Beer We Go Steelers

The Black and Gold have nine selections in the 79th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The NFL Draft 2014 is finally here. It seems like the NFL season ended two years ago.

The Steelers have two very glaring needs, Cornerback and Defensive line. The Steelers must grab a shut down corner and defensive line help, that has to be goal number 1 in the draft.  They also need help/depth at Linebacker and Wide Receiver.

Alright Beer We Go Nation It is great to be back!

Here are your quick hits for April 23, 2014

-The NFL draft is just about two weeks away and there are several rumors flying around.

-My take is the Steelers HAVE to improve the defensive backfield first. This has to be the number one priority. Grab a Cornerback in Round 1 and grab a project safety and another Cornerback later in the rounds.

-Grab D-line help in round two and O-line help in round three.

-…And in the vain of being obvious…if a great linebacker falls to us grab him. (Expert idea’s like that is  why they pay me to write this blog!!!)

-Free Agent Defections:

Jonathon Dwyer, RB: The coaches have had next to no confidence in him since he has been here. So this wasn’t a shock, I personally thought he was worth another look as the backup but it is hard to lament over this one especially when you skip to the bottom and look at the free agent signings.

Ziggy Hood, DE: I thought this was a mistake but at the price tag he was getting it is again hard to fault the team. He never really lived up to his 1st Round grade, and he seemed to be miscast as a hold the point defensive end. Despite some flashes of brilliance, it just didn’t work out. This basically KILLED the 2009 draft now and he will be considered Colbert’s worst first round pick.

David Johnson, TE: One of my favorite guys on the roster but in the immortal words of Barry Foster; “You can’t make the club, sitting in the tub.” He was constantly injured.

Felix Jones, RB: Only reason I am sad about this, is I took an AWESOME photo of him at the Jets game that I had to take down in my office.

Manny Sanders, WR: Was completely over paid by the Broncos. I liked him and he was a good contributor but we couldn’t pay him what he received. On a personal note I hated typing his actual first name, so another bonus.

LaMarr Woodley, OLB: The MMP jersey curse continues, has been a disappointment the last few years and see Barry Foster note above! Had to happen! I do think he has great football still left in him, maybe a change of scenery will help him.

Al Woods, DE: While he was only a backup, this was by far the worse loss of the off season. I am not sure what happened here and he was someone we should have kept! Big Mistake!

Ryan Clark, S: One of my favorite Steelers and one of the best free agents we ever signed. He had a terrible season last year and he seems to have lost a step. That being said, he will be missed and I wish him well in Washington.

Jerricho Cotchery, WR: This is a weird one. Very sorry to see him go but again I think we improved with his defection. He did a great job last year.

Eric Olsen, C : How will we manage without him? Kidding, seriously, I had to look back and figure out who he was. He is not going to be missed.

-Free Agent Signings:

Mike Mitchell, S: This was an “Un-Steeler” like signing, but a darn good one. He fills a need and he is coming off a great year. His skillset should also let Troy be Troy again.

LeGarrette Blount, RB: This could be one of those Steelers under the radar great moves. He can be the big banger out of the backfield that the Steelers wanted Dwyer to be. I like the move.

Darrius Heyward-Bay, WR: This seems like a reach and I would have rather signed Plaxico Buress again. Not sure what the thoughts were on this. He is fast but can’t catch.

Arthur Moats, LB: Good depth guy and has the potential to contribute.

Lance Moore, WR: He will take Cotchery’s spot on the team and he has more dimensions then Cotch. Great signing!

Brice McCain, CB: He will add depth to a position that needs it desperately. Anything will be an improvement over last year.

Adam Podlesh, P: Should be the starting punter replacing Mat McBriar.

Cam Thomas, DT: He will be penciled in to start at Defensive Tackle. He fits the traditional Defensive Tackle mold, big slow behemoth clogging the middle. This could be the best free agent signing of the class if it works out and will help McLendon’s development.

-Steelers worth a second look:

Brett Kiesel, DE: Why he hasn’t been resigned is a mystery? We need Defensive Line help and he knows the scheme and performed well last season when not injured.

