NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers Page

2008-11-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

Help Max Starks Feed Hungry Families this Thanksgiving! click here for details.

2008-10-30T14:35:00.001-04:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Pittsburgh!

2008-10-20T12:31:00.000-04:00

I want more headlines like this! "Steelers easily defeat Bengals, 38-10" on www.steelers.com.

Intrastate Pains

2008-09-22T15:59:00.002-04:00

That 15-6 loss to the Eagles was a killer. Even our coach admitted the Eagles just plain played better. It's always painful to lose, but when it's within the same state, it stings a bit more. Two many Eagles fans live near me, and their hats and shirts just stare me in the face, taunting me. Argh! There should be a law that each state gets one team per sport, period.

Silly Philly

2008-07-04T12:33:00.002-04:00

Check this out: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/04/franklin.wedding.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch

The Philly mayor wed Betsy Ross and Benjamin Franklin today, for the holiday. Talk about a theme wedding! Call me unromantic, but all I could think was, "Did they have to pay for any of this?" It's such a great photo op for the mayor and the city, I bet it was all comped. Sure beats the $30K most people spend on weddings these days...

No turf on MY field

2008-02-18T12:51:00.002-05:00

Love this article on players choosing grass over Turf at Heinz Field. I may not be the one falling on it, but I'm happier looking at grass myself. Even those little divots just show it's real, and there's something nostalgic about that.

Steelers in good condition

2007-07-25T13:58:00.000-04:00

Mike Tomlin's first training camp with the Steelers began Monday in Latrobe, and Monday's conditioning test yielded a lot of flying colors. Those who voluntarily participated in offseason workouts were not required to participate. Three Steelers were on the physically unable to perform list. Santonio Holmes recently had a non-football-related surgical procedure, Verron Haynes is still recovering from a knee injury from last year, and Derek Hage is following up on a thumb injury he incurred while playing in NFL Europa.

Record crowds for NFL Europa

2007-05-10T17:16:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, Olympic Stadium saw a record crowd of nearly 31,000. Steelers playing in the European league include Connor Hughes, Richard Koonce, Grant Mason, and Derek Rehage. Reports suggest that they are better ambassadors than some of those representing us abroad in a more official capacity.

Meyhem

2007-03-13T14:13:00.000-04:00

No it's Mahan, the 6 foot 3, 300 pound future offensive lineman for the Steelers. Of course, with Sean Mahan's experience at both guard and center he will be creating plenty meyhem. Watch out NFL, the steelers are looking stronger on the line.

Steelers Fans Know How Colts Are Feeling

2007-02-06T09:46:00.000-05:00

Enjoy it while you can, Colts' fans! You've hung on through the season and the playoffs and the Big One. Now your team has its place in history. But come late summer, that's what it will be: history.

And then the rest of the NFL can start worrying about the Pittsburgh Steelers again. (Hey, this is a good time of the year for dreaming, right?)

2007-01-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

Are we close to getting a new coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers? Cowher's gone, but who will replace him? The Steelers haven't said whether they'll interview anyone else, but it looks like it's neck and neck between Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt.

Steelers Finding Winning Ways

2006-12-18T12:57:00.000-05:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers are finding their winning ways that led them to a Super Bowl win last year with a 37-3 win against the Carolina Panthers, giving them a 3 game winning streak. The playoff hopes for the Steelers are on life support right now, but everytime they win they keep them alive for one more week. Yesterday's game started off slowly with neither team scoring, but the Steelers then opened up the offense scoring at least 10 points in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarter.

Steelers Get Back to Back Wins

2006-12-11T12:02:00.000-05:00

For the second time this season the Pittsburgh Steelers get back to back wins pulling their record up to 6-7. The outlook doesn't look good for this season though, with the AFC North being led by the dominating Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers have a good chance of getting a third win in a row when they go and play the struggling Carolina Panthers next Sunday.

Ben Roethlisberger Foundation funds K-9 for hometown

2006-12-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

Police Chief Bill Spraw announced the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is donating money to purchase a new police dog.

The donation will also cover a ballistic vest for the canine.

Roethlisberger, who is a dog lover, wants to help aquire police dogs, which often must be purchased through donations because of budget constraints.

Steel Curtains for Cleveland

2006-11-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

Hard to swallow that we are tied with the Cleveland Browns at the bottom of the AFC North, with matching 3-6 records and matching win streaks of, uh, one. Sunday will change that, and I predict that it will be in our favor. No special trick to it--just avoid screwups and be real fierce on defense.

Exciting victory for Pittsburgh

2006-11-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

This one wasn’t our Steelers though. It was our NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, beating the L.A. Kings out in Los Angeles, 4 to 3 in overtime. Extra cool was the fact that this was the sixth NHL game rookie Evgeni Malkin has played and the sixth in which he has made a goal. As a matter of fact, he scored two—one in the first period and the winning one in OT.

It’s not like no one has ever done that before. It’s just that the last time someone did was 89 years ago. I want Penguins tickets to see this guy Malkin in person!

Sideline better than hospital for Ben

2006-10-25T13:52:00.000-04:00

When the coach tells you to get your head in the game, Ben, he doesn't mean for target practice. Actually, Roethlisberger was just about everything a coach could ask for in the first half of our meeting with the Atlanta Falcons Sunday. Then another blow to the head and Big Ben was out, maybe even unconscious, for about five minutes, and out of play for the rest of the game. Possibly next week against the Oakland Raiders, too. Scary at any time, but even scarier for a young guy who has had a serious head injury and major surgery within months previous.

Got to give some credit to Charlie Batch for stepping in and passing for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns. But we made a number of screwups and Atlanta took advantage of all of them. We did a lot of good stuff, but they did more.

Ben & Jerry’s for Pittsburgh’s Ben?

2006-10-02T17:06:00.000-04:00

It’s good to be back at my keyboard after this summer’s various detours, some of which made me a little more empathetic with the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger. Hospitals are just no fun! Hope you’ve and the team have gotten some rest during the bye week, Ben – along with some running practice Bill Cowher is prescribing!

I understand the coach would like Ben to pack a few pounds back on, too! How do I get my doctor to order me to snack at night?

Living dangerously

2006-06-14T08:30:00.000-04:00

It was bad news to hear about Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident, now tempered with good news that his condition has been upgraded and he should be out of the hospital soon, with a concussion but no permanent brain damage. Of course the Pittsburgh Steelers are worried about our favorite quarterback, but I think all of Pittsburgh is rooting for him.

For me personally, just the thought of losing a couple of teeth is enough to make me wear a helmet. Nevermind broken jaws and brain injuries. But then, I don't have the kind of job where I have to perform superbly under pressure in front of thousands of ticket buyers and millions of viewers--and with the chance I could get smooshed by some 300-pound guy while I'm doing it. I guess only a natural-born risktaker could do that.

Come on Ma! He’s only human.

2006-05-14T21:28:00.000-04:00

Well it is Mother’s Day and I have already visited mom with some flowers and candy. She was thrilled to see me and as usual had a lot to say about the Pittsburgh Steelers. I love my mom but sometimes she can be so negative. I think we have a good chance to repeat even if my mom thinks Roethlisberger is getting soft in the off-season because she’s heard stories that he’s been traveling the world with his wife and getting in touch with his roots.

