backs | Training Camp Preview – Quarterbacks Overview: The Steelers play at cornerback in 2009 was not one to be remembered. Read more [...]

It looks like the Steelers are indeed done with contracts for the offseason and once the season starts, no new deals are likely to be done, especially with the cloudy NFL labor situation. To the best of my calculations, the Steelers have 25 of 81 players on the final year of their current contract. I did not prioritize them below, but it is not hard to pick out those that are high profile moving forward. Those players would be: LaMarr Woodley, Ike Taylor, Jeff Reed and Daniel Sepulveda in my opinion. Dennis Dixon, Willie Colon and Trai Essex are fringe at this point. I have included a blurb on Read more [...]

Cornerback Ike Taylor, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season, will not be a holdout when training camp opens, according John Harris, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Ike is going to honor his contract," said Herman Francois, Taylor's uncle. "That's the way he's been taught. He's going to come to work." It is still early yet, but look for Taylor to be in line behind linebacker LaMarr Woodley as far as a new contract getting done. Also kicker Jeff Reed is looking for a new deal as well. Speaking of LaMarr Woodley he has been profiled by Sean Conboy in the July 2010 Read more [...]