Fernando Velasco, C: Absolutely worth a second look, he practically saved the season last year and filled in great. While the Steelers opted for Cody Wallace (Who I really like!), I would still sign Velasco too.

Plaxico Burress, WR: I get that I am pushing this. He is worth taking a look at because of his physical attributes.

Stevenson Sylvester, LB: I have been pushing this guy for a while and when he came back he did well. Great special teams player.

James Harrison, OLB: While technically he isn’t a Steelers free agent, he will always be a Steeler to me! The Captain and I are trying to sneak him back in the Black and Gold. While his best days are behind him, he can still contribute at a position we need help at. SILVERBACK COME HOME!!!

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!!!

It was a difficult season for sure! But it also was very rewarding on a personal note. I had a great time and memories that will last a lifetime!

It also spurred me to do a season review of BWG Steelers and recount my favorite moments:

My Favorite “Road” Game: 

Buckley’s (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buckleys-Irish-Pub/141369932624782) in Center Moriches! I only did one Steeler game this year on the road but it was excellent. The food is great, although Josh the Chef is a Bengals fan. I went with my buddy Matt and my other buddy and we had a great time. KGB picked us up afterward and the Steelers clobbered the Browns!

Honorable Mention: Saratoga in about four different bars for the Bears game! The game was awful but it was great seeing all the Steelers fans. While I wasn’t personally there, BWG at Lambeau Field, and BWG at Nathaniel’s in Rochester was pretty cool! Thanks to Bill and Jim for carrying on the BEER WE GO tradition!

My Favorite Road Game: This is another easy one albeit a loss. LONDON ENGLAND for the Vikings game! It SUCKED that they lost, but if you say that being a Steelers fan is different than being a fan of anyone else, this was the proof. There was a brotherhood there and it was great being with Andrew Duncan and Steelers UK. I am grateful to KGB for making this happen!

Honorable Mention: Watching the Steelers get their first win by whipping the Jets! It was like going to a Steeler home game. I wish we were playing them next year in NY instead of the ‘Burgh!

My Favorite “Home” Game: Steelers beating the Ravens. We rushed home from Mattebella Vineyard(http://www.mattebellavineyards.com/welcomemattebella/) and our friends Matt and Erin “watched” (if you count sleeping on the easy chair) the game with us. Had a great day and great time!

My Favorite Home Game: This was easy because I only went to one game in the ‘Burgh. The Steelers handily beating the Bills. Going with KGB and My daughter “Little Miss Tailgate” was terrific. Sitting with Tom Janicki and having a tailgate with the BWG Original Chapter was downright awesome. Un-related to football but something worth mentioning is in my 30+ years affiliated with the Steelers and my 20+ years of going to the ‘Burgh, I finally rode “The Incline”. Lots of fun!

My Favorite Snack for any game: This is going to be selfish and self-serving, but I am going with MY OWN Sausage and Peppers. They were a hit all year and the Steelers won every time we made them!

Honorable Mention: KGB’s “Kielbasa in a blanket” with Hot Mustard. Josh from Buckley’s Buffalo Potato Skins! Like I said, the guy is a Bengals fan but he sure can cook!

Special Thanks:

Writing this blog is a labor of love,  but it also is usually a team effort. While the results of the season were disappointing the experience this year was something I will always cherish. I feel grateful and want to say thanks to a few people!

I am grateful to the readers and contributors to this blog. I write the blog for yinz first and foremost and while I definitely am slanted towards the Steelers, I try and be fair about it.

A special thanks to The Janickis, both Tom(BWG FOUNDER) and Kristen for hosting us in the ‘Burgh and shuttling us around. Janick is the founder of Beer We Go and I hope I do him proud every week.

I am thankful to Ben Harkins and especially Andrew Duncan for making the London trip that much better. Andrew was a gracious host and rallied over a thousand Steeler fans together. I think I was more disappointed for Andrew then the actual Steelers!

I want to thank Beth Csukas and her amazing family for completing our London and Ireland trip with us!

Thank You to Bill Wilshire and Jim Lochrie, my friends and colleagues for representing Beer We Go at Lambeau Field and at Nathaniel’s in Rochester!

I want to thank all my kids, step and non-step(;)), everyone one of them contributed something to the season for me!