It’s just not cricket.

2006-04-18T21:20:00.000-04:00

I am so confused about the Duke Lacrosse players’ scandal and recent news that no DNA evidence was found to link the boys to the rape. Today I read that the Grand Jury adjourned without handing down any charges concerning the case. I really despise hearing about athletes who get involved in antics such as wild parties with call girls and such debauchery. Whether they are on the professional level or not, there are some things athletes should not do because they are morally wrong and represent a careless lifestyle and disdain for the rules of society. It is a shame when they choose to act like celebrities instead of athletes.

Two Deals and a Pepsi Please

2006-03-27T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers inked deals with wide receiver Quincy Morgan and defensive end Shaun Nua today. Both are re-signings and I am not one to argue with the numbers. We went all the way with the team we’ve got so I don’t see any point in making any changes. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see fewer than usual this time around.

Can a Steelers fan be a Mavs fan too?

2006-02-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

I’m glad there’s baseball and basketball to keep me entertained in the NFL off-season. I am still reeling from the Pittsburgh Steelers winning the Super Bowl but now there’s no more football. So I have been rooting for the Dallas Mavericks who are looking like they might surpass the Detroit Pistons for best team in the league soon. Dirk Nowitzki is a shoo-in for MVP of the league this year for sure.

Steelers Win and Bettis Retires

2006-02-12T23:36:00.000-05:00

What can I say about the Pittsburgh Steelers? They were a wild card team and they won every one of their last eight games to earn the championship. Jerome Bettis got his due attention in Detroit after the game was won and it was emotional to hear him officially state this was the last game of his NFL career.

Buy Some Super Bowl Tickets for Me Too!

2006-01-22T00:57:00.000-05:00

Buy your Super Bowl tickets folks. The Pittsburgh Steelers have done that which no one thought possible. We beat the Indianapolis Colts knocking them out of the playoffs and hurling ourselves into the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos. It is going to be a tense game for Ben Roethlisberger because the Denver defense is very aggressive.

Steelers Need to prepare for Colts on Sunday

2006-01-14T20:13:00.000-05:00

We are facing the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in the AFC Division Playoff game. In the regular season the Colts beat us by limiting us to 86 rushing yards. In our past five games we have averaged over 175 rushing yards but the Colts could be the only team capable of stopping our rushing game. There are a lot of things we are going to have to focus on to beat the Colts. This fan hopes that the Steelers are taking this one seriously because it would be nice to see my team go to the Super Bowl. I fear, however, that our defensive squads are equally matched and we could see low scoring game or even overtime against the Colts.

Oliver Perez Under the Microscope

2006-01-07T20:11:00.000-05:00

The Pirates are looking hard at Oliver Perez. Like many players he is playing winter ball. Some think that he didn’t do well in the 2005 season because he did not participate in any conditioning or winter ball during the off-season. He is playing for the Mexican team from Culiacan, his home town, at the suggestion of team management. Littlefield has made a trip to check up on his progress and the outlook is good for him to have a strong 2006 season and take on more of a leadership role. He has not made any impressive improvements on the mound but has made some general steps in the right direction.

Gentle Ben Will Lead Us to Victory

2005-12-29T18:55:00.000-05:00

Ben Roethlisberger has only been with the Pittsburgh Steelers for two seasons, but in that time he has become the team’s strongest leader. The Steelers are in a great position having won three straight end-of-season games. They have shown that they have the talent to advance far in the playoffs and beat any team they encounter. No matter what happens we know that we have the stuff to carry on winning into next season if we keep most of our key players and beef up out lineup in the off season. Roethlisberger will be the key to our success and is the man we want leading this team for a long time to come.

Pro Bowl Selections Made

2005-12-21T18:44:00.000-05:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be sending four players to the 2006 AFC Pro Bowl team. The men will be offensive guard Alan Faneca, Troy Polamalu safety, linebacker Joey Porter and center Jeff Hartings. For five seasons we have sent at leas three players to the Pro Bowl and that is something to be proud of. Since the fans get to vote for the Pro Bowl we know that Pittsburgh fans are some of the most active and best fans of any NFL team. The Steelers win over the Minnesota Vikings comes at the right time for us and our last two games should be sure wins for us.

Can’t Keep These Steelers Down

2005-12-15T19:45:00.000-05:00

Jerome Bettis won the AFC player of the week award for his furious play against the Chicago Bears. This was a key win for the Steelers because the Bears have beat a lot of teams we have faced and our schedule is not getting any easier with Minnesota coming up next week. Minnesota poses a threat but if our Philly players can come up with awesome moves like they did on Sunday we have a good chance of beating them. Ben Roethlisberger is probable for the Vikings game but will be playing with a hurt thumb. Hines Ward will be back as well with his ankle supposedly healed.

Steelers on a Losing Streak

2005-12-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

This Steelers team looked like they were going to the playoffs until they played the Ravens. That game was the start of what is now a three game loosing streak. It is hard to focus on the upcoming game and not dwell on the negative events of the past few weeks. The Chicago Bears are a great team and have beat some of the best teams in the NFL. We are facing them on Sunday and it’s hard to decide whether the Steelers team can put the losses behind them and play as good as we know they can against the Bears.

Colts Steal Win Over Pittsburgh

2005-11-30T20:07:00.000-05:00

The Indianapolis Colts extended their winning streak against the Pittsburgh Steelers leaving us at 7-4. This means the Cincinnati Bengals move ahead of us to 8-3 after their win against the Ravens. To have any chance of winning in the AFC North we will have to win over the Bengals this Sunday. The Colts defense dominated the game but it was the crowd noise that really effected game. We were having great trouble running the ball and the crowd noise contributed to it. It has been rumored that the noise was artificial and meant to do what it inevitably did to our performance but that seems like fans just wanting something else to blame for the Steelers lack of momentum in the game.

Ravens Who? The Colts Are Coming

2005-11-22T19:49:00.000-05:00

Sunday’s loss to the Ravens was a shame, but we are entitled to a bad game with our record. Even Bill Cower agrees that being tied for first with the Bengals is not a bad place to be at this point in the season. What we need to be worrying about is the undefeated Colts whom we are playing next Monday. This game can’t hurt us for getting into the playoffs but if we could secure a win we will be the first to do it all season. Ben Roethlisberger is probably going to be back for the game and Matt Kranchick is going to be back due to Russell Stuvaints’ season ending injury. We have a good chance and a great team right now. This could be our game of the season if we can stay focused and secure the win.

Plan B

2005-06-14T09:57:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Steelers recently extended defensive tackle Chris Hoke’s contract for another 3 years. The reason being is that the Steelers will not re-sign defensive tackle Casey Hampton, who will be a free agent before the start of training camp. Hoke wasn’t a starter last year and basically just filled in when need be. Apparently he did a good enough job that the Steelers where willing to cough up $2.7 million dollars and a $500, 000 dollar signing bonus.

