The Terrible Podcast-Episode 17 (12/29)

In Part 1 Dave and I discuss Mike Tomlin's press conference, the status of various Steelers' injuries, the first of the team awards and review the performance of the offensive line against Carolina last week. In Part 2 we review the Pro Bowl rosters and give our two cents on how the Steelers fared. We also discuss who around the league got snubbed and who is now getting by more on name recognition rather than performance. In Part 3 we give our opinions on the league MVP race and the amazing popularity of the NFL as indicated by the television ratings. Thanks for listening.

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Drugs...and Insight

The Insight Bowl

The Insight Bowl features the Missouri Tigers (10-2) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5). The Tigers won their last three and are looking to record their eleventh victory for only their third time in the school's history. The Hawkeyes lost their last three...and then the shit really hit the fan.

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was a great story. After being abandoned by his teen mother, he was adopted by one of his friend's parents. He went on to be a star wide receiver at Iowa, the Hawkeyes version of The Blind Side. November 20 was Senior Day at Kinnick Stadium and Lauren and Anthonly Koulianos embraced their son at midfield. Tears from the parents and the first team All-Big Ten receiver and future NFL star.

Tears flowed again December 7. DJK was arrested on drug charges. This wasn't smoking a blunt in an SUV. This was the real deal. Hardcore pharmaceutical drugs along with a small amount of pot and some cocaine residue were found in his house. He agreed to take a urine test (why?) and reportedly tested positive for marijuana and cocaine. Seven drug-related charges and national headlines about running a drug house were the result. He was immediately suspended from the team.

Six days later Coach Kirk Ferentz announced that sophomore running back Adam Robinson would not play in the bowl game for failing to comply with team expectations and policies. Last night Robinson, who lead the team with 941 yards and ten TDs, was charged possession of marijuana when a car in which he was a passenger was pulled over.

Not having DJK or Robinson is going to make it tougher for Iowa to score on a Mizzou defense that allowed the sixth fewest points in the FBS. But the reality is that Iowa's defense is much better than Missouri's and Ricky Stanzi is a better college quarterback than his counterpart Blaine Gabbert. (Two of the best names in college football, btw.) The Hawkeyes are going to control both lines in this game, run the ball effectively and I expect Stanzi to make some big plays.

I love the Hawkeyes tonight. They are my lock of the Bowl season. Take the 2.5 or 3 points that Iowa is getting and get on the money line as well. Look for Iowa to win this one outright.

The Terrible Podcast-Episode 16 (12/27)

In Part 1 we do a final recap of the Steelers 27-3 over Carolina, an analysis of the Steelers record-setting run defense and an early preview of what the Steelers 2011 will look like. In Part 2 we take a look at the interesting action from around the NFL this past Sunday. In Part 3 we preview the playoff picture and look at how things are likely to shakeout as we head into week 17 of the NFL schedule. Thanks for listening.

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The MVP, McNabb, Foot Fetishes and Week 16 Picks

Are we really having a debate about the NFL's MVP? Yes Michael Vick is having a great year. He's a dynamic player, one of the most fun to watch in the league. But there is no question Tom Brady is the MVP. The Pats are 12-2, the Eagles 10-4 and the Eagles skilled players and defense are much better than what the Pats are running out there. Brady has a higher QB rating, TD/Int ratio and has played every game, while Vick has missed three. Production matters.

Vick's story is a great story. I don't care whether people buy into the redemption aspect of his life or want to forgive him or not for his heinous crime. On the field, he's having an unbelievable year. At the same time, he doesn't get extra credit for being a terrible guy and complete jackass in the past. Evaluate this season on its own merits (yea, I'm talking to you Jemele Hill. How do you have a vote? And you Keyshawn. Who cares what your expectations were? Is race coming into play here?) Great year? Yes. MVP? No.