Most of all I wanted to thank KGB, my amazing girlfriend who planned and trekked across the Atlantic Ocean and across the great state of Pa. to feed my Steeler addiction. She missed family functions, left our vineyard early to get home for the Ravens game, never scheduled anything during game time, and always tried to be supportive, even when I was dropping the F-Bomb out loud at Sea Cove, throwing remote controls and screaming at the TV. Sorry about missing “midnight madness”, I am still sticking with my excuse; “but babe it’s the RAVENS GAME!” She has been tremendous and I am lucky to have her. Love you babe!

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

Here is my final Report Card for the 2013 Season.

“Starting 0-4 and being 2-6 at the turn, it’s encouraging to know the type of  men that you work with that are capable of getting singularly focused and tuning  out the noise and staying together and continuing to work and improve in the  midst of negativity, all of those things are encouraging,” – Steelers Coach, Mike Tomlin

GRADES:

Coaching: B, Mike Tomlin had to bounce back and do some of his best coaching and in the end after a 0-4 start, he had the Steelers one play from making the playoffs. Todd Haley year two, was a huge distraction. Soon as the offensive line stabilized the method to the madness began to show through and the Steelers started scoring points. The jury is still out on Haley, but the results are becoming hard to argue. Dick LeBeau, came under fire after a terrible year by the defense. The secondary began to show its age and it cost the Steelers. The linebackers and defensive line had flashes of brilliance but were inconsistent. That being said LeBeau is a GREAT coach and deserves a mulligan. They integrated several young players and the future looks bright. LeBeau should be back next year! Danny Smith gets an honorable mention for turning around the special teams which was a border line clown act at the beginning of the year.

QB: A, Big Ben had a great year and the number one reason the Steelers were still in contention week 17, was because of his efforts. The offensive line was AWFUL and Ben was nearly killed by the terrible protection. Then something magical happened, the line protected Ben, Haley’s offense clicked and the numbers skyrocketed. Ben literally played great all season.

RB: C, It was a horrendous start to the season at running back, Ike Redman washed out early. Jonathon Dwyer was brought back and did a good job, Felix Jones did a good job when called upon. Le’Veon Bell after a slow start exploded on the scene and looks to be the player the Steelers have been looking for. This will be a sure A next year. Will Johnson, did another great job at fullback!

WR: A, Jerricho Cotchery was the go to guy in the red zone, putting up 10 Touchdowns. Manny Sanders played sensational when he was healthy. Derek Moye and Markus Wheaton look like they have bright futures. But this grade clearly belongs to Antonio Brown. He was EVERYTHING the Steelers could have wanted and he played great all season. His history making year was one for the books. As of today he has the title of best player on the Steelers!

TE: B+, Heath Miller, was coming off a devastating injury and while he looked slowed, he played great when he returned. He blocks, he hits and he catches the ball. David Paulson was a bit of a disappointment, he never took the reins, when he had the chance. Matt Spaeth was terrific as the number two once he got healthy! Dave Johnson looked great at first and then like his last few seasons he went down with an injury.

OL: C-, It was an interesting story for the offensive line told in two parts. With less than three minutes into the Season, they lost their best Offensive Lineman in Maurkice Pouncey. That threw the line into disarray. The Steelers signed Fernando Velasco who played terrific in Pouncey’s absence…then he got hurt. The first eight weeks the Steelers were an absolute horror show up front and Big Ben nearly was killed. I am not talking injured, I am talking MORTA. He was getting whipped mercilessly. But then something magical happened, they started to gel and by the end they became a force to be reckoned with. It was an outstanding year for Dave DeCastro who rounded out to be a pro bowl type player. Cody Wallace who was the third string Center did well and he plays with a nasty streak. Mike Adams was awful but before we write him off keep in mind that he got shot in the gut in June, so I would like to see him at full strength. Marcus Gilbert got better and better. Ramon Foster was serviceable and he is a strong run blocker. Kelvin Beachum basically saved the day. I don’t think he will be the long term answer at Left Tackle but he certainly will start somewhere. Next to Ben and Antonio Brown he was probably the biggest key!