On Target

2005-06-02T17:39:00.000-04:00

Early when I talked about Ben Roethlisberger wanting a play book with more passing plays, I forgot to mention that the biggest reason why he will get what he wants is the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers are dong everything they can to surround him with targets to throw too. One of the targets is wide receiver Fred Gibson who the Steelers just signed to a three year deal. Gibson was the star wide out at Georgia last year and is the second draft pick to be signed.

Big Ben

2005-05-31T14:07:00.000-04:00

What ‘Big Ben’ wants, ‘Big Ben’ should get. After a record breaking rookie season, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looks to improve his game by asking the coaching staff to open up the passing playbook more.

This is nothing but good news for the Steelers. It shows the young buck has confidence in himself and can carry more weight on his shoulders, which is something that is important for a quarterback to want, responsibility.

With the addition of tight end Heat Miller and wider receiver Cedric Wilson I wouldn’t be surprised if Big Ben sets another record this coming season.

June 1st cut

2005-05-25T17:35:00.000-04:00

If their are any fans out there who are loyal to free safety Mike Logan, I hope you don’t get upset at what your about to read. Logan has pretty much become a backup safety and injuries have limited Logan’s playing time as well as his ability in coverage. With the way rookie Russell Stuvaints has been playing I would expect Logan to be a June first cut for sure.

Let the Battle Begin

2005-05-23T15:41:00.000-04:00

When training camp roles around the best battle to watch will be between wide receivers Antwaan Randle El and recently singed from the 49ers, Cedric Wilson. The battle will be to replace Plaxico Burress as the starter on the outside.

Randle El had been the slot receiver for the past 3 seasons but the team has concerns about his durability. Then there is Wilson who has the speed to throw the long ball to and could fit well in the offensice scheme.

Still Number 1

2005-05-17T15:04:00.000-04:00

The Steelers would like to extend the contract of their four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward before the season gets under way. It would seem something of importance since the departure of other star wide out Plaxico Burress. Even with the addition of Cedrick Wilson, Ward still possesses the best blocking ability and maintains his status as the clutch-pass catcher.

The Choices we Make

2005-05-09T19:41:00.000-04:00

In light of the injury to Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., coach Bill Cowher warned quarterback Ben Roethlisberger about riding his motorcycle without a helmet. Roethlisberger, who rides a Harley, said he will continue to ride his bike, sans helmet, despite the risks. Cowher told Roethlisberger that life is about choices and consequences, and that football players have just a small window to reach their goals. He told his second-year quarterback to consider the options.

Drafting the Needs

2005-04-25T16:39:00.000-04:00

from Foxsports.com

Tight end was the only spot where immediate help was needed, and the team addressed it by taking Heath Miller, the top player at that position. He is a skilled receiver who will gives QB Ben Roethlisberger another option in the middle of the field. Another receiving target was added in WR Fred Gibson. He needs to get stronger, but he has size, athleticism and the ability to create separation. . . .

CB Bryant McFadden is tough and aggressive and plays the run as well as the pass. He doesn't have to start this year and likely will be used in nickel and dime formations. Trai Essex is a natural left tackle, but the coaches think he can play every line position but center. G Chris Kemoeatu is a mauler who is a good fit for the Steelers' power running game. Essex and Kemoeatu will add depth to a unit that lost G Keydrick Vincent and RT Oliver Ross as free agents.

Targeting

2005-04-12T19:10:00.000-04:00

from Foxsports.com

Though the team signed free-agent WR Cedrick Wilson, it wants to be able to go four deep at the position. Don't be surprised if the Steelers take Matt Jones of Arkansas, a converted quarterback. He's big and has the speed the Steelers desire at the X position opposite WR Hines Ward. Also, Pittsburgh has a history of using college quarterbacks at receiver: Kordell Stewart, Antwaan Randle El and even Ward.

If the team waits until the second or third round to find a tight end, big, athletic Kevin Everett of Miami will be a possibility. Cornerback is an area of need even though the Steelers are content with starters Deshea Townsend and Ricardo Colclough. Chad Scott's release leaves an opening for a top backup in the nickel or dime defense. The team would consider taking a cornerback in the first round if he were the highest rated player available. Michigan's Marlin Jackson is on the team's radar because he has the size (6-1, 198) and physical ability to be strong in run support.

The Steelers might not want to take a defensive end in the first round because they don't need immediate help there. But if USC's Shaun Cody slips to No. 30, the team will have to look at him as a possible replacement for von Oelhoffen in 2006. Cody would be a good fit for the team's 3-4 defense because he can play either end or tackle. Also look for the Steelers to draft an inside linebacker on the second day. After losing free agent Kendrell Bell, the team needs to add depth.

Back of the Bus

2005-04-04T15:15:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburg Steelers will know before the draft, which is a couple of weeks from now, weather RB Jerome Bettis plans to play another season. Bettis was helpful enough earlier on when he restructured his contract to help put his team under the salary cap.

Although he took a pay cut don’t look for that to be the reason if Bettis doesn’t return. Bettis has sad publicly that his body has taken a beating and doesn’t know for sure if he will be back for the 2005 season.

Bettis also knows that if he was to return it would be as the number 2 running back behind Duce Staley, which was pretty much his job this past season. Bettis was sure to tell people that he accepted his position on the team and would do what was better for the team. Either way if Bettis stays or leaves, I wouldn’t still expect the Steelers to draft a running back of some sort.

The Replacement

2005-03-20T15:08:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

The team was looking for speed at the receiver position formerly manned by Plaxico Burress, and that's what they got when they signed Cedrick Wilson of the 49ers in free agency. The X position is designed for big plays and deep passes and Wilson, who has been timed at 4.3, should be a good fit. He also fits the profile of the type of player the Steelers usually seek in free agency -- a person who is on the rise and still has his best seasons ahead of him. Wilson had 47 catches and 641 yards last season for the 49ers after being a sixth-round pick in 2001. He is nearly 7 inches shorter than Burress, an unrestricted free agent, but he has the speed to beat corners down the field. Plus, he should benefit from the attention given to four-time Pro Bowl receiver Hines Ward. Wilson will compete with Antwaan Randle El for the starting spot opposite Ward, but Randle El is better served as the third receiver in the slot. The coaches are concerned Randle El doesn't have the size and strength to survive at the X position.

Danger Zone

2005-02-27T15:20:00.000-05:00

The Pittsburg Steelers have been firting with danger when it comes to cap relief. The near perfect season came at a price. Even high priced reciever Plaxico Burress has been let go and the Steelers were able to renegotiated the contracts of several players during the actual 2004 season, the Steelers are still only 100,000 dollars under the cap.

Steelers Needs'

2005-02-20T17:52:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

The Steelers will go into the 2005 season as a Super Bowl favorite because most of their key players return, especially eight of the nine who participated in the Pro Bowl. One of those who probably won't is RB Jerome Bettis, a late addition to the Pro Bowl. Bettis will not take a sizeable pay cut like he did before last season, especially after he led the team in rushing and posted seven 100-yard games. But the Steelers are committed to Duce Staley and feel they have a capable backup in Verron Haynes. The only loss that might hurt is WR Plaxico Burress, who is an unrestricted free agent, but the Steelers might put the franchise tag on him to keep him for one more season. G Keydrick Vincent, who has started 27 games the past two seasons, will probably leave as an unrestricted free agent, but he will be replaced by former No. 1 pick Kendall Simmons, who was the starter. . . .

