Beer We Go Steelers

It is dark times for Beer We Go Nation!

The Ravens beat the Patriots for revenge in the AFC Championship. Now, as Beer We Go Nation, we are forced to choose between protecting “Sixburgh” or rooting for our arch rivals!

Here is my final Report Card for the 2012 Season.

GRADES:

Coaching: B, Mike Tomlin guided the Steelers through his roughest season as Steelers Coach. There were several distractions including the Todd Haley v. Ben Roethlisberger love triangle, as well as several crushing injuries. The Steelers offense looked unstoppable at the beginning of the season but never recovered after Ben’s injury. Dick LeBeau continues to be the greatest defensive coordinator in NFL history. After a very slow start the Steelers defense picked up and were first in passing defense and second in rushing defense. Keep in mind that they lost Polamalu for nine games, Silverback for three, Woodley for three, Ike Taylor for four, and Keenan Lewis for two. The lack of turnovers was a black mark, but the defense really turned it up in the second half. It is hard to argue with the coaches given the amount of injuries.

QB: B, Big Ben was off to the best start of his career when he was sidelined during the Chiefs game. That injury effectively ended both his season and the Steelers. The Steelers lost two of out of the three games. Charlie Batch put an exclamation point on his career with the big comeback win over the now AFC Champion Ravens. I wrote this last season and will write it again, if this is his last season with the Steelers,  I will remember him as a great contributor who did what was needed! Byron Leftwich was a ghost and again was injured and ineffective.

RB: F, It was a horrendous season for Rashard Mendenhall and his career with the Steelers looks to be at an end. He had attitude problems and he put the ball on the ground way too much. Ike Redman and Jonathon Dwyer both had flashes of brilliance but were inconsistent at best. Chris Rainey was a huge disappointment and then he decided to punch out a woman so we won’t be seeing his sorry act anymore. This will definitely need to be upgraded in the offseason. The lone bright spot was Will Johnson, who played a great fullback!

WR: C+, It was a very strange season for the wide receivers as Manny Sanders and Antonio Brown were bona fide threats and stars, but both had very costly turnovers. Mike Wallace was dreadful all year and his contract situation was a major distraction. He looks to be on the way out of the ‘Burgh. Jericho Cotchery was solid and the Plaxico Burress show was a nice addition mid-season and deserves an encore.  

TE: A+, Heath Miller is the best tight end in football and for the first time in his career got to showcase it.  When people run down Haley’s offense I point to the season Miller had. David Paulson was a nice contributor, as was Leonard Pope when called upon.   

OL: C, It was a tale of two seasons for the offensive line. The starting line played well and started to gel nicely. Then injuries hit, four out of the five starters went down. Max Starks was the last man standing. The biggest disappointment was Willie Colon, going down for the third year in a row on IR. He played an excellent guard and was an absolute mauler some weeks. But three years on the IR should seal his fate. Maurkice Pouncey was spectacular at times, doing duty at Center where he was an All-Pro and Left Guard. The emergence of Dave DeCastro and Kelvin Beachum together with the development of Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams makes this unit a future bright spot.  

DL: C+, The defensive line put together a good, if not very spectacular, season. Casey Hampton, in perhaps his swan song as a Steeler, anchored the line and got better as the season went on. Brett Kiesel put together back to back good seasons.  He made several big plays and he pressured the QB all season. Ziggy Hood and Steve Mclendon both took steps forward, “Steelhead” Heywood took a few steps back and needs to put together a better 2013 campaign.

LB: C+, The strength of this team was once again hurt by injuries. Silverback and LaMarr Woodley combined for only ten sacks and only showed flashes of the greatness that they have in the past. Lawrence Timmons is now the best linebacker on the Steelers and he had his best season. He was unstoppable at times and played well within his strengths. Great things are on the horizon for Timmons. Larry Foote put together a nice campaign and provided the veteran leadership that was missing when James Farrior retired. Jason Worilds is developing nicely and had significant playing time, Stevenson Sylvester was injured and took a huge step back! This unit is seriously lacking depth.

DB: A, The Steelers secondary had a great season and again have young, exciting talent that is beginning to develop. Ike Taylor was a great contributor and he had an excellent season until his injury. Ryan Clark was a killer in the secondary and was arguabley the defense’s best and most consistent player. Troy played well when he wasn’t injured, but again, he missed nine games and never got totally on track. Keenan Lewis was injured but had a good season and appears to be headed out of town. That will open the door for Cortez Allen who is emerging.

BEER WE GO STEELERS! BEER WE GO!

We will be posting the final report as well as some quick hits this week. We are in football Armageddon right now!

Chris Rainey was released by the Steelers sending a message. This is the second time Rainey was in trouble for a domestic violence incident.

Super Bowl Week we will do the end of year report! Also will put up my Steelers’ Christmas presents!

In a fairly anticlimactic game, the Steelers beat the Browns 24-10 and finished the season without a losing record. It was a reversal of fortune in that the Steelers struggled to move the ball and were actually outgained, but made the plays that were needed to win. The defense forced three fumbles and had an interception to close the deal.