DL: C, The defensive line put together a pretty good season. “Steelhead: Heyward was awesome! There is no other way to put it. He played great and crushed the pocket. He made several big plays and he pressured the QB all season. Brett Keisel put together a solid workmanlike season until he was injured. Ziggy Hood played well when called upon and he is worth taking a second look at. Steve Mclendon got killed at the point of attack and struggled to fill the shoes of Casey Hampton. He is athletic and pretty fast but he got pushed around, look for a switch to Defensive End. Al Woods and Hebron Fangupo both took steps forward, both need work.

LB: C+, The strength of this team played at half strength almost all year. Lawrence Timmons continued to be the best linebacker on the Steelers and he had a terrific season. He was unstoppable at times and played well within his strengths. Larry Foote went down week one and left a gaping hole in his spot. Jason Worilds filled in and eventually pushed LaMarr Woodley to the weak side. Woodley was injury plagued again and looks like he might be headed for a pay cut or out of Pittsburgh. Jarvis Jones and Vince Williams played well for rookies and had some growing pains. Both look like they are poised for a big 2014 season. Stevenson Sylvester and Chris Carter did well when called upon.

DB: C-, The Steelers secondary had its worst season in years. Ike Taylor was a great contributor at the beginning but by mid-season he was a liability and the target of many opposing Quarterbacks. Ryan Clark had his worst season as a Steeler and he appears headed out of town. Troy Polamalu struggled at times in coverage but still was a monstrous presence on the field. He put together a Pro Bowl campaign. Cortez Allen and William Gay both look good at times and struggled at other times. Allen will be a starter as he continues to develop. Gay is a serviceable player and is a good nickel back. Will Allen was a nice midseason pickup. Shamarko Thomas showed promise and he will be counted on next season!

BEER WE GO STEELERS! BEER WE GO!

The Steelers dominated the Cleveland Browns to finish the 2013 season 8-8 and narrowly missed the Sixth seed in the AFC. It would have taken a miracle for the Steelers to make the playoffs and it nearly happened, but a Chiefs 10 point blown 4th quarter lead and a missed Ryan Succop field goal, sealed the Steelers fate for 2013. It was a good effort against the Browns on both sides of the ball.

The Steelers kept the Browns off the scoreboard until late in the fourth quarter and pushed them all over the field. Brett Keisel, possibly playing his last game at Heinz Field, made several big plays including forcing a fumble, that snuffed out another Browns drive. Lawrence Timmons completed another excellent season by having a tremendous game, he made plays all over the field including a one handed stop.  Jarvis Jones was all over the field and played his best game as a Steeler. Vince Williams and Stevenson Sylvester both played well and held the Browns running game in check all day long.

The Secondary, especially Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen, kept Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron quiet until the end of the 3rd quarter. Gordon looked like a beaten man all day. Ryan Clark, another Steeler who certainly played his last game here, played well and Troy Polamalu was darting all over the field including creaming the Browns Guard on a perfectly timed blitzed.

Big Ben looked a little off all day and he threw two interceptions, one which was a jump ball, one that was a terrible coverage read, neither led to points but he didn’t seem sharp. He however put together one of his best seasons and the reason the Steelers were still contending in week 17 was because of his efforts. Le’Veon Bell had a tremendous day and played another great game. He finished the season with a Steelers rookie record of  1,259 yards from scrimmage and he put together eight touchdowns, he did all that while missing the first three games of the year and leaving week four early.

Antonio Brown cemented his place in Steelers history with nine more catches, finishing the year with a monstrous 110 catches and 1,499 yards. He never had less than five catches in a game and put up over 80+ yards in 10 games. It was a magical season and he deserves all the kudos he gets. Brown was also a tremendous return man putting up 400+ yards. Consider this, Mike Wallace, the person he “replaced” in the offense put up almost 40 less catches last year and was a non-factor in Miami this year, the Steelers kept the right man!