If the Steelers decide not to re-sign ILB Kendrell Bell, who is an unrestricted free agent, they have several options on their roster to replace him. Larry Foote, who started all 18 games in 2004, will be the starter, but the team could move OLB James Harrison to the inside. Harrison is a lot like Bell -- an explosive player who is 245 pounds and loves contact. Harrison proved to be a disruptive player when he started four games at outside linebacker last season because of injuries. Harrison is not real tall (5-11), but he uses his strength and lower body to get good leverage on blockers. . . .

The team needs to make a decision on OLB Alonzo Jackson, their No. 2 pick in 2003. Jackson was drafted as a situational player, a third-down pass rusher, but he has not shown a consistent ability to do that and is usually deactivated for games. The Steelers should have the 260-pound Jackson do one of two things: Put on more weight and become a defensive end or lose weight to gain more quickness and learn how to play the run and drop in coverage.

The Bus out of Gas?

2005-02-07T18:05:00.000-05:00

Questions, questions, and more questions arise about Bettis coming back for the 2005 season. A lot of people seem to be wondering what’s going to happen to Bettis. Will he be a factor next year? What will his role be on the team? Here are some statements from Bettis himself to help all you people wondering anyone of those things.

“It’s physical; it’s the physical nature of the game, if I can do it. People saw me at the end of the season and said he looks great. What people don’t understand is physically it takes a toll on you.”

“If I do come back next year and in week or two Duce goes down, can I muster it up for another 14 weeks? That’s the question I have to ask myself. The role has changed, but the expectation hasn’t. If I’m asked to step in there, can I continue what I was able to do this year? That’s what I have to ask myself.”

What Happened?

2005-01-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

Our team has been unrivaled so far this season with Big Ben on our side. However, that all changed when it counted. He was definatley not himself in the last couple of games. Perhaps it was the great amount of pressure put on him, or otherwise, but the fact of the matter is that he didn't perform to his potential. Once he learns to take his time and just play in highly stressful games, he won't hit the next level of the game. He will learn from experience, and all we can do is reflect and start at another run to the big game. Work hard and the off season, and there is no doubt in my mind we will go all the way next year.

20-17....

2005-01-16T16:27:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, it was looking bad for us last night more than once. The 2 possible game winning field goal attempts by the Jets, failed. It was a godsend that they didn't make them, but we have to take advantage of that. Although Roethlisberger played one of his worst games of the season, we manage to pull off the most important and stressful game of the season. It really goes to show that we have been "predetermined" to win by the Gods sitting on their little cloud. Lets hope the Steelers don't let us down, although I doubt they will. The Falcons, however, will be a tough opponent, and they will be especially tough, because we have had no prior knowledge from this season on how they play, because we have not played them. Lets make it 17-0 for us and Roethlisberger. GO STEELERS, BRING US BACK A SHINY RING!

14 game streak, and living the highlife!

2005-01-05T19:26:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Willie Parker, Brian St. Pierre and James Harrison -- who are these guys, you might ask?

They represent the collection of Pittsburgh backups and scrubs that kept the Steelers' roll going, and ended the Buffalo Bills' playoff hopes, 29-24 Sunday.

``If there was a team that you could put up as a poster boy for a 53-man roster, it's us,'' said St. Pierre, the Steelers' third-string quarterback, who was activated off the practice squad Friday. ``It's special.''

And so are the Steelers, who didn't need Ben Roethlisberger, Jerome Bettis or a host of other starters to win their 14th straight to match the single-season record set by Miami in 1972. The Steelers also became just the fourth team in NFL history -- and first in the AFC -- to finish 15-1.

Parker, an undrafted rookie free agent, had 102 yards rushing, including a 58-yarder that set up Jeff Reed's 37-year field goal, Pittsburgh's go-ahead score.

And then there was Harrison, the backup linebacker, who returned a fumble 18 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.

``It says a lot about the backups and the character of this team,'' Harrison said. ``It's a sense of pride. You don't want to lose to anybody.''

The Steelers, who had clinched home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs, knocked off a Bills team that was among the hottest in the league. Buffalo had a chance to earn its first playoff berth since 1999.

``Pretty angry. ... I'm a little bit in shock,'' said red-eyed quarterback, Drew Bledsoe. ``The bottom line is if we can't beat them with their backups on the field, then we probably don't deserve to be in.''

The Bills (9-7), who had overcome an 0-4 start, had a six-game win streak snapped. Their loss automatically put the New York Jets in.

``It's rough,'' left tackle Jonas Jennings said. ``Everything was set up for us and ... we had to come out and handle our business and we came up short.''

Buffalo made it close when Willis McGahee scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard plunge with 78 seconds left. But the Bills failed on an onside kick when Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor smothered the ball.

The Bills looked nothing like a team that outscored its opponents 228-89 in its previous six games.

Buffalo managed just 267 yards, with seven three-and-outs. And the defense couldn't get the Steelers off the field, losing the time-of-possession battle by more than 11 minutes.

The game turned late in the third quarter after Buffalo's Rian Lindell missed wide right on a 28-yard field goal that left the Bills clinging to a 17-16 lead.

The Steelers responded with 10 points in an 85-second span at the start of the fourth quarter.

Following Reed's field goal, Bledsoe was blind-sided by rookie cornerback Ricardo Colclough, who forced a fumble that fell directly into Harrison's hands.

The Bills went three-and-out on their next possession and the Steelers then ate up nearly nine minutes with a 14-play, 46-yard drive helped by two defensive penalties. It was capped with a 33-yard field goal by Reed, who kicked five.

St. Pierre extended the drive with a 2-yard bootleg on fourth-and-1 at the Bills 37.

Antwaan Randle El also scored on a 16-yard Maddox pass.

``15 and 1, baby!'' Steelers running back Duce Staley yelled as he headed to the locker room.

Roethlisberger was bubbling following the performance.

``I told someone, `If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up because I want to keep this going,''' Roethlisberger said. ``What's so special about this team is everyone is selfless.''

The Steelers have two weeks to await their next opponent. The Bills have a long offseason to ponder what went wrong.

``It's frustrating because I want more for this organization, especially the fans,'' said receiver Eric Moulds. ``I feel like they deserve more than what we showed today.''

Bills' owner Ralph Wilson remained upbeat.

``We had a bad day and it didn't work out,'' Wilson said. ``I'm really looking forward to next year, because we have something to build on.''

This really goes to show, that although Roethlisberger is the best offensive rookie of the year, we can win without his tremendous playing ability. The second string really showed there stuff today, and proved that just because they don't get the playing time, they are still very effective. Keep the streak alive through the playoffs you guys. GO STEELERS!

Roethlisberger remains red-hot

2004-12-28T14:57:00.000-05:00

Just like their previous game, the Ravens put a Steelers quarterback out with an injury. They accomplished little else on a day the Steelers made certain they won't leave Pittsburgh until the Super Bowl if they keep winning.