It was a disappointing season and the game was uninspiring. The Steelers defense looked kind of bored and every time the Browns were driving they would make the play to stop them. It was only the second time in the past 11 games a team gained more than 300 yards against the defense, but they never broke and kept the Browns off the scoreboard.

Lawrence Timmons and Cortez Allen played great games. Timmons absolutely ear holed third string Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and sent him from the game, then promptly sent Josh Johnson to the showers on the next play! Cortez Allen will have a good chance of starting next year with the impending departure of Keenan Lewis. Lewis was injured in the first quarter and left the game.

The offense was disjointed, and Ben Roethlisberger confessed that he hasn’t been right since his return. Unlike the last two weeks, they made the plays when needed and pulled out the game. Jonathan Dwyers rushed for 52 yards making him the team leader with 623, one of the lowest totals in the last forty years. Without Heath Miller and Wallace the passing game struggled and the offensive line was banged up AGAIN, losing David DeCastro (stinger) and RT Kelvin Beachum. That forced Doug Legursky in at Guard and Ramon Foster had to play tackle, where he had trouble.

Nine different players caught passes and six players caught at least two passes. Plaxico Burress made his case to come back next year with a great catch in the end zone for his first Steelers touchdown in eight years. Also chipping in were Leonard Pope (Yes, he is still on the team.) with a TD catch and Antonio Brown who put together a nice season, sans the Cowboys game!

Whether the Steelers made the playoffs or not, it was going to be a quick exit. While teams can’t and won’t use injuries as a reason for losing, the Steelers were just too banged up at the end.

It is going to be a long offseason this year! 

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Lawrence Timmons who capped off a great season with a great game. He was one of the bright spots in a dismal year. Also Considered: Plaxico Burress, who made a great catch on the Touchdown, Cortez Allen who made a great case for a starting job next year!

Where I watched the game: Back at the house, quietly sipping on a Spider Bite Pale Ale with KGB with great sandwiches from Uncle Giuseppes!

My Stat of the week: Four turnovers for the Steelers defense. It was an uneven effort, but the turnovers were solid.

My thoughts on Next Week: It is going to a be a terribly long off season!

Heath Miller was named Steelers Team MVP! It couldn’t have happened to a better player! Before everyone throws Todd Haley overboard, look at Heath’s numbers.

In a game that summed up the entire season, the Steelers dropped a close one to the Bengals Sunday. It was a typical Steelers loss this season, where the Steelers failed to execute in key situations and left the Bengals in the game long enough for them to snatch it. (*See the Raiders game report, the Titans game report and the Cowboys game report.)

The Steelers were eliminated from playoff contention because of their inability to find ways to win close games. In games that were decided by three points or fewer, the Steelers were 3-5, in games that were decided by a touchdown or less they were 5-7. If you look back, the Steelers always grabbed those games with big plays when needed. Not this year. 

“Big” Ben Roethlisberger is going to take the blame on this one, as once again he turned the ball over in two very big spots. He simply hasn’t been the same since the injury. 

Roethlisberger had been as clutch as anyone on the team in previous seasons, but he came up short in a lot of crucial situations this season. But Roethlisberger’s turnovers don’t tell the whole story, because the Steelers had plenty of opportunity to pick him up and win this one. They just didn’t execute.

The offense played its worst game of the season and the Steelers struggled to run the ball in this one. Todd Haley, who has been the media’s whipping boy, will somehow take the blame on this one. They certainly emphasized the running game, but just didn’t get it done. The Steelers ran the ball 31 times but only managed 80+ yards.  Geno Atkins hammered Dave DeCastro and Ramon Foster; he planted Big Ben on several series. Except for a great catch and run by Antonio Brown, the receivers were a non-factor in the game.  

The Defense played its most complete game of the season, swallowing up the Bengals running game and creating six sacks and three turnovers. They didn’t allow an offensive touchdown. The secondary, which was missing Ike Taylor and had a one legged Keenan Lewis, put together a solid but ultimately losing effort.

Of course it wouldn’t be a Steelers game in 2012 without a crippling injury. Heath Miller was the latest casualty, going down with a knee injury and it ending what was a magnificent season for Miller! He finished with over 800 yards and had eight big TD’s. He should be the team’s MVP.

Whether it was an injury, a fumble in a key spot, an interception late in the game, a missed field goal, a bad snap, or a crucial penalty, the Steelers just didn’t execute all the way through this season and now find themselves set to play a meaningless game for the first time since 2006.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Casey Hampton and Brett Keisel who played great games. Hampton was a force this week and Keisel played a terrific game. They bottled up the Bengal’s running game. Also Considered: Silverback, had one sack, and Larry Foote, posted seven tackles, Troy Polamalu looked like vintage Troy.   

Where I watched the game: Buffalo Wild Wings in Deer Park NY, KGB took me out for “lunch” and the Steelers crowd was great there.