After the worst start in 45 years, the fact that the Steelers finished at five hundred, were one play away from making the playoffs and won eight of the final twelve is a testament to the coaching. Mike Tomlin has built a winning program even with all the distractions, he kept the Steelers competitive all year, despite injuries and being “outmanned” a few times. Paraphrasing what Steve Beuerlein said during the game, “no one wanted to see the Steelers next week.” They peaked too late but the future looks bright.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Brett Keisel and Ryan Clark, it looks like Sunday will be their last with the Steelers. Both will be remembered as tremendous Steelers and BWG nation is grateful for everything that they did for the Steelers. While both may continue elsewhere they will ALWAYS be Steelers! Also Considered: Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown.

Where I watched the game: Drinking Leinekugel  Hoppin Helles, while KGB drank Dos Equis. KGB put out a great spread of cheeses and breads to snack on while we watched the game. Little Miss Tailgate and my son Dante watched and frantically checked the other scores to see if we could make the playoffs. In the end it was a great way to cap the season.

My Stat of the week: The stat of the week is 16-31-1, that is the combined record of the Raiders, Vikings and Titans who the Steelers dropped all 3 games to. One win against that drek and the Steelers would be headed to Cincy next week. If they could have taken all three the Bengals would be headed to Pittsburgh! It is safe to say, the Bengals are breathing a sigh of relief. I hope they crush the Chargers!

My thoughts on Next Week: We are going to miss the Steelers! It will be one LONG, BRUTAL offseason.

The Steelers pulled a big win in Lambeau! I apologize for the delay in posting this week. As it is Friday and you probably have read to death about the game, I won’t post the game report. Just a few facts:

1. Le’Veon Bell posted our 1st 100 yard+ game of the year rushing. It was a great effort despite one miscue. It was the first time since Ike Redman(What the hell happened to that guy?) did it against the Giants right after the hurricane. So bravo to Le’Veon

2. The refs absolutely are awful this year and the NFL finally confirmed what everyone already knew. They screwed the Steelers on the huge blocked field goal. Which was confirmed this week by the NFL. Also they missed about a dozen other penalties, overturned the down by contact call on Bell when there was no clear evidence that he fumbled.(I believe he did but their was no “CLEAR” evidence). And to be fair they missed Cody Wallace cheap shotting B.J. Raji and then proceeded to give Raji the penalty. They were a huge downside in a great game.

3. The Special teams practically won the game for the Steelers…until they almost gave up the lead on the last kickoff of the game. I don’t want to split hairs because it was a great effort and all’s well that ends well. Nice toss by McBriar.

4. Antonio Brown is the best player on the Steelers right now. Hard to give it to a WR. but he clearly is their best player. His numbers are just outstanding every week. His teammates voted him the team MVP.

5.  The Offensive line has improved tremendously. The secondary is playing better and FINALLY my early prediction on Stevenson Sylvester came through, he played a great game and was a valuable asset for the Steelers Sunday as they were down to the 3rd and 4th string Outside Linebackers. Chris Carter had a tough game.

I can’t talk playoffs, all I can focus on is beating the Browns.

Beer We Go Steelers, Beer We Go!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Le’Veon Bell, he played a great game and while Eddie Lacy played well also, Bell had the better game and gave the Packers fits all day. Honorable Mention: Stevenson Sylvester, Antonio Brown and the whole O-Line.

Where I watched the game: Drinking Saranac IPA while answering literally 2000 questions from my son Dante about the game. KGB was milling about getting ready for Christmas, Little Miss Tailgate and my son Luc came down and watched the last quarter. I made sausage and peppers on the BBQ outside and they were outstanding. My buddy Bill represented Beer We Go at Lambeau Field! I posted the picture on Facebook for those interested.

My Stat of the week: Le’Veon Bell finished with 124 yards rushing, his first 100-yard rushing game in the NFL  and the first by a Steelers running back in 22 games.

My thoughts on Next Week: We need to make sure we aren’t over confident and LAY the wood to the Browns. We have no control over anything else so lets take care of our own business. To also be fair about it, this could save Todd Haley’s job if the Steelers can produce a big game on offense.

The jersey curse continues. It looks like I will be mothballing my LaMarr Woodley jersey, a gift from KGB two years ago. The Steelers announced today that Woodley has been placed on injured reserve after he suffered an injury to his right calf in Sunday’s win over the Bengals.