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I have no idea why people are lining up in support of Donovan McNabb. I don't care how what a "class act" or great guy he is. He has been awful this year. He lead his team to a 5-8 record. His QB rating is 77.1 and he's thrown 14 TDs and 15 Ints. At that point, with the team trying to figure out where they want to go next season, they have every right to bench him. And if he wanted to be free to choose where he was going to play next year, he and his agent shouldn't have agreed to that ridiculous contract extension the week after he got pulled in the Lions game. You want to decide where you go next year? Okay, start by paying back the $3.5 million you pocketed six weeks ago.

NFL players making multi-million dollars complaining about being disrespected is the most laughable thing in our society. And the media just fans the flames. Could the Skins have handled it better? Most certainly. Should McNabb's agent shut up? Can't happen fast enough.

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People killing Rex Ryan over the videos of his wife's feet need to get some perspective. Sure there has been controversy around the Jets this year and clearly their head coach and organization are attention-seekers. Why else would you agree to do Hard Knocks? But, to make it sound like he did something heinous or perverted is asinine. Watch the videos. They are about as harmless as they come. If anything, they fall closer to comedy than smut. Yes, the Sal Alosi sideline incident was bad, but most of the other stuff surrounding the Jets falls squarely under the category or entertaining or humorous. Again the media is largely at fault. They constantly kill the No Fun League for its policies, then they crucify a guy for having a little fun in his personal life. Hypocrites.

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Week 16 Picks:

It's been a decent year and we'll see if we can't finish up strong to put us firmly in the camp of Up Dough.  Here's what I like:

Washington +7 at Jacksonville:
I've been against the Jags all year and it hasn't served me well. Rex Grossman was pretty good last week in place of McNabb (talking heads wrong again) and MJD isn't playing. Jacksonville had its monster game last week and lost to Indy. They're done now.

Buffalo +9 vs. New England:
Aside from the game in Minnesota, Buffalo has played hard all year year. I think they give the home folks a good effort today and keep it within a touchdown.

At 4:00 I like Green Bay -3.5 to handle the Giants, and Tampa -5.5 to roll Seattle. Good Luck.

The Terrible Podcast-Episode 15 (12/24)

In Episode 15 Dave and I recap the Steelers dominating, but not wholly impressive, 27-3 win over the Carolina Panthers. It's our own 'Twas the Night Before Christmas episode. Merry Christmas and thanks for listening.

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The Terrible Podcast - Episode 14 (12/22)

In Part 1 of Episode 14 we do a final recap of the 22-17 loss to the New York Jets, review the latest injury report and look at the significance of Troy's absence and what it would mean longer-term. In Part 2 we take a close look at the Carolina Panthers--and come to the some conclusions about Thursday night's contest. In Part 3 we wrap-up the Panthers, give a shout out to a loyal listener and look at Sexy Rexy and his wife's feet. We had fun doing it, hope you have fun listening. Happy Holidays and we'll be back Friday with a quick wrap of the Steelers Thursday night match-up.

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A Holiday Smile (Video)

If this doesn't put a smile on your face, give you some goose bumps and put you in the holiday spirit, nothing will.

The Calgary Hitmen's Annual Teddy Bear Toss. Over 23,000 teddy bears tossed on the ice for charity. Just watch the continuous stream of bears tossed over the boards. Pretty fantastic. Happy holidays!

Quick Thoughts Steelers-Jets

Overview:

The Steelers lost their third home game of the season 22-17 to the New York Jets to drop their overall record to 10-4. Poor special teams play and a lack of big plays on offense and defense highlighted the performance. Nonetheless, the Black & Gold had two chances to win the game in the waning seconds. Despite the loss the Steelers clinched a playoff berth and will clinch a bye and the #2 seed in the AFC if they take care of business against Carolina on Thursday and Cleveland the last week of the season.

Injuries:

Arnaz Battle was the only injury of note and with a short week it is possible he won't dress for Thursday's game. The Steelers expect both Heath Miller and Steve McLendon to participate fully in practice this week, so the only other questions are Troy Polamalu and Aaron Smith. Smith won't play Thursday and Polamalu is questionable.