Still-unbeaten Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes in a run-heavy offense before being pulled from a 20-7 Steelers victory Sunday with an unspecified rib injury caused by a blindside hit on a scoring pass.

Pittsburgh (14-1) wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and a first-round bye. But a team already playing without six injured regulars sustained two more injuries, as Roethlisberger and cornerback Deshea Townsend (broken right hand) left during the fourth quarter.

``We have a lot of guys hurt right now, but now we control our own destiny,'' wide receiver Hines Ward said. ``Now teams are going to have to come in and deal with the weather, the field and our fans. You couldn't ask for a better situation.''

Except to be healthier.

Roethlisberger was assisted off the field, a large clump of grass sticking out of the left side of his face mask, after being leveled by Terrell Suggs on a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jerame Tuman. Suggs was penalized for roughing the passer, but the play did not touch off any incidents.

Roethlisberger, who wears a protective jacket around his ribs like many NFL quarterbacks do, returned to complete throws of 26 yards to Plaxico Burress and 9 to Jerome Bettis on Pittsburgh's next drive early in the fourth quarter. But he was replaced by Tommy Maddox midway through the drive because, coach Bill Cowher said, ``He grimaced every time he threw it.''

Roethlisberger's injury was the lone worrisome note for the Steelers as they ran their franchise-record winning streak to 13 games and all but eliminated the Ravens (8-7) from playoff contention.

``You don't like to lose, especially in this environment, in what pretty much is a playoff game for us,'' Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller said.

Roethlisberger (14 of 19, 211 yards, one interception) probably won't play Jan. 2 in Buffalo, but none of his teammates seemed overly concerned. Roethlisberger did not speak to reporters.

``Ben's a tough guy, and I'm not worried at all about Ben,'' Bettis said. ``He wanted to keep going. He's a competitor.''

Coincidentally, Roethlisberger became Pittsburgh's starter when Maddox hurt his right elbow Sept. 19 against the Ravens. Maddox did not play again until Sunday.

Bettis ran for 117 yards in his sixth 100-yard game this season -- all in place of Duce Staley (hamstring), who sat out for the sixth time in eight games. Bettis also moved past Eric Dickerson on the NFL career rushing list with 13,294 yards to fourth on the career rushing list and closed to within 60 yards of his ninth 1,000-yard season.

``To go past Eric Dickerson is amazing, considering my role (as a backup) when the season started,'' Bettis said.

Pittsburgh is assured of matching the best record in franchise history (14-2 in 1978) even if it loses at Buffalo.

``They've been on a roll and it doesn't seem like they're stopping,'' Ravens safety Ed Reed said. ``But I still think we're a better team than we displayed.''

Burress returned from a four-week layoff with a sore hamstring and made an immediate impact with three catches for 97 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger as Pittsburgh drove 80 yards in five plays on its opening possession.

Three times the Ravens advanced to at least the Pittsburgh 35 without scoring, with Jamal Lewis held to 26 yards on 14 carries. The Ravens scored only eight touchdowns while going 3-5 on the road.

Baltimore briefly tied it at 7 on Jamal Lewis' 5-yard TD run, but Joey Porter's interception of Boller's tipped pass led to Jeff Reed's 23-yard field goal that made it 10-7.

The Steelers took control by starting the second half with a 14-play, 71-yard drive that featured 12 consecutive runs ahead of Tuman's touchdown catch.

``We came out and hit them with some good run plays and I think we realized, `Hey, these plays are working, let's stick to them they stop them,' `` fullback Dan Kreider said.

Roethlisberger makes it hard for us to loose. He is throwing like a seasoned pro. Lets keep up the good work Steelers!

Making it 12!

2004-12-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

From Sports.yahoo.com:

The main thing separating Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning on Saturday was the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie quarterback made his biggest plays with the game on the line.

Roethlisberger threw for a season-high 316 yards and hit four straight passes to set up Jerome Bettis' game-winning 1-yard run with 4:57 to go, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 33-30 win over the New York Giants.

``I am amazed, but he is an awesome quarterback,'' receiver Antwaan Randle said after Roethlisberger led the Steelers (13-1) to a team-record 12th straight win and handed the Giants (5-9) a seventh straight loss.

``He might have a long way to go, but he has this great poise,'' said Randle El, who caught five passes for 149 yards and a TD and also threw his first career TD. ``You can have all the ability in the world but if you don't have to the poise to do it, it won't happen.''

Roethlisberger, who has not lost in 25 straight college and pro starts, showed his poise in moving the Steelers from their 33 to the New York 8 after a Tiki Barber 1-yard run had given New York a 30-26 lead.

``He has been making good decisions with games on the line,'' coach Bill Cowher said of the 11th pick in the NFL draft. ``In the fourth quarter, he has a feel for the game and an understanding of the game and he manages it well.''

Until Saturday, Manning has struggled in losing his first four starts. The No. 1 pick in the draft was horrible in his last two games and seemingly had lost his confidence.

Using a game plan filled with plays he liked, Manning found himself against the NFL's top-ranked defense. He threw two touchdown passes and set up Barber's go-ahead touchdown with three completions of 15 yards or more.

``I had fun because we were getting some stuff done,'' said Manning, who completed 16 of 23 for 182 yards. ``We were making plays, running the ball, the line was protecting, receivers were making catching. We got in a rhythm and it was back to playing football again. It was a good feeling.''

Roethlisberger hit five passes of 34 or more yards in a much-hyped matchup with Manning, who only had one over 20 yards.

The two talked before the game and they congratulated each other after it was over.

``I don't ever want to remember what it is like to lose,'' said Roethlisberger, who also threw two interceptions.

Randle El caught a 35-yard touchdown pass and threw a 10-yard shovel pass to Verron Haynes for a touchdown. Jeff Reed kicked four field goals, Hines Ward had nine catches for 134 yards despite finishing the game with a hip pointer and Bettis ran for 140 yards for the Steelers.

Manning threw touchdown passes of 2 yards to Jeremy Shockey and 1 yard to Marcellus Rivers. He also hit Amani Toomer with two 17-yard passes and he added a 15-yarder to Ike Hilliard to set up Barber's go-ahead TD run.

Manning was sacked on a 2-point conversion attempt.

Roethlisberger then sandwiched passes of 9 and 11 yards to Ward around a dump off to Bettis before hitting Randle El for 36 yards to the Giants 8. Three straight runs by Bettis got the ball in the end zone.

Willie Williams picked off a deep throw to a tripped Toomer on the next series and the Steelers ran out the clock.

Giants receiver Willie Ponder took the opening kickoff 91 yards for a score. It was the Giants' first game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown in a regular-season home game in their 80-year history.

The Steelers used trickery to tie the game with Randle El making the shovel pass after taking a lateral from Roethlisberger.

Manning, who had led the Giants to only one touchdown in 45 possessions since replacing Kurt Warner at quarterback, hit Shockey for a TD on the next series.

Manning gave New York a 24-23 lead with his TD pass to Rivers.

Reed put Pittsburgh ahead 26-24 with is 28-yarder early in the fourth quarter.

Roethlisberger is surely going to become one of the all time greats in the game!

