Day 18 of training camp is under way in Latrobe with just one practices today. This is the 1st practice since the Saturday night game verus Detroit. 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 evening to see the updates per our usual. Compiled from interviews and info on Steelers.com | ESPN Radio Pittsburgh | 93.7 The Fan Radio | Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Pittsburgh Tribune | Twitter Updates Monday practice Steelers1st team & 2nd team offensive line still the same in first 11 on 11 drill. Pouncey 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 [...]

Scott Brown blogged that he too thinks that Hines Ward will make it the Hall of Fame, but not likely on his first try. In my article this past week, I think he needs just 2 more average seasons to be a stone cold, lead pipe lock with the log jam ahead of him waiting to get in.. Mark Kaboly writes about how the Steelers are already prepping for opposing 4-3 defenses as they open the season with three consecutive games against 4-3 teams in the Falcons, Titans and Buccaneers. This also means the young guys are learning to work off of cards and how scout teams work as well. Good to see this detail Read more [...]

We all knew running back Willie Parker would not be re-signed this past offseason. The writing was on the wall and he clearly is not the same running back he once was. The league must of thought the same thing as it showed with the lukewarm reception he got in free agency. The Redskins ended up being the landing spot for Parker as he signed a one year contract laced with incentives and only a $850,000 base salary. The Redskins posted their first updated training camp depth chart on its Web site Monday afternoon, the same chart that hangs in the team's locker room. According to it, Parker appears Read more [...]

Ed Bouchette has a recap of the Steelers Sunday seven-play live goal-line drill. Isaac Redman, Jonathan Dwyer, Justin Vincent and Dwayne Wright each scored once in the drill. Redman was stopped once and Dwyer twice. Rashard Mendenhall was not used, although he remains in the mix for the short-yardage job. John Harris recaps the tough start to camp that Jonathan Dwyer has had since he injured his hamstring during the second practice on the first day of his first NFL training camp. Dwyer has a lot to learn in a short time in order to make the 53 man roster. The Steelers might of caught another Read more [...]

Mark Kaboly writes that new Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler is teaching the offensive line to be much more physical instead of trying to be a finesse unit. Kugler is implementing zone, man and gap-blocking schemes in camp. Rookie wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders continues to look great and camp and talked Wednesday more about how he routinely would go up against NFL cornerbacks while training with Deion Sanders at his Prime U. camp in Texas. Sanders has kept in close touch with his new found mentor every day. Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that new special teams Read more [...]

This post is going to be a close spin off to the Steelers and Rashard Mendenhall needing to run better against the division post I did a few days ago. Tuesday, Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians talked with John Seibel and Joe Starkey about the running game where Arians said in the first 15 seconds of the interview, "We ran the ball well last year from the 20's, 20 to 20!" Stop the tape right there. In all of my recent research, I thought something did not sound right so I researched the numbers. In the first table below, I compiled all 32 teams running back stats from their own 20 Read more [...]

Ken Laird, of ESPN Radio 1250, tweeted that Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians hinted in between practice sessions that quarterback Dennis Dixon might be used early on this year as a change of pace quarterback. This offers up a unique chance for the Steelers to really keep defenses honest as we all saw first hand what Dixon can do with his legs as was evident in his lone start versus Baltimore last year. Dixon has had limited snaps thus far in training camp, but reportedly has been accurate with his passes. Throwing this type info out there is smart in the light of it surely will be Read more [...]

Day 5 of training camp has started in Latrobe now as today features two practices with the later being open to the public. The morning session is an abbreviated practice focusing on special teams. 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 evening to see the updates. Compiled from interviews and info on Steelers.com | ESPN Radio Pittsburgh | 93.7 The Fan Radio | Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Pittsburgh Tribune | Twitter Updates Center Justin Hartwig was first Steelers player on the field this Read more [...]

Camp is only a few days old, but there have been enough practices and reports to get some initial impressions of what is going on and who is impressing and who is not. I have 5 winners and 5 losers listed below based on all reports and media stories. Winners: Ziggy Hood - Hood is right on schedule. You have likely read all the stories in the papers thus far as Ziggy is working everywhere on the defensive line including nose tackle. Hood can really spell all 3 guys on the defensive line most noticeably Aaron Smith on the left side. He is showing his athleticism and blowing by everybody on Read more [...]

Day 4 of training camp starts in Latrobe now as today features two practices with the later being open to the public. 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 evening to see the updates. Compiled from interviews and info on Steelers.com | ESPN Radio Pittsburgh | 93.7 The Fan Radio | Pittsburgh Post Gazette | Pittsburgh Tribune | Twitter Updates Several veterans getting the morning off Hines Ward, James Farrior, Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton. Maurkice Pouncey also appears out again today Read more [...]

I have a new stats program I am playing with an wanted to isolate some running game stats against the teams in the division. I compiled stats all the way back to 2002 of just the running backs and their rushing stats versus the other teams in the AFC North. In the same table I also compiled the stats of the Steelers running back with the most carries in each year against the Ravens, Bengals and Browns as well for comparison. Lastly in the bottom tables I broke down the individual stats of Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall against the division in 2009 and all games outside of the division. Mendenhall 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 [...]

Friday is almost upon us and the Steelers will start arriving in Latrobe for the 2010 training camp. Besides all the questions surrounding quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, I have compiled 6 questions that need answers before camp breaks. 1. Is Troy Polamalu healthy? - It is no secret safety Troy Polamalu is the catalyst on defense. Reportedly he is healthy and ready to go after missing 11 games due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. The biggest test will be when the tackling starts and most would expect he will be eased into action. 2. Can the offensive line gel quickly? Read more [...]

When the Steelers report to Latrobe on tomorrow, so will begin several training camp battles that we will be keeping a close eye on. We have narrowed them down to six to match the six championships the Steelers have. They are as follows. 1. Quarterback - Byron Leftwich vs. Dennis Dixon - Mike Tomlin has let veteran Byron Leftwich receive most of the first team snaps since his re-acquisition from Tampa Bay. The Steelers will need a starter for at least 4 games with franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger suspended to start the season and Leftwich looks to be the guy unless Dennis Dixon can Read more [...]