Offense: 

The Good:

*The offensive line had its best game of the season. It was effective in both the run game and pass protection. The offense was able to move the ball consistently and sustain long drives, something it hadn't done in weeks. The Steelers outgained the Jets 378-276 and it all started up front.

*Rashard Mendenhall ran for 100 yards on 17 carries. He hit the holes effectively and ran through tackles repeatedly, most notably on his 21-yard gain that set up the Steelers second TD.

*The Steelers three young receivers continue to perform well. They combined for 16 catches for 195 yards, with Mike Wallace leading the way with 7 for 102. Arians and Roethlisberger did a good job of getting the ball to the receiver who was mismatched against the Jets third corner.

*No turnovers.

The Bad:

*While he played well overall, Roethlisberger overthrew his receivers early and only completed 52% of his passes. Combined with the three sacks the Steelers averaged less than 5 yards/pass attempt.

*Pinned deep in their own territory in the last few minutes, the Steelers ran a slow developing hand off out of the end zone. Jonathan Scott missed his block and Jason Taylor tackled Mewelde Moore for a safety. Having Ben in the shotgun on the play allowed Taylor to get off quickly in the three technique.

Defense:

The Good:

*The defense only allowed 13 points and held the Jets to under 300 yards.

*Did a great job stopping the Jets after the safety, giving the offense a chance to win the game on the final drive.

*Contained both Santonio Holmes and Dustin Keller, both of whom looked to have matchup opportunities coming into the game.

The Bad:

*The offense scored on the opening drive of the second half to take a 17-10 lead and the defense allowed the Jets, who hadn't scored an offensive TD in 2 1/2 games, to come back and tie the game on the following drive. It was a great opportunity to play with the lead and take advantage of the home crowd and the defense didn't get it done.

*The Jets converted 7/14 third and fourth downs, including a 3rd and 9 from their own 46 in the 4th quarter when Ryan Mundy blitzed and missed a clear opportunity to sack Mark Sanchez. The Jets kicked the decisive field goal later in the drive.

*The Steelers were beaten at the point of attack frequently as the Jets ran the ball effectively, gaining 106 yards on the ground, only the second team to go over 100.

*Didn't create any turnovers and had trouble get Sanchez to the ground on multiple occasions, 

Special Teams:

The Good:

*Shaun Suisham drilled a 42-yarder, making him 10-10 (7-7 from 40 and beyond) in his short Steelers career.

The Bad

*Brad Smith returned the opening kickoff 97 yards, virtually untouched, to put the Steelers in a 7-0 hole seconds into the game. The Steelers hadn't allowed a return longer than 49 yards on the season. The coverage teams had their worst outing of the year.

*Suisham's kickoffs after the opening TD were high and short allowing the Jets to consistently start with excellent field position.

*Jeremy Kapinos had a bad game. He punted 45 yards into the end zone for a net of 25 early in the game. Later, when punting from his own 34, he kicked a line drive that was returned from the 9 to the 22 for a net of 12 yards.

Coaching:

The Good:

*The Steelers went no-huddle early in the second quarter and the offense immediately seemed to find a rhythm that had been missing to that point in the game.

*Exploited match-ups in the passing game, taking advantage of mismatches in the Jets secondary.

The Bad:

*The Steelers generally managed the clock well late in the game, but saving a few more seconds would have resulted in one more play. The incompletion on the last play of the game was a third down.

Big Officiating Calls:

*The official didn't have a good game, dropping flags and making mistakes marking the ball on more than one occasion. The officials let both teams play, with only six penalties accepted in the game. They appeared to miss an obvious pass interference call on Manny Sanders late in the game that may have impacted the outcome.

