From the Desk of Tom Janicki:

I’m sure that there are many reasons to be optimistic for every team in the NFL leading up to the 2011-2012 season, however, being a fan of the Steelers, days away from a kickoff date at Baltimore to start the season, is especially gratifying.  Let me lay out 5 reasons why I feel the Steelers are superior to every team in the NFL…

Wide Receivers: “The Young Money Family” Speed (Emmanuel Sanders, Easy Money), More Speed (Antonio Brown, Cash Money), Even More Speed (Mike Wallace, Fast Money), the Addition (Jerico Cotchery, Mo’ Money) and the Dancer (Hines Ward, Old Money)!  What a luxury we have at receiver, our core could be considered the best in the NFL at this point and in my opinion will be considered the best in the NFL after the season.  The only thing that could hold them back (don’t want to think about potential negatives) is an injury to Ben or bad play from the line limiting the time needed for our speed to get down the field.  It will be extremely difficult to defend this vertical attack.  To have 3 receivers that can stretch the field is ridiculous.  Then to add the cherries on top of two veteran, physical, possession receivers and you have a recipe for many, many yards by the Air.  I have faith in BA to design game plan(s) geared to accentuate the strengths of this team and to take nothing away from our running attack, our strength should be clearly our potential for quick aerial strikes.  In years past, Ben was clamoring for a tall physical receiver, although that would be nice, I prefer the SPEED and I believe that Ben does as well!

Linebackers:  Our back-up linebackers could potentially create an entire starting unit on a select few NFL teams; great depth if needed.  Our starters; unquestionably the best in the NFL.  When you consider that our 3^rd best Linebacker could quite possibly could be considered the greatest defensive player to dawn a uniform on those select few NFL teams (I will research this further but the Bengals come to mind); you know that you have a strong unit.  When you consider that your 2^nd best Linebacker is consistently in the discussion as the best in the NFL and is young.  When any given Sunday, your worst Linebacker is your best…we are Blessed with Linebackers.  My rankings are James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons & James Farrior…the drop off is slight and the only reason for any drop off may be due to age.  This unit is STRONG….and ANGRY….and will be the deciding factor in multiple games this year.  Silverback will beast this year!!  This unit is a nice segue into my next point…

Track Record:  Can you run on the Steelers?  I highly doubt it.  Check previous blog entries as I have mentioned this point on multiple occasions, since we drafted “Hungry Hungry” Hampton our run defense has never fell out of the top 5 in the league.  Making teams one dimensional is a key advantage to winning in this league.  This could be the year that we shatter the “Record” for least amount of yards on the ground given up in a season when you consider the depth and shear talent in our run defense.  Teams should realize by this point considering our pedigree that it is extremely rare and the only way to beat this defense is by the air.  Once we sense the run has been abandoned, beware Quarterback but your chance of injury has just increased!!    

Coaching / Management familiarity:  We keep in tact an experienced, proven to be winners, staff & management organization chart that in my opinion is 2^nd to none.  Most teams have rebuilding years with a select few organization capable of sustained excellence.  These select few organizations have one common thread, good leadership.  I would not trade our Ownership / Management team / Coaching staff for any other in the league and hope that we can hold onto them all for many years to follow.  This season shapes up to be great due to the vision and decisions made well before the year, our core decision makers are winners and that is what we will see on the field!!

On the field Leadership:  Name another team in the league with more Winners / Leaders on the field at one time!!  I would challenge anyone to this point.  We have sick talent.  We have a sick will to win and I would fear this team coming off the Super Bowl defeat.  If we can use this as motivation and come into each game with that chip on the shoulder we will be an immovable force to be reckoned with.  A healthy Troy and Silverback gives us a potential 1 / 2 combo for Defensive Player of the Year.  Mike Wallace will break out.  Who would you rather have leading us to victory than the likes of Mike Tomlin and Company?  Is there a better big game Quarterback than Ben?  We have so many things going for us leading into a rivalry game.  Who would you rather have in week 1 than the Ratbirds?  Let’s take their hearts and stomp on them in Week 1 and demoralize their spirit!! 

I can feel it coming in the air tonight…I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life!!  Or at least since we failed to convert on the final drive of the Super Bowl which in turn denied us the ability of rewriting the history books as the greatest franchise in modern sports history.  It is a new year for all, but it is especially nice being a fan of the preeminent franchise in the NFL…Let’s Run It Back Boys!!