Bettis does whatever is asked of him

2004-12-15T16:24:00.000-05:00

By Teresa Varley, Steelers.com

To know Jerome Bettis is to know one thing. If you ask him to do something he is going to do it. And not just do it, but do it to perfection.

When the 2004 season started Bettis was asked to take a backseat in the Steelers offense. He would be the guy to pound the ball in to the end zone anywhere inside the five-yard line, while Duce Staley was getting the carries.

Some players of his stature might complain. They might cause turmoil in the locker room being asked to take that type of reduced role. But that isn’t Bettis’ style. You will never hear him complain, not in public or private.

“My whole career, I have been the feature back,” said Bettis. “This is something I have grown to work within in terms of understanding what my role is and really, really trying to excel in that role. It is one of those situations that I am finding a way to flourish in the role that has been given to me. I understand, and I think it is the best situation for this football team.”

So how did he respond on the field? In the Steelers first game against the Raiders Bettis carried the ball five times for one-yard. Some might look at that and initially think, ouch. Not really what you expect from a future Hall of Famer. But when you look closely, three of those carries were for touchdowns, the only ones scored by the offense in a 24-21 victory.

Fast-forward to the Eagles game on November 7. Staley suffered a hamstring injury the week before and would be sidelined. So it was time to get The Bus in gear again. No more goal line only. This time he would be carrying the load. And carry it he did.

He carried the ball 33 times for 149 yards against a stingy Eagles defense. It would be the start of four-straight 100-yard games for him. He just kept churning them out, coming through for the offense with what they needed.

“You can’t say enough about what Jerome means to this team,” said quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. “If he is not on the field, it is his leadership. When he is on the field, it is his hard running and his leadership. You can’t say enough about what Jerome means to this team.”

When Staley returned to the line-up two weeks ago against Jacksonville, Bettis took the back seat again. He knew it was the right thing, no matter how much he wanted to keep on playing.

“You can look at it as you were demoted, and everything is negative and you look at everything from a down side saying this is what I am relegated to, and they are trying to get me out of here,” said Bettis. “Or you can look at it say this gives me an opportunity to stay fresh and when I do get the opportunity, take advantage of it. So, be ready, go to practice excited about what you are doing, and just be ready. That is the attitude I have taken with the situation. I have always been ready. When I get in practice, I am practicing as if I am going to get 30 carries. If it doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t. But if it does I am ready for it and it has been paying off for me.

On Sunday against the Jets Bettis was ready and there was nobody that made the impact he did on the game. Bettis threw for a touchdown and ran for a touchdown, playing mostly in the second half, all while going over 13,000 yards for his career.

It was vintage Bettis. Doing whatever was asked of him and as always, doing it to perfection.

Keep'n the streak alive!

2004-11-30T20:21:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

The Washington Redskins only wish they were getting as much offense from their starters as the streaking Pittsburgh Steelers are from their backups.

Antwaan Randle El, making only his second NFL start at receiver, took care of the big plays and Jerome Bettis again handled the short yardage in his fourth consecutive 100-yard game off the bench to lead the Steelers past Washington 16-7 Sunday.

The Steelers' nine-game winning streak is their longest since they won their final nine in 1976. They are 10-1 for the first time since 1975, the second of their four Super Bowl championship seasons.

``We're 10-1, and that would have been hard to picture,'' guard Alan Faneca said. ``We've got a nice little thing going right now.''

Just like those Steel Curtain days of the 1970s, the Steelers are increasingly relying on the NFL's top-ranked defense as opponents come up with ways to contain unbeaten quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

The rookie had his second straight low-production game (9-of-20, 131 yards, four sacks) while constantly sidestepping Washington's pass rush, but it hardly made any difference even as Pittsburgh was held to 207 yards.

Randle El scampered through the Redskins' coverage team on punt returns of 60 and 43 yards to set up two first-half scores -- Bettis' 4-yard touchdown run, his 11th of the season, and the first of Jeff Reed's three field goals on a blustery day.

Randle El, making a spot start for the injured Plaxico Burress (hamstring), also made two catches for 37 yards and drew a 32-yard pass interference penalty.

``You need every guy,'' Randle El said. ``I don't care if you are the big star, if you don't have the rest of the guys doing what they are supposed to be doing it makes it hard. Special teams came up big, and we need to keep it going because sometimes the offense may sputter.''

Bettis started when Duce Staley unexpectedly sat out a fourth straight game with a sore hamstring, and responded with 100 yards on 31 carries. His 47th career 100-yard game matches Franco Harris' team record.

``I'm a mudder, so this was my weather,'' said Bettis, who last had four consecutive 100-yard games in 2001. ``It was a tough day -- they have the No. 2 defense in the league and you can see why -- but I'm a big guy and I always feel I can wear a defense down in the second half.''

The Redskins (3-8), headed for one of the lowest-scoring seasons in NFL history, were held to 156 yards and to single-digit scoring for a second consecutive game, following up a 28-6 loss to Philadelphia. They haven't scored more than 18 points in a game this season.

``One of our goals is to score 21 points,'' quarterback Patrick Ramsey said. ``We've got to do that.''

Washington was held to 50 yards as Pittsburgh opened a 13-0 lead in the first half.

``It's very tough to make yards on them; they're one of best defenses I've been against,'' Redskins coach Joe Gibbs said. ``It was a little bit of us and a little bit of them. We hurt ourselves by dropping some balls and not executing.''

With star running back Clinton Portis sitting out most of the second half, the Redskins drove 79 yards in 13 plays early in the third quarter for Ramsey's 2-yard scoring pass to Chris Cooley on fourth-and-goal, cutting it to 13-7.

Portis, among the NFL's rushing leaders with 945 yards and coming off consecutive 1,500-yard seasons for Denver, had only six carries for 17 yards. He has just 54 yards the last two weeks.

``We felt our best way to get it downfield (was to throw),'' Gibbs said. ``I am sure he will be upset about it. I expect him to be. He is very competitive.''

Portis said, ``I'm not in Denver anymore, I'm in Washington, I have to find a way to be a key player in this system, the same way I was there.''

It is lookin good for us this year. Although Roethlisberger wasn't playing to his potential, it shows that we don't have to have Roethlisberger to succed. Even though it was no repeat of the Browns game, Bettis showed his stuff by leading the team in yards this game. And once again we put the plug on the few non-believers remaining after putting one more game in the bag for now atleast. It doesn't look like we are going to stop soon so long as us fans get out there. Lets pump up the players and get the city excited. GO STEELERS!

8 in a row but will injuries stop that?

2004-11-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

The Pittsburgh Steelers keep winning games and losing players.

The latest additions to an injury list that took coach Bill Cowher more than five minutes to recite Tuesday: wide receiver Plaxico Burress, inside linebacker Kendrell Bell and defensive lineman Brett Keisel. All will miss Sunday's home game against Washington.

Bell, one of the AFC's most disruptive pass rushers, will be out a minimum of three to four games with his second major groin injury this season. He could miss the rest of the season if he needs another operation, potentially a major setback to the NFL's top-ranked defense.

``We're still exploring all of the options,'' Cowher said.