Up Next: The 2-12 Carolina Panthers on Thursday, 8:20 at Heinz Field. The Panthers won their second game of the year last Sunday beating the Arizona Cardinals, but they are not a good football team. Rookie Jimmy Clausen will be starting at QB and a bunch of other reserves are now starting due to injury. This is a game the Steelers should win easily and need to win to ensure a bye during week one of the playoffs.

The Terrible Podcast - Episode 13 (12/20)

In Episode 13 Dave and I discuss a loss for the first time. We thought we might go undefeated. In parts 1 and 2 we do an in-depth analysis of the Steelers 22-17 loss to the New York Jets, breaking down all aspects of the game--including Bruce Arians play calling. In part 3 we talk about the fans' and media reaction and take a look at the short week, injuries and Mike Tomlin's press conference. It's good stuff, hope you enjoy it and thanks for listening.

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The Terrible Podcast-Episode 12 (12/17)

In part 1 we discuss the latest injury report which lists Troy Polamalu as doubtful for Sunday's game and the impact that will have on the Steelers defense. We also look at who else is banged up for both the Steelers and the Jets and their likely replacements. In part 2 we take an in-depth look at Sunday's matchup and how both teams will approach the game and what advantages they will look to exploit. In part 3 we talk about the NFL's dysfunctional franchises, the Skins decision to bench Donovan McNabb for the season and our picks for the weekend. Thanks for listening.

We invite your feedback and questions. Send to theterriblepodcast@gmail.com. Download to your iPod or mp3 player. You can find us on this iTunes link.

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The Smorgasbord-Holiday Edition

*Not exactly all warm and fuzzy in West Virginia these days. Yesterday, Athletic Director Oliver Luck ripped his head coach Bill Stewart in a press conference in which he was announcing the hiring of Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen as head coach in-waiting. Among other quotes, this one stood out: "I don't believe we had a chance to win a national championship with the direction of the program. At the end of the day results matter and we weren't getting results." If that is how Luck feels, how can he possibly bring back Stewart, who went 28-11 in his three seasons but didn't make a BCS bowl appearance, for the 2011 season? There is going to be some tension in Morgantown for the next twelve months.

*The sideline trip by Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi has led to all sorts of arguments and commentary about what is and isn't legal and what kind of punishment should result. One unintended and fantastic consequence is that this old Bill Belichick video has resurfaced. Why you gotta cheat Bill?

*With the announcement this morning that Donovan McNabb has been benched by the Redskins, I can't decide which is currently the more dysfunctional franchise Washington or Denver. The Albert Haynseworth and McNabb sagas would suggest the Skins, but this article last week from NFL Networks's Michael Lombardi screams Denver. Either way it is clear McNabb won't be back with the Skins next year. Hard to believe that both these organizations have surpassed the ineptitude of the Raiders and Vikings. Tough times. (Update: Rick Reilly cast a vote for Denver)

*Is there a worse announcing team than the NFL Network's Bob Papa, Joe Theismann and Matt Millen? Papa's actually passable as the play-by-play guy, but the other two are horrific. How does Theismann have a job, he's the worst football color guy in the last twenty years. Unfortunately they'll be doing the Steelers-Panthers game next Thursday. The League's own channel can't do better? As the ESPN guys would say, Come on, man!

*The media is deifying pitcher Cliff Lee for his decision to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies and spurn a much more lucrative offer from the Evil Empire of the New York Yankees. Lee is being lauded for leaving money on the table, showing it isn't all about the money. Problem is, Lee didn't leave money on the table. The breakdown of the Phillies' offer shows it has the highest average annual value (AAV) with a vesting option in the 6th year that could pay Lee $27.5 million. Yes, his contract is a year or two shorter, but if he pitches reasonably well he can make up those dollars and more on his next deal. It would be nice if the media could get past the headline numbers.

*This guy, on the other hand, really is taking substantially less money to sign with his original team.

*Background: The Minnesota Vikings are going to play their first home outdoor game 29 years to the day on Monday night against the Chicago Bears. The collapsed roof of the Metrodome can't fixed in time so the Vikes are going to play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium.