WHO RIDE…WE RIDE!!  WHO’S HOUSE…OUR HOUSE!!  WHO DEY…WE DEY!!  I GOT A FEELING!!  BEER WE GO STEELERS BEER WE GO!!!!!!!!!!!

LET’S DO IT!!

This is an exciting week as we get ready for the first game of the year. We will have a full season preview as well as a roster recap.

Stay tuned and Beer We Go Steelers, Beer We Go.

The Steelers today named Doug Legursky as their starting right guard. Legursky is the backup center and did an excellent job last year. Sean Kugler recognized the fact that while he is their smallest lineman, he is also their smartest and most polished.

Since the departure of Kendall Simmons the position has been a revolving door. Last season Ramon Foster and Trai Essex held down the job. Legursky did better than both and is a hard worker who gets it done!

Sean Kugler, who is a BWG folk hero for the job he has done, is putting the five best OL up front, which hopefully will solidify the right side of the line. With Pouncey, Legursky and Colon the projection looks good at both run blocking and pass blocking.  

Legursky was a three-time All-Conference USA selection and started the final 32 games for the Thundering Herd of Marshall. Legursky holds the Thundering Herd weight room record for squatting 705 pounds! He signed with the Steelers as a rookie free agent and went to the practice squad in 2008. He worked out with the team for the entire offseason and made the roster the following year. Besides his great strength he is very athletic running the 40 in 4.9. He has filled in at fullback and Center for the Steelers.

…about preseason is not to get HURT! The Steelers failed pretty bad this week at that. The Black and Gold were dropping like flies against the Atlanta Falcons.

Byron Leftwich broke his arm and looks like he will miss some serious time. The only good news is that it wasn’t his throwing arm. Early reports are that he might comeback later in the year, I wouldn’t bet on it. With some veterans needing to go, this basically saves Charlie Batch or Dennis Dixon from the “turk”! The Steelers are pretty set at QB so while the injury stinks for Leftwich it isn’t damaging for the season. Batch can win in a pinch as he proved last season, Dixon has tremendous upside and is exciting to watch, so we will see how it plays out.

The injury that is just awful is Maurkice Pouncey. Pouncey’s injury could keep him out for the opener against the Rat-Bird Ravens. The O-line which is pretty horrible just got worse without its best player. I thought the Steelers best combination up front was the opening combo of Gilbert at Left Tackle, Kemoeatu Left Guard, Pouncey Center, Legursky Right Guard, Colon Right Tackle. Legursky is a very good backup and Tony Hills will move to Right Guard. Of course Sean Kugler did a great job last season, so BWG nation have some faith.

Also taking a dive was Keenan Lewis who played pretty well and is seriously pushing for a starting spot. Lewis is in the make it or break it year and seems to be responding well.

The good news is Antonio Brown lit it up. He is an electrifying player and opposite Wallace gives the Steelers two big play guys. Of course Hines Ward just flat out plays. He made a spectacular catch and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.

The game was a complete effort as the Steelers played well on both sides of the ball. Living in New York I had to deal with the Hurricane and on top of that I couldn’t watch the game until Sunday on NFL network. I avoided the Internet and Captain Tailgate as to not spoil the ending! The NFL network while the GAME WAS ON, announced that the Steelers won. WTF!!! Only one more week until this is for real!

With the offensive line looking putrid these days the Steelers decided to bring back Trai Essex. Essex has been a capable backup but with the lockout and his marriage was woefully out of shape. The Steelers need some depth and Essex can bring that, he has spent the last six weeks getting in shape and losing some weight. He is ready to compete for a job in a wide open line.

The Steelers pounded their in state rival Philadelphia Eagles. A week after getting pushed all over the field, the Steelers starters sent a clear message. It was a solid game and the Steelers looked terrific all around.

The good news, the Steelers are loaded at linebacker and that talent was on display. They disrupted the pass and the run and the Eagles had no answers. Larry Foote played a terrific game and he is clearly the front runner to stay with the team inside. It was a great effort by Worldis and Sylvester.

The best news is the secondary looked awesome! They had Michael Vick’s number all night and it was clear, the defense was in synch.

The bad news, the O-line is horrible and Jonathon Scott and Marcus Gilbert were injured.