So here is the story of my jersey curse. I LOVE the Steelers which should be apparent by now and during the season I wear a Steelers shirt every day. Jerseys are the outfit of choice when I go to church during the season. The bad news is that I have a “jersey curse”. Here is the proof.

My first jersey was a Terry Bradshaw Jersey my dad gave to me in the mid eighties, he gave me the jersey, Bradshaw was injured and the Cliff Stoudt/Mark Malone Era was upon us. Also Bradshaw had a pretty messy divorce from the Steelers after all that, including bad mouthing Chuck Noll for 200 pages in his book.

When I finally got some scratch in my pocket after college I wanted a new Steelers Jersey, so I went with Rod Woodson…who blew his knee out the first game I wore it and then promptly left the Steelers the next season. I saved it and I wear that jersey to this day in my Turkey Bowl.

I grabbed “the Bus” Jerome Bettis, old number 36, he was injured and only played in 11 games that season.  He never had another 1000 yard season after that year.

Kendrell Bell(Home) and Joey Porter(away) were two dynamic linebackers. I purchase Bell and Porter having Reebok customize the jerseys for me, before Porter was the “common” jersey. It worked out great as they led the Steelers to the number one seed.  Then Bell was injured in 2004 and then disappeared off the face of the earth. Porter of course had a great career here but got shot in the ass prior to the 2003 season!

My friend was in Korea and he bought me “Big” Ben Roethlisberger, in 2006 less than four months later, he had a motor cycle accident.  Hines Ward most catches in Steelers history, literally the day after I got his jersey he was injured in the AFC Championship game. Troy Polamalu (White) was injured the first game of the season the year after I bought his jersey. I also purchased the James Harrison “throwback” the black one so Captain Tailgate and I could match. Harrison hurt his knee and suffered during the season and now plays for the freakin’ Bengals.

I started buying retired players who meant something to the Steelers, what could be the damage. I bought Joe Greene and Jack Lambert, both are doing great and Greene actually came back to the Steelers not long after it became my “gamer”; the jersey I wear to all games. So why not keep going in that direction. I had a chance to buy a “throwback” it was supposed to be Rocky Bleier. But when I found out they made Mike Webster I cancelled the order and got Webster…he died less than a year later. Somewhere, Bleier is breathing a sigh of relief.

Last year before the season, I bought the “bumble bee” Jack Ham and again he seems to be doing good, so I figured why not buy the L.C. Greenwood “throwback” jersey. I have met Greenwood several times thought it would be cool, I wore it the Friday we were in London for the game, LC died the following Sunday.

On a side note, I went to the Giants v. The Cowboys and bought a Plaxico Jersey to wear. Figured I would support my local team with a player I love. He shot himself less than two months later!

So jerseys are off the Christmas list this year!!! Good luck LaMarr and sorry about that!

The Steelers put together a complete performance and hammered the division leading Cincinnati Bengals, leaving their extremely slim playoff hopes alive (slim might be an understatement they need the Jets to win twice) and giving the fans a glimpse of what might have been this season. The Steelers took an early lead and then pummeled the Bengals for the rest of the first half. It was a solid complete victory over a tough division rival.

The Steelers managed to build a fast 21-0 lead in the first quarter behind the strong play of all three sides of the ball. “Big” Ben Roethlisberger came out fast, battled the elements and completed his first seven passes and led a touchdown drive. The Steelers came out in the no huddle and kept the Bengals off balance. Roethlisberger mixed up the plays with short passes and a huge dose of Le’Veon Bell. Bell had a workmanlike night as he grinded out 57 yards on the ground and caught five passes for another 50 yards. No catch in the game was bigger than Bell’s fourth down conversion in the first quarter that sent the Steelers on their way. Antonio Brown is becoming a bona fide star and he again had five plus catches and played a great game.

The defense played well and with some help from the elements harassed Andy Dalton limiting him 7 for 17 passing in the first half. The defense didn’t allow any big plays and pushed the Bengals around until the lead was comfortable. Vince Williams had a huge stop on Bengals RB Green-Ellis on third and one setting up a muffed punt on the next play. Ziggy Hood had a big game recovering a fumble and recording the team’s only sack. Al Woods played great filling in for Steve McLendon.