Reality: The Vikings are 5-8 and out of the playoff picture. Starting QB Brett Favre is out after starting 297 straight games and backup Tavaris Jackson is also out, ending his consecutive game streak at one. The temperatures are going to be in the teens to single digits and their is a possibility of snow. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served event with 15,000 fewer seats available in the smaller stadium. Remember the Who concert in Cincinnati when a handful of people were killed in the stampede to get seats? Well, the Vikings have taken precautions to ensure that won't happen agreeing with the University that no alcohol will be served. I put the over/under for attendance at 30,000.

*There are some great stories about Cleveland Indians pitching great Bob Feller who died Wednesday at the age of 92. This one, about his enlistment and time in the Navy, is particularly captivating and well worth the time. But, it is interesting that all the sports writers who have called Feller a huge SOB and worse don't mention that now that he has passed. If it was part of the who the guy was and they were willing to write about it when he was alive, I don't know why they wouldn't include it now.

*The Steelers worked out four players on Tuesday including the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders wide receiver Andy Fantuz. Here is an interesting article where Fantuz describes the workout and here is his YouTube video where he says, "I definitely impressed."

*Yesterday's great sports story.

*FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been accused of being corrupt with the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. That may or may not be true, but he's definitely a Neanderthal.

The Terrible Podcast - Episode 11 (12/15)

Episode 11 of the Terrible Podcast: In part 1 we go over the injury report, recap Mike Tomlin's Tuesday press conference and give the details for our free contest and giveaway. In our look around the NFL in part 2 we discuss Brett Favre, the Ravens dramatic OT win on Monday night and the continuing controversy with the Jets strength & conditioning coach. In part 3 we answer a listener's question about the contract status of various players and review a newfangled offensive line stat released this week by STATS Inc. 

We invite feedback and questions. Send to theterriblepodcast@gmail.com. Download to your iPod or mp3 player. You can find us on this iTunes link.

Thanks for listening.

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Quick Thoughts on Steelers-Bengals

Overview:

After a slow start on both sides of the ball the Steelers put together a workman-like 23-7 win. The defense dominated after the first quarter, scoring both Steelers touchdowns, actually outscoring the Bengals 12-7. The offense did a good job of possessing the ball and moving the chains but continued to have trouble finishing drives. Nonetheless it was a good division win coming off an emotional national television win against Baltimore the previous week.

Injuries:

There were no significant new injuries reported after the game for the first time in weeks. Both Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu appeared to tweek ankle injuries that they carried into the contest, but each remained in the game. Emmanuel Sanders and Ryan Mundy also limped off at different times, but Sanders returned and Mundy's injury does not appear to be serious.

Offense: 

The Good:

*Roethlisber continues to be a towering presence in the pocket. In the first quarter he turned a botched flea-flicker into a nine yard gain, shaking off three would-be tacklers and completing a pass to Rashard Mendenhall. In the second quarter he corralled a high snap and scrambled 13 yards to the Bengals 5-yard line. He finished 21-33 for 258 yards.

*Steelers receivers made a bunch of acrobatic catches that were crucial to keeping drives alive. Mike Wallace, Antwaan Randle-El and Hines Ward each made an highlight-reel catch. Ward had a big day with 8 catches for 115 yards and passed Art Monk for 10th on the all-time receptions list.

*The offense did not turn the ball over and dominated time of possession.

The Bad:

*The Steelers are having trouble scoring touchdowns. Since the first drive of the Buffalo game two weeks ago the offense has scored only one TD and that came when the defense got them the ball on the Ravens 9-yard line.

*The offensive line continues to have big problems. Four more holding calls and four more sacks against a depleted Cincinnati defense sends up huge red flags. Rashard Mendenhall's ability to gain yards after contact and Ben's scrambling are the main reason the running stats look reasonable.

Defense:

The Good:

*Total domination after the first quarter, limiting the Bengals to 190 net yards on the day.