As I was a day late in seeing the game and then some personal stuff got in the way, I am late in reporting on the Steelers loss to the ‘Skins.

There were very few positives. I will say that I was impressed with Ike Redman and Mewelde Moore. I thought both played very well and I was impressed with their efforts. Antonio Brown continues to distinguish himself and looks like a possible big threat.

Now the bad news. The scores of these games don’t matter, the key is not to get hurt. Well the Steelers lost on the scoreboard and Ike Taylor was seriously injured leaving him out for at least three weeks. This weakens and already weak secondary.

Ben was also nicked up as the line still has trouble with multiple blitzers. The line had a terrible night from the first team through the backups. To say the O-line is a question mark is an understatement, after the way they played this week. NO ONE played well. Look for the third string center to get cut this week. He nearly got Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon killed with a lollipop snap. I couldn’t even find him on the roster.

As for veteran roster cuts, I would say goodbye to Arnaz Battle as he couldn’t catch a cold. I also think that if the Steelers can’t trade Dixon than Batch will be a fatality.  

Just a rough night all around for the Steelers, they dial it up again this week against the Eagles. Let’s hope for a better showing.

The Steelers ink Cotchery!

The Steelers added a veteran receiver to their already talented core. This unit with the exception of the linebackers is probably the most talented on the team. This is a great pickup and adds excellent depth!

ESPN Rankings:

ESPN is ranking the Steelers number 5 in their preseason pole. Ray Poulette one of the readers of BWG was livid as he alerted me to this. The Steelers are ranked behind the Jets. My response is, who cares? The Steelers are always discounted and they play their best when they are the hunters not the hunted. I live in NY and have to listen to Rex Ryan talk about the Jets defense like they are the Steel Curtain and the 85 Bears roled into one! As I write every week the Steelers do their talking on the field. The Steelers cleary proved they were better than the Jets last year and they will prove it again this year. So let Rex and ESPN talk all they want

I just hope someone tells Silverback not to burn down ESPN headquarters.

The Plax Situation:

Be easy on Plaxico Burress. I saw alot of fans hating on Plax because he signed with the Jets for more money. While I wanted Plax to come back to the ‘Burgh. He did what was best for his family. He lost three years of prime earning potential after being railroaded by the NYC Mayor. So if he sells himself to the highest bidder, it is hard to be critical. He was a very good Steeler and I will remember him for that! It could have been worse he could have gone to Baltimore or our interstate rival the jerkoff Eagles!

Here is a quick note on key positions:

O-Line: The Steelers are in need of offensive line help. This is not exactly news and has been a fact for about four years. The word around camp is that Max Starks was in the running to come back, but is way out of shape and not ready to play. The Steelers are investigating bringing back “The Hotel” Flozell Adams. If they did that it would prompt the team to move Colon inside to guard. That is a crushing front five on run blocking albeit a little slow on the pass block. A few teams in the north are switching to the 4-3 so this seems like a reasonable move.

I am not sold on Jonathon Scott as the starting left tackle. Look for him to get competition from Marcus Gilbert if he can stay healthy and on the field. Also look out for Trevis Turner to make some waves if Flozell isn’t resigned. He is a “project” guy but has all the physical skills to have a shot at making the team.

Cornerbacks: The much maligned cornerbacks will be something to watch. This is the make it or break year for Keenan Lewis, he looks slow out of the gate with nagging injuries but should challenge for playing time against Willie Gay and Bryant McFadden. Curtis Brown got reps with both the first team and second team and seems to be making a good impression.  

D-Line: The D-line which is showing some years, but looks great. I love “Steel-Head” Heyward, the key is giving him a year to develop and have him replace BWG Favorite Aaron Smith next season. This looks like the breakout year for Ziggy Hood and he will challenge for serious playing time.

Keep the feedback coming…also send me any scoops you may have.

Keeping together the best linebacker tandem in the NFL was an offseason priority for the Steelers. They did it! LaMarr signed the richest deal in the history of the Steelers defense and he is now the second highest paid player in Steelers history.

He got a “chunk of change” up front in the form of 22.5 million. This was a great deal for everyone involved. LaMarr has been a flat out superstar and with Silverback they are the best tandem in the league. The linebackers have been the lifeblood of the Steelers defense and this signifies the Steelers confirmation of that.

LaMarr is a favorite of BWG! So welcome back!