The Special teams had the best game they have had in a very long time. The Steelers recovered a bad snap punt on the one yard line, leading to the first score. Antonio Brown ran a punt back setup by great blocking, including Terence Garvin’s jaw breaking thumping of Punter Kevin Huber. Shaun Suisham was perfect for three field goals in a gusting in. The kick coverage was a little suspect but nothing the Steelers couldn’t overcome. Mat McBriar played a good game.

On a personal note, I would never wish anything bad on Silverback and I hope he is ready for next week, but I am glad he didn’t play the Steelers Sunday. It would have been hard seeing him play at Heinz Field in the bad guys uniform.

Whittier once wrote; “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: “It might have been”. That pretty much sums up the 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers. The team can beat anyone, but can also lose to anyone which they have proven. What if they showed up in the first half against seriously overmatched foes like Minnesota and Oakland? What if this offense could have been clicking in week one when they muscled the Titans all over but couldn’t muster a point. What if the offensive line had held together better in the first four weeks? What if the refs didn’t totally screw them in the Ravens game? What if Antonio Brown’s foot was one quarter inch over in the Dolphins game? They would be looking at a division win or a wild card at the minimum.

But now it is “It might have been!”

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Antonio Brown, who else could it be? I will look but this has to be the most times in one season that the game beer has been given to someone. A touchdown on offense and special teams and five more catches. Honorable Mention: Ziggy Hood

Where I watched the game: In front of a fire sipping a cold Samuel Adams Juniper IPA on my couch with just KGB cuddled up to me. We had several great types of pizza during the day. I was slated to go to Buckley’s my local pub, but Josh the cook is a Bengals fan and I was afraid he would try and poison me! I did leave him a message this morning, it was two mere words; “We Dey”

My Stat of the week: The crowd of 45,873 was the smallest in the 13-year history of Heinz Field. Its good to see the Steelers haven’t quit on the team even if some of the fans have!

My thoughts on Next Week: To the” Frozen Tundra” of Lambeau Field. I have several mixed emotions about this one, I was supposed to be at the game with my company, but because of the closeness to Christmas. I just can’t take a chance of getting stuck in Appleton. I have several friends on the other side of this one. My thought are on revenge, honestly I believe the Steelers gave Super Bowl XLV away to Green Bay and was looking for a small snippet of revenge on this one. If Aaron Rodgers doesn’t play the Steelers will win, if he does it will be a challenge.   

David Orochena Principal at Orochena Consulting Services LLC

Posted this article on the linked in Steelers group:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1881953-changes-the-steelers-must-make-to-get-back-into-contention-next-season?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=pittsburgh-steelers

It is a good article and I thought I should make some comments:

The Todd Haley Situation:

BWG’s take: He has to go! We actually have been defending him for two years, but at this point it is a major distraction. He also has completely abandoned the run which was evident in the loss to Miami. The offensive line has struggled most of the season and just when it started to gel, we lost Velasco and Beachum. Both stabilized the line and did good work. All of this plays into the failure of Haley’s offense. You need to make the adjustments to the personnel you have and Haley has failed at that.

Who stays and who goes?

I think this is pretty simple, first I didn’t agree with the article as the Steelers have cut veterans when they felt they had a lower cost or younger replacement. IE See Silverback playing for the freakin’ Bengals. The Steelers have several key free agents and here is my take on them:

Ryan Clark, FS: He has to go. I love this guy and he provides veteran leadership that will be missed. He was coming off his best year and now arguably he is having his worst. His coverage skills have eroded and while one more season is probably in order, it is letting him go one year early than one year late.

Ziggy Hood, DE: Bring him back. He has started to show why he was a 1st rounder and his play warrants a new contract and a chance to play with Cam Heywood and Steve McLendon for years to come. Don’t over pay but he is worth bringing back.

Brett Keisel, DE: Bring him back, but it has to be at the right price and with the idea that he will be a reserve. He has had several nagging injuries and he hasn’t been the factor that he was in the past. He is a great clubhouse guy and we need him to begin the transition.

Jason Worilds, OLB: Bring him back. Worilds has been excellent this year and solidified his place in the lineup. He certainly should be back and he should push LaMarr to get in better shape and play better. The only issue is someone will throw cash at him and we might not want to chase.