*Two interception returns for TDs. Both Polamalu and LaMarr Woodley picked Carson Palmer with Polamalu going 45 yards and Woodley going 14 yards for six points. Polamalu added another interception late in the game.

*Continued run dominance. The Bengals only got 34 yards on 14 carries (4 yards on 2 carries in the 2nd half) the lowest total against the Steelers this year.

*Shut down Terrell Owens. After a big first game against the Steelers, T.O. only had one catch for 22 yards.

*Getting off the field. The Bengals converted only 2-8 first downs, both in the first half, and one came on an offsides penalty.

The Bad:

*Not much to add here.

Special Teams:

The Good:

*Shaun Suisham is going to have a statue outside of Heinz Field pretty soon the way things are going. Sushi went 3-3 including a 41-yarder, making him 9-9 (6-6 from 40 and beyond) in his short Steelers career.

*Jeremy Kapinos did a fine job in his first action in the Black & Gold. He pinned the Bengals inside the 20 on a couple occasions and got off a 53-yarder when he had some room to air it out.

*Coverage teams continued to do a good job and have been the most improved area of the team this year.

The Bad

*Antonio Brown fumbled a bouncing punt after waving everyone off, but Anthony Madison was able to make the recovery.

Coaching:

The Good:

*Excellent adjustments and schemes by Dick LeBeau and the defensive coaches to shut down the Bengals slot receivers who had burned the Steelers in their previous match-up. Bringing DBs on the blitz proved particularly effective.

*Ahead 13-3 early in the fourth quarter, Mike Tomlin decided to punt from the Bengals 32-yard line when facing a 4th and 24 situation. Kapinos pinned the Bengals on their own 10 and LaMarr Woodley intercepted Carson Palmer on the next play and returned it for a TD.

The Bad:

*The Steelers continue to manage the clock poorly at the end of the half. After scrambling for a first down to the Bengals 5-yard line Roethlisberger spiked the ball to stop the clock with 00:34 seconds left in the 2nd quarter and one timeout left. After two incompletions the Steelers settled for a field goal. They went into the half with an unused timeout. In that situation Ben should have absolutely used a timeout and preserved the extra down, giving them an extra chance to throw for a TD. 

Big Officiating Calls:

*I know it sounds like a broken record, but Ben got hit three more times in situations that weren't flagged but could have been. Once he was hit in the head by DE Michael Johnson and two other times he was hit well after getting rid of the football. It really does make the Steelers and their fans wonder when the non-calls are so obvious and happen repeatedly.

Up Next: The reeling 9-4 New York Jets on Sunday, 4:15 at Heinz Field. Two weeks ago the Jets got pasted 45-3 by the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football. On Sunday they lost at home 10-6 to the Miami Dolphins with ex-Steeler Santonio Holmes dropping an easy touchdown pass. This game all of a sudden has big implications for the Jets playoff chances as the have to go to Chicago the following week.

The Terrible Podcast - Episode 10 (12/13)

A recap of the Steelers week 14 23-7 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. As always you can also find the podcast on iTunes and at SteelersDepot.com.

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The Terrible Podcast - Episode 9 (12/10)

Sorry for the delay in posting. You can always find us on iTunes as well.

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The Terrible Podcast - Episode 8 (12/8)

A midweek look at the Steelers and what is going on in the NFL. Also and interview with Troy's brother-in-law and a contest which includes four tickets and field passes for Sunday's game.

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The Terrible Podcast - Episode 7 (12/6)

Our recap of Steelers-Ravens. If you want to have any questions answered on the Wednesday edition of The Terrible Podcast, send them to theterriblepodcast@gmail.com.

Don't forget to check out SteelersDepot.com the most comprehensive Steelers website on the internet.

