Are the Pittsburgh Steelers the best team in the NFL?
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After three weeks, you have to ask if the Pittsburgh Steelers are the best team in the NFL right now. When Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was suspended for four games, many pundits speculated that if the Steelers could manage to go 2-2 during his suspension, Pittsburgh would be in a good position once Roethlisberger returned and possibly make a run for the playoffs. Well, it appears that the Steelers as a team have decided to make a playoff run without Ben Roethlisberger.
Pittsburgh has based their remarkable 3-0 start squarely on the shoulders of the Steelers defense. Look at these stats Pittsburgh has put together so far-6th in total defense, 3rd overall run defense allowing just 59.7 yards per game. The Steelers defense if 4th in the league with 10 sacks. They are tied for 2nd with 5 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles and lead the league only allowing 11 points per game. That’s pretty impressive, and then realize the Steelers have done all this with the league’s 32nd ranked passing offense.
Last Sunday, the Steelers reached into their bag of tricks and pulled out 35 year old Charlie Batch to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Batch responded to his first start since 2007 by completing 12 of 17 passes and throwing 3 touchdowns.
Batch will likely get the start again this week as the Steelers host division opponent, the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore was thought to have become an offensive powerhouse this offseason when they signed WR Anquan Boldin and recently added T.J. Houshmandzadeh, hower Joe Flacco has struggled so far this season, despite a strong game last Sunday against a happless Cleveland Browns club.
If the Steelers defeat the Ravens this Sunday, and then get Ben Roethlisberger back with a 4-0 record heading into the bye week, they have to be considered one of the best teams in the NFL, if not the best currently.
Batch tosses three scores, Steelers roll
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Whoa, who saw this coming as Pittsburgh Steelers QB Charlie Batch tosses three scores and the Steelers roll over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first start since 2007, Batch shredded the Buccaneers secondary for three touchdowns, two to Mike Wallace and the Steelers cruised to an easy victory 38-13.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers set out this season to improve their run defense after selecting defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price in the first two rounds of the draft and looked like they had made some strides in the first two weeks, however the Steelers ran for 201 yards against the upstart defense. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 143 yards on 19 carries and ended the day with a 7.5 yard per carry average.
I would never have thought this game would yield a total of 51 points, as many others predicted a very low scoring game with a field position battle ensuing, but there was no field position battle, only multiple touchdowns by the Steelers.
I did not think the Steelers would be 3-0 after three weeks, especially with the suspension of Ben Roethlisberger, but it is apparent that the Steelers defense has definitely buckled up their chin straps and have decided they are going to carry the team.
Perhaps the quarterback discussion of who would start at quarterback while Roethlisberger served his suspension should have included Charlie Batch all along. Batch certainly looked better than Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon combined.
And for you fantasy football players, remember this about Mike Wallace?
Pittsburgh Steelers perspective for Sunday against Tampa Bay
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This Sunday the Pittsbugh Steelers travel to the very hot and humid confines of Raymond James Stadium to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will be taking on his old friend Raheem Morris, as they both coached on the defensive side of the ball when Tomlin was with the Buccaneers.
Steelers Harrison named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
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Fresh off the Pittsburgh Steelers defense crushing shutdown of the Tennessee Titans offense, LB James Harrison has been named the AFC defensive player of the week. Harrison played an huge role is shutting down Tennessee Ttians RB Chris Johnson who was seeking to extend his consecutive game streak of consecutive 100 yard games to 13 straight.
The stats for Harrison this week during his impressive showing-
- Harrison registered 11 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in a 19-11 win at Tennessee.
- Harrison helped Pittsburgh’s defense limit Titans’ running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who entered the game with 12 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances, to 34 yards rushing on 16 carries (2.1 avg.).
- Played a pivotal role in the Steelers registering seven takeaways against the Titans (four fumble recoveries, three interceptions). It was the most takeaways for Pittsburgh since they had seven versus Baltimore on Nov. 9, 1997 (four interceptions, three fumble recoveries).
- In his seventh year from Kent State, this is Harrison’s fourth career Player of the Week Award. Harrison last won the award in Week 5 of 2009.
Steelers defense shuts down Superman
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The beat-up Pittsburgh Steelers took a page out of their past yesterday as the shut down Superman, aka, Tennessee Titans RB Chris Johnson. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense struggled by the Steelers defense was superb, creating 7 turnovers and limiting Johnson to a mere 34 yards on 16 carries. Johnson was looking to extend his streak of 100 yard games to 13 yesterday, but the Steelers played him perfectly.
The Steelers chased Tennessee Titans QB Vince Young out of the game after two interceptions and a lost fumble. Pittsburgh ended the game with 4 sacks, LB James Harrison was a beast with 2 of those sacks and 11 tackles. Pittsburgh might continue to struggle on offense, but if the Steelers continue to play defense like they did on Sunday, the defense will carry the team until Ben Roethlisberger returns.
QB Dennis Dixon left the game with a knee injury and was replaced by veteran Charlie Batch. Dixon will be undergoing test today to determine the extent of his injury. The Steelers are expected to re-sign Byron Leftwich this week after he clears waivers and it has not been determined which quarterback will start this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