Bell needed surgery last month to repair a hernia in his groin, but returned three weeks ago and was just beginning to resemble the player chosen as the 2001 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year when he tore a groin tendon Sunday.

Larry Foote has been a more than adequate replacement at inside linebacker for Bell and is third on the team in tackles. But rarely commands the extra attention from offensive lines that Bell attracts.

James Farrior, the other inside linebacker in the Steelers' 3-4 defense, has helped make up for Bell's missing production with a Pro Bowl-quality season. He has three sacks, three interceptions, has forced three fumbles and recovered three.

``He's just playing so much faster and playing more instinctively and, consequently, he's making a lot of plays,'' Cowher said. ``Since (outside linebacker) Joey Porter got hurt last year, he's become a three-down player and he's been making a lot of plays on third down.''

The Steelers (9-1) won't have their best third-down receiving threat Sunday when they go for their ninth consecutive victory, taking on Washington (3-7). Burress (sore hamstring) will sit out after missing most of the final three quarters of Sunday's 19-14 victory in Cincinnati.

Burress' absence means Antwaan Randle El will start at receiver with Hines Ward, whose production has slowed considerably as he has seen more double coverage.

Ward was held to one catch after Burress left early in the second quarter Sunday and has made eight catches in three games after making at least six receptions in each of his first seven games.

Even before this latest run of injuries, the Steelers already were without four injured regulars: right guard Kendall Simmons, nose tackle Casey Hampton, running back Duce Staley and cornerback Chad Scott. Only Staley and Scott will return this season.

Staley (bruised hamstring) will practice Wednesday for the first time since Nov. 4 and could start Sunday in place of Jerome Bettis, who is coming off three consecutive 100-yard games. Scott (quadriceps) will miss his fifth straight game but could play Dec. 5 at Jacksonville.

Keisel, who backs up Aaron Smith at defensive end, will be out three to four weeks with a strained hamstring.

Cowher isn't blaming the numerous injuries, but his team played its shakiest game of the winning streak Sunday. Rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked seven times, and the Steelers squandered numerous scoring chances inside the Bengals' 20.

Cowher is wary of the Redskins despite their record, pointing to their second-ranked defense and improving ground game. Clinton Portis has rushed for 506 yards in five games.

``It's an important time of the year, certainly we realize that,'' Cowher said. ``We have to keep trudging along and clean up some things from last week's game and, hopefully, we're going to get a better effort.''

No doubt Cowher hopes Roethlisberger's appearance on David Letterman's show Tuesday night doesn't prove distracting. Cowher didn't discourage Roethlisberger from appearing but, asked if he would watch, Cowher said, ``No, uh-uh.''

We are hot this season, really hot, but if our streak is going to end this season, this would be the game that would do it. We are missing some key parts of our defense against a fairly strong Jacksonville team. If our defense can't handle the set back, there is no doubt in my mind we will see another game like the Ravens game. Lets stay strong and make 9 Steelers! GO STEELERS!

We got the win, but the attention was on the fight.

2004-11-15T17:03:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Talking trash wasn't enough. The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers decided to trade punches.

Less than an hour before Sunday's game, Browns running back William Green and Steelers linebacker Joey Porter squared off and wildly swung at each other near midfield.

The altercation resulted in both being ejected before the opening kickoff and added another chapter to the NFL's nastiest rivalry, which had lost some of its snarl the past few years.

``We're getting it back,'' remarked Steelers chairman Dan Rooney.

As the teams were going through pregame drills, Porter and Green got into a heated verbal exchange in front of the Browns' bench. Seconds later, they were throwing overhand rights, uppercuts and roundhouse lefts before being separated.

``I've never been a boxing referee,'' Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said. ``It was weird. It was just one of those unfortunate things. Emotions boiled over.''

Porter landed one of his blows to Green's face, bloodying his lower lip.

Tensions between the teams were riding high following comments Browns defensive tackle Gerard Warren made in the days leading up to the game. Warren threatened to go after Pittsburgh rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's head.

The NFL warned Warren on Friday that any unnecessary roughness could result in a suspension.

Warren's remarks had players edgy as they took the field.

``You could see something coming,'' said Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. ``Joey came over there and they got into it. Their faces were real close and spit was flying. The next thing you know he (Green) tried to head-butt Joey. Then punches were thrown.''

Ward was disappointed Porter, one of the league's most verbose players, got himself kicked out.

``Joey has got to be smarter than that,'' Ward said. ``We've got more to lose than they got. I know Joey regrets what happened.''

Browns fullback Terrelle Smith, whom Ward accused of inciting the fight, also threw a punch during the skirmish, but was not thrown out. Smith said he was trying to protect his teammate.

``Anything that happens to him, happens to me,'' Smith said. ``You got to protect your own. There are always words exchanged, but maybe he (Porter) talked to the wrong people.''

Roethlisberger wasn't sure what was happening when the fight broke out.

``I was 20 yards away. I picked up my helmet and went over,'' he said. ``As a leader I want to help, but I didn't want to do anything stupid.''

Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia maybe summed up the foolishness of the fight better than anyone.

``We can't afford to lose players before the game even starts,'' he said.

Way to step up in the Game you guys, but we need to keep the beatings strictly in the game or else it could hurt our team in a whole. Keep Winning and keep the emotions down! GO STEELERS!

ENDED A STREAK

2004-11-03T18:34:00.000-05:00

From sports.yahoo.com

The New England Patriots are no longer perfect, all because of a rookie quarterback who still is.

Ben Roethlisberger, who doesn't know what it's like to lose an NFL game, drove the Steelers to four scores following uncharacteristic New England turnovers and Pittsburgh ended the Patriots' two long winning streaks with a remarkably easy 34-20 victory Sunday.

The Patriots (6-1) had won 21 straight counting the playoffs and a league-record 18 in a row in the regular season, but were all but out of this one after Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Plaxico Burress during a 21-point Steelers first quarter.

Maybe all this winning was too much to ask of Boston-area teams. With running back Corey Dillon (thigh) sitting out and Pro Bowl cornerback Ty Law (foot) sidelined for all but a few plays, the Patriots' record run ended only four days after the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years.

``It was never about the streak, that was never part of our preparation,'' linebacker Mike Vrabel said. ``It wasn't this week against the Steelers, either -- we just didn't play well enough to win, that's it.''

This was supposed to be the game that exposed Roethlisberger as a rookie -- taking on New England's defensive mastermind, coach Bill Belichick, and the Patriots' unpredictable defenses. Instead, Roethlisberger ran his own winning streak to 18 -- his last 13 games at Miami of Ohio and his first five in the NFL.

Only former Steelers quarterback Mike Kruczek's 6-0 start while subbing for the injured Terry Bradshaw in 1976 is longer than Roethlisberger's since the 1970 NFL merger. But Kruczek never threw a TD pass in 10 games this season.