My Stat of the week: AJ Green caught 10 passes for 116 Yards and caught the biggest catch of the game. With Ike Taylor in the lineup he had ONE catch for eight yards when they met previously!

My thoughts on Next Week: This is now a meaningless game, the Steelers will play their final regular-season game knowing it will end there. I would like to see a strong effort and a five hundred finish. Some guys will be playing for their jobs and other guys will be playing for pride. It would be catastrophic if the Steelers were swept by the Browns.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8740774/the-immaculate-reception-franco-harris-pittsburgh-steelers-owners-ball-play

Sunday marks our holiday as Steeler fans!

The Steelers made several mistakes that cost them the game and possibly the playoffs in this 2012 season. Ben Roethelisberger and Antonio Brown both made critical errors in the fourth quarter and overtime, culminating in a 27-24 loss against the Dallas Cowboys, their fourth loss in the past five games that dropped the Steelers to 7-7.

It was an entertaining game, with both teams slugging it out. Both the Cowboys and the Steelers have key injuries but both teams put together gallant efforts. The Steelers had the chance to put the Cowboys away after overcoming deficits in the second and fourth quarters, but Antonio Brown had a critical fumble and the Cowboys recovered to tie the game up. Brown had a terrible game and made several mistakes at the end, including waving off a punt that cost the Steelers twenty yards and he went out of bounds to give the Cowboys extra time on the last drive.

Big Ben threw a back breaking pick in OT to clinch the game for Dallas. It ruined what was an awe inspiring performance; he completed 13 of his final 17 passes for 230 yards and finished with 339 yards and two touchdowns.

The defense was banged up and it showed. Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen were missed as Tony Romo used their absences to pick on a game but over matched Josh Victorian. Romo was 10 of 10 in the third quarter, completing all seven passes for 89 yards on the drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown to Dez Bryant.

The front seven struggled to put pressure and protect the secondary. The bright spot was Silverback continues his second half renaissance. He caused a huge turnover that kept the Steelers from getting buried early and crushed Tony Romo on third and one to stop a Cowboys drive.

It was a heartbreaking loss and one the Steelers let get away. The playoffs start next week for the Steelers as whoever wins most likely will get into the playoffs v. the Bengals.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Silverback, James Harrison made the two biggest plays on defense. It’s good to see him back in this thing! Also considered: Dave DeCastro who played his first game and played well!

Where I watched the game: With my daughter Little Miss Tailgate and KGB. The beer was Miller Lite and  we had a great Spaghetti dinner while watching the game.

My Stat of the week: Is 17 rushes for 69 yards, where was the running game in the second half? Why are the Steelers not running the ball with any kind of consistency.

My thoughts on Next Week: This is now DO OR DIE and a win will save the season a loss will define this season as a total failure and one of the worst in the last ten years! Now is the time, no more chances, no more excuses!  

The Steelers drop another one to an under .500 team! This time the underachieving Bolts come to Pittsburgh and upset the Steelers. The Steelers are still clinging to the last playoff spot!

It was an all around “el stinko” performance with lousy performances by the offense, the defense and even the coaching.

To sum it up best, the offensive line couldn’t open holes to run the ball and had trouble protecting Ben, who made two extremely costly turnovers, the front seven couldn’t sack Phillip Rivers, who was playing behind a patchwork line. The Secondary couldn’t stop the Chargers from converting third downs, with Cortez Allen having a tough day. Even the Special teams got caught sleeping giving up a back breaking 4th down conversion to seal the win! 

Also it wouldn’t be a Steelers game without another key injury, Willie Colon looks like he is done for the year! He had a good season but again finds himself on IR for the third straight year! And once again, the Steelers couldn’t beat a team that had lost eight of its past 10 games. Adding the Chargers to Oakland, Tennessee, and Cleveland as awful teams who have beat the Steelers this year.

The good news is that the Ratbirds and the Bengals lost! Keeping the Steelers in the hunt for the playoffs.

BEER WE GO STEELERS, BEER WE GO!

My “GAME BEER” goes to: Shaun Suisham, who kicked a 49-yard field goal at the end of the first half to remain perfect between 40-49 yards (10 of 10). Also considered: Drew Butler, who belted a 79 yard punt which was the second longest in team history! Other than that “EL STINKO”!

Where I watched the game: At the house while decorating and with my son Dante! We were eating Cheeses and I was drinking Long Ireland Winter Ale. The beer was the only highlight of the day! 

http://www.longirelandbrewing.com/Long-Ireland-Beer.html   

My Stat of the week: One Sack, which is atrocious, given the fact that Rivers has been batted around like a punch clown this season and he was playing behind a line of five guys who had never played together ever! …also if the Steelers would have split with the Browns, Raiders, Chargers and Titans all who have atrocious records, they would be in first place contending for the third and/or fourth seed instead of clinging to the last playoff spot!

My thoughts on Next Week: The Steelers are playing a Cowboys team that is coming off a very emotional week. Hey they have a winning record so maybe the Steelers have a chance!