Quick Thoughts Steelers-Ravens

Overview:

An incredibly physical, hard-fought and dramatic win by the Steelers. Was it perfect? Not by any means. But, the objective was to go into to a very good division rival's stadium and get a win on a Sunday night before a national television audience. Mission accomplished. Mike Tomlin wanted a signature win for his football team and he got it last night. You could tell from the emotion of his press conference that it meant a hell of a lot to him and, I'm sure, everyone involved. The Steelers stand at 9-3 with a one game lead in the AFC North and will be tied for the second-best record overall in the AFC after tonight's Monday night matchup. A fantastic result for the Steelers.


Personal Rant:
The negative post-game reaction from some of the Pittsburgh media was absolutely astounding to me. Tim Benz and, to a lesser degree, Stan Savaran repeatedly criticized the Steelers on the post-game show "Cooler Talk," suggesting they were incredibly lucky to win, the refs missed a bunch of calls against the Steelers and generally criticizing virtually every facet of the Steelers play. I generally don't give a damn what the media says, particularly since I am part of it at times. But this ridiculous misunderstanding of what actually took place last night, negative open to the show after a win and two-bit critique of the offensive line in particular, really pissed me off. It is as if they had no understanding of the history of these two teams and gave the Ravens no credit whatsoever for being a good football team. I'm all for criticism directed appropriately, but these guys were so off the mark that I almost thought it was an act. Unfortunately it wasn't. The more Tim Benz talks, the more I think he should worry about what music he is going to play on his morning show and leave the football commentary to someone else.


Injuries:

The hit to Heath Miller was a devastating shot. I've watched it twice and won't watch it again, it is that violent and, for lack of a better word, scary. Watching Miller's neck snap back so completely had me literally concerned for his life. It violated every rule the NFL has tried to put in place for player safety and it is incomprehensible to me that Miller was able to get up and walk of the field--or that they would let him, for that matter. The good news is that Miller left the game under his own power, was communicating with doctors and even remained on the sidelines. I'm sure he will miss this week's game due to the concussion that resulted. More than that is speculation.

Ben Roethlisberger, already playing with a broken foot, had his nose broken on the Steelers' third offensive play. Another missed call by the refs. Ben's nose was on the side of his face, but he didn't miss a play and it shouldn't effect his ability to play going forward. Right tackle Flozell Adams left in the second half with a high ankle sprain. This has been a lingering issue and it wouldn't surprise me if he misses time as a result of this latest setback. Punter Dan Sepulveda tore the ACL in his right knee and will be lost for the season. Sepulveda has had a very good season and the Steelers are scrambling to bring in punters for tryouts today. Sepulveda will have to be replaced as the holder as well. A more complete injury update will be provided at Mike Tomlin's Tuesday press conference.

Offense: 

The Good:

*They scored more than the other guys. Isaac Redman's touchdown on 3rd-&-9 from the nine with less than three minutes remaining was a great individual effort.

*The effective use of step-backs and quick-hitters to Mike Wallace near the line of scrimmage was a good adjustment to a defense that was playing soft coverage much of the time.

*The offensive line held up much better than perceived. They gave up only three sacks for 19 yards and one of those was clearly on Ben. They provided enough time in the passing game in the second half and helped the Steelers to a time of possession advantage of more than eight minutes.

*Roethlisberger had a superb second half and his warding off of Terrell Suggs two plays before the touchdown was as important as any play in the game and he did a great job of drawing the Ravens offsides on a 4th-&-1 in the 3rd quarter. Ben has now won six straight starts against Baltimore.

The Bad:

*The offensive line was terrible in obvious short-yardage running situations. They consistently lost the battle at the point of attack.

*Rashard Mendenhall missed some holes and was indecisive at times. Against a  high-pressure, high-pursuit defense like the Ravens that is a recipe for failure.

*The receivers dropped some catchable balls. Most notably, Hines Ward dropped a pass on 3rd-&-10 at the Baltimore 38 late in the first half that would have secured a first down and most likely led to points before the half.