Coming into this game against the boastful Patriots this weekend was hard. We were lucky to have the home crowd cheering us on and Roethlisberger continued to show us why he isn't just any rookie. With a average QB rating of 104.7, he is nearing Manning and Culpepper. Everybody came into this game thinking the Patriots would keep their winning streak alive but our Steelers gave them a run for their money and took the money and made it look easy at that. Staley rushed for 125 yards with a average of 5 yards per play. With the offense and the defense against the powerhouse of the NFl, we have really showed the rest of the Country that the Patriots are not indestructible by any means. Lets keep up the good work and forget about the Ravens early this season. GO STEELERS!

Tough game coming up.

2004-10-26T20:45:00.000-04:00

Its almost a foreshadowing of what I think what the AFC championship game will look like. We have the Patriots coming up next week. It's going to be tough to break a 21 game winning streak of a team like the Patriots. It isn't the fact they have won 21 games in a row but they have the momentum and the adrenaline. I am by no means saying that we are out of this though. We have all the potential and playing ability that we need to get us a nice shiny ring this year. I know I have said this many times before but Roethlisberger is one of the top rated QBs in this league and is a Rookie on top of that. Staley has proved to be a leader and a great RB. We can beat the Patriots but we have to hit them early and hard inorder for us to bring them down. Let's give the Patriots a run for their money! GO STEELERS!

Roethlisberger can play.

2004-10-18T16:42:00.000-04:00

Roethlisberger really stepped up against the Cowboys yesterday. He played like any quarterback(rookies or veterans) aspire to play like. He threw 21 for 25 with no interceptions and a QB rating of 125.5.Ward also played great with 2 TD's. We are really starting to show qualities of a championship team and Roethlisberger is bound for greatness. Lets keep up the good work guys, because we have the ultimate test of strengths against the undefeated Patriots next game and they wont go down without a fight.

Rookie serves well

2004-10-11T13:06:00.000-04:00

After Maddox hurt his arm, nobody thought Roethlisberger would preform to a veterans standard. He threw for 231 yards with only 1 interception. Him being a non-starting rookie is just another amazement that really gives me high hopes about him and the future of the Steelers. But back to the present day, we are really getting tough this year and we just need to keep it up. Aside from the Raven's game, we have been really playing great. We just need to keep up the intensity for Brady and the Patriots which is coming up on Haloween. Let's keep up the good work you guys and hope to get Maddox back in there soon.

We jumped on them like a pack of wolves!

2004-09-30T16:54:00.000-04:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Pittsburgh forced four turnovers, made a key fourth-down stop and beat the hapless Miami Dolphins 13-3 Sunday night.

The Dolphins havn't looked good at all this season, and well we took advantage of that, just like all the other teams. Ben Roethlisberger played a pretty good game aside from the a interception( his first). He does deserve credit for taking over a big position in such short notice. The game was ofcourse pushed back after the hurricane threat, but the ending was inevitable. We played sloppy and we could improve on alot of things, but while we are winning I'm happy so lets get the Bengals on Sunday.

Maddox is out for a good part of the season

2004-09-23T16:26:00.000-04:00

Maddox has ligament and tendon damage in his elbow which will prevent him from throwing for the next 6-8 weeks. This comes to the Steelers as a major hit and I am curious to see what we will do about it. Ben Roethlisberger who was supposed to be a starter later on in a few years is going to end up being our starter. The starters in the past havn't set much of a standard for him to follow in even though one of them(Terry Bradshaw) was a hall of famer. Lets keep our hopes up high and pray that Maddox will get over his injuries to return to play. Lets get an early leg up in the AFC North!

forget the past

2004-09-14T16:22:00.000-04:00

After having a not so good season last year in games that were decided by a low amount of points, we seemed to improve on our intensity to the end instead of playing the same old intensity as if we were up by 20. Although the game against Oakland could have been better, its nice to know we are improving...
From Sports.Yahoo.Com:

``It seems like last year this was the kind of game we were losing,'' defensive end Aaron Smith said Monday. ``To have a game like this and come out with a victory shows that, this year, we've got a little different approach.''

Cuts

2004-09-06T17:14:00.000-04:00

The following players were cut:
LS Drew Caylor , OT Bo Lacy , DE Eric Taylor,Veterans NT Kendrick Clancy and LB Adrian Ross,fullback J.T. Wall, RB Dante Brown, LB Dedrick Roper, and S Russell Stuvaints,OT/OG Todd Fordham.

Lets hope its for the better!

Redemption

2004-08-28T16:10:00.000-04:00

After the close lose against the Lions, We have redeemed ourselves by not 1 win but by 2. We got back our respect in a matter of a week and it feels alot better to be winning. On a worse note, we had to cut 6 more players towards the final roster...
From sports.yahoo.com
"The Steelers released defensive lineman Anthony Herron, offensive tackle Morgan Pears, fullback Darryl Kennedy, linebacker Nick McNeil, offensive guard Josh Parrish, and safety Janssen Patton.

The cuts leave the Steelers with 78 players on the roster, which must be cut to 71 by Tuesday."

Even though this is a tough part of being on the team, it has to be done. This week they are playing the Carolina Panthers so.. Lets get em' Steelers!!

ughh, very close game

2004-08-18T16:53:00.000-04:00

Brian St. Pierre almost pulled it off at the last second. Even though we lost, we played a heck of a game at the end of it. I was nearly tearing a hole in my couch from the suspense. In the end, the Lions outplayed us overall and we learned alot of things we need to improve. Now lets get ready for the Texans and win us a game. GO STEELERS!

New Season, New Record

2004-08-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

Well with last years disappointing season( to say the least) , we are going to want to win one this year. If you guys haven't been keeping up with the NFL draft , here's what happened for the Steelers.
From sports.yahoo.com:

1
11 (11)
Ben Roethlisberge
QB
Miami (Oh)

2
6 (38)
Ricardo Colclough
CB
Tusculum College
(from Atlanta via Indianapolis)

3
12 (75)
Max Starks
OT
Florida

5
13 (145)
Nathaniel Adibi
DE
Virginia Tech

6
12 (177)
Bo Lacy
OT
Arkansas

6
29 (194)
Matt Kranchik
TE
Penn St.
(from St. Louis)

6
32 (197)
Drew Caylor
C
Stanford
(from New England)

7
11 (212)
Eric Taylor
DT
Memphis

Hopefully, the rookies will make a difference, but I guess we will have to wait and see. Go Steelers!

Steelers 2004 Schedule

2004-07-28T16:39:00.000-04:00

Here's the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2004 schedule from NFL.com:

2004 Preseason
Date Opponent Time/Result
Aug. 14 at Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 21 Houston 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 26 at Philadelphia 8:00 p.m.
Sept. 2 Carolina 7:00 p.m.

2004 Schedule
Date Opponent Result
Sept. 12 Oakland 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 19 at Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 26 at Miami 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 3 Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 10 Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 17 at Dallas 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 24 Open Date
Oct. 31 New England 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 7 Philadelphia 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 14 at Cleveland 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 21 at Cincinnati 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 Washington 1:00 p.m.
Dec. 5 at Jacksonville 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 New York Jets 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 18 at New York Giants 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 26 Baltimore 1:00 p.m.
Jan. 2 at Buffalo 1:00 p.m.

new steelers blog

2004-07-19T17:22:00.000-04:00

hey, just getting this thing set up right now, i'll start posting soon. please come back soon and check out my progress!