Manny Sanders, WR: Let him go. I was torn on this one but he lacks consistency and someone will be willing to pay him big dollars. I.e. see Mike Wallace. The Steelers have Wheaton and Moye, to replace him. It’s time for him to move on and find his fortune elsewhere.

Jerricho Cotchery, WR: Bring him back, I would give him a reasonable contract and have the veteran here. He has done a fantastic job for the Steelers when called upon. The only thing that might make me change my mind is Plex’s situation. I would like to see Plex get one more shot.

Al Woods, DE: Bring him back. He would solidify the defensive line and he knows the system, I see him as the next Keisel when he finally gets his chance. With Heywood, McClendon, Ziggy, Fangupo and Keisel this would be a huge strength for the Steelers.

 The Draft

We always need better results out of the draft. According to the article: “Only 14 of the team’s picks in that span are current starters (or are replacement starters because of injuries), and a remarkable few are still with the team. These are true statements, but lets look at the team and tell me who some of these guys were supposed to replace. The 14 players that are starters replaced players who left for riches elsewhere or retired. Over the last ten years, the Steelers have also absolutely nailed the non drafted free agents.

It is hard to argue, with the Steelers track record of success on the field during Tomlin’s tenure. Their strategy is sound, the Steelers have put together good drafts, but had some bad luck or things didn’t break their way. It is easy with 20/20 hindsight to say the drafts were lousy, but the formula is the right formula. Also keep in mind that four out of Tomlin’s six drafts, the Steelers picked in the mid to high 20’s. The two drafts the Steelers picked in the teens have the potential for very nice yields.

The “disaster draft” of 2008, Tomlin’s first. I watched the draft at the Wayne Chrebet draft party in NYC and EVERYONE felt they killed the draft. It hurts that none of those players are still with the Steelers, but it is hard to fault the thinking of the draft and the players that they took. Mendenhall became the starting running back in two Super Bowls. Ryan Mundy, contributed during his entire tenure.  Limas Sweed was a bust but a well respected pick, he just didn’t produce the results that were needed. It is hard to fault the Steelers on that. QB Dennis Dixon and T Tony Hills contributed albeit not that much. Bruce Davis and Mike Humpal were camp bodies and while they both had potential had very little shot of breaking into the Steelers LB corp.

The 2009 Draft, This is the only draft that I have an issue with Tomlin on. The Steelers picked at the end of the draft and it yielded two starters (Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, who other teams paid big money to get) and two contributors (Ziggy Hood, Dave Johnson). The issue with that draft was the Steelers picked up several good players and let them walk, namely A.Q. Shipley and Craig Urbik both of whom would look pretty good right about now in Steeler uniforms. Frank Summers is a nice player but I like our RB situation.

The 2010 Draft, yielded four starters! Center Maurkice Pouncey, OLB Jason Worilds, WR Manny Sanders and oh yeah, WR Antonio Brown who might be the best player on the Steelers right now! They also grabbed some nice contributions from Jon Dwyer and Sly Sylvester.

The 2011 Draft, yielded three starters, DE Cameron Heywood, who is having his breakout year, RT Marcus Gilbert and starting CB Cortez Allen. They were thin on reserves that year, but again I think that is because of the depth of the org.

2012 Draft, is the diamond in the rough draft, it was also the most cursed of the draft classes. They yielded only two starters so far, Dave DeCastro and Kelvin Beachum. It’s also way too early to determine if this is a good draft or not. I think the jury is still out on LT Mike Adams and ILB Sean Spence, who suffered a career threatening injury. Chris Rainey and Alameda Ta’amu were huge discipline issues, otherwise both would have been contributors. TE Dave Paulson is a contributor.

2103 Draft, again is way too early to grade. The early returns look to be nice! It already yielded two starters, RB Le’Veon Bell is the real deal and will be the starter for years to come. LB Vince Williams is a diamond in the rough and has done a good job since being thrown in. Shamarko Thomas and Jarvis Jones will be starters at some point. WR Markus Wheaton will contribute although he has extremely weak pinkies.  Not sure what Landry Jones story will be but he is a young QB with huge upside?