*It appeared Antonio Brown ran the wrong pattern on Ben's long interception. It looked like Roethlisberger was leading Mike Wallace into the open side of the field and didn't expect Brown to be running a go pattern on that side. 

*Redman fumbled late in the first half, but the Steelers recovered.

Defense:

The Good:

*Every play counts and the Ravens hit two long pass plays for 128 yards. But, Baltimore was held to 141 yards on their other 55 plays, an average of 2.6 yards/play, and most importantly, only scored ten points.

*Troy Polamalu, for the second week in a row, made a fantastic and decisive defense play late. His sack and strip of Joe Flacco was vintage Troy and led to the winning touchdown. (Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron's decision to pass there has been widely criticized in the media and I have to agree. That late in the game you have to protect the lead and on 2nd-&-5 there really was no reason to throw the ball.)

*The defense brought pressure often and was able to register four sacks and a number of hurries  and they completely shut down Baltimore in the second half, holding the Ravens to 130 yards.

*Kept Ray Rice in check. Rice ran nine times for 32 yards and caught two passes for 18 yards--numbers the Steelers certainly would have signed up for before the game.

*Shut down the run game, holding the Ravens to 43 net yards on 20 plays. The long run was a 14-yard Flacco scramble when Lamar Woodley was blatantly held.

The Bad:

*Bryant McFadden was beaten repeatedly on the outside. His choice of who to cover on a  67-yard deep ball to Donte Stallworth (his second catch of the season) was inexplicable. He also committed a pass interference penalty, one of two, in the last two minutes that was totally unnecessary.

*Still gave up some long third down conversions and allowed Flacco to average over 15 yards per completion.

Special Teams:

The Good:

*Sushi, Shaun Suisham, continues to impress. He drilled a 45-yard field goal to get the Steelers on the board and punted admirably, filling in for an injured Sepulveda. His kickoffs were average, with his longest being called back due to offsides.

The Bad:

*An offside penalty on Antonio Brown on the kickoff that Suisham banged into the endzone for a touchback ended up costing the Steelers 14 yards in field position early in the fourth quarter. Inexcusable.

*A running out of bounds penalty on Keenan Lewis cost the Steelers 24 yards in field position and kept the Ravens from starting a drive inside their own five-yard line with less than five minutes left. Also inexcusable.

Coaching:

The Good:

*Dick LeBeau realized that the defense needed to bring pressure and was able to design schemes and blitzes that were effective at limiting Flacco's time throughout the game.

*Tomlin dressed both rookies receivers and they provided a spark in the passing game with their speed and ability to get separation.

*Tomlin decided to go for a 4th-&-2 on the Ravens 44 with two minutes left in the first half and then dialed up a very nice six-yard pass play to David Johnson, who was used effectively throughout the game.

The Bad:

*The Steelers offense didn't use play-action in obvious short-yardage running situations and was continually shut down.

*The offense was totally ineffective inside the redzone (zero chances first half) with only two plays out of six producing positive yardage.

Big Officiating Calls:

*The officiating crew obviously missed two big personal fouls on the Ravens, the hit to Roethlisberger that broke his nose and the massive shot on Heath Miller. This certainly doesn't help the perception among some that the league has an anti-Steelers bias. What was most interesting was the NFL offices were admitting the refs blew the call on Miller during the game, on national television. The outrage in the broadcast and across various social media was palpable, but I don't think the league should have responded in that fashion, essentially throwing the refs under the bus during the game. It really makes the NFL look as if it has lost control of this whole issue.

*The non-call when Lamar Woodley was blatantly held was egregious. Flacco scrambled for a big gain deep in Steelers territory early in the third quarter and the play looked to be a game-changer, but the Steelers were able to hold the Ravens to a field goal.

Up Next: The 2-10 Cincinnati Bengals at Heinz Field, 1:00 on Sunday. The Bengals are coming off an incredibly tough 34-30 home loss to the New Orleans Saints, but there is little doubt they will be able to get up for the Steelers.