TFH 12/23: The Greatest Play, A Dynasty Launched

Before the 1972 regular season, the National Football League's Pittsburgh Steelers had never finished better than second in their division. They won the American Football Conference's Central Division that year to secure their first ever playoff berth, and their 11-3 record brought the franchise's record to a pathetic 179-273. That's a .396 winning percentage.

Forty years ago today, the Steelers played their first ever playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium versus the Oakland Raiders. Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities were dying economically in those days. The steel industry was collapsing. Related jobs in mining and transportation were also on the decline. Other manufacturers such as Westinghouse were also reducing their presence. The Steel City was in pain, and the rise of the Steelers to competitiveness was one of the few bright points.

With the 13th pick in the first round of the 1972 NFL Draft, the Steelers had picked Penn State's stand-out fullback, Franco Harris. Harris delivered on his first-round selection by racking up 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns during the season. Little did the rookie know that in the Steelers' first ever playoff game, he'd become the focus of the greatest single play in the history of professional football: the Immaculate Reception.

TFH 2/5: Pitch, Reverse, Block, Pass, Touchdown, Victory!

Six years ago today, in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XL at Ford Field, Detroit, QB Ben Roethlisberger took the snap and pitched to Willie Parker, running left. Parker hands off to Antwaan Randel El running right. Big Ben throws a huge block on the blitzing corner back to spring Randel El to the outside. He stops, and throws a beautiful, on-target 43-yard pass to Hines Ward. Touchdown, and the Pittsburgh Steelers' fifth Lombardi Trophy was assured!

2011 Pittsburgh Steelers - a Post-Mortem

As has been well reported, the Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos in crushing fashion Sunday night, ending their reign as defending AFC Champions. Here are my thoughts on what was actually a good season that probably ended too soon.

1) The Big Failure. Simple: losing both games against the Baltimore Ravens. The opening game was an embarrassment. Giving up a 92-yard TD drive at the end of regulation in week 9 for loss #2 wasn't a whole lot better. If they could have held on to their lead and won the week 9 game, they'd have finished 13-3, won the division, and have secured both a 1st round bye and home field throughout the playoffs by virtue of beating the Patriots in week 8. Ultimately, the course of the Steelers' playoff exit may have been decided on November 6th.

2) Some Rest Would've Been Nice. I realize hindsight is 20-20, but the Steelers didn't handle injuries well down the stretch. Roethlisberger should have been inactive to let his ankle heal fully. Again, go back to November 6th - they win that game, no question Big Ben doesn't play on a bum ankle.

3) Are they too old? Good question. They certainly looked that way on Sunday. Were the injuries to D-Line stalwarts Hampton and Keisel age related? Probably not, but neither of them are spring chickens from a football perspective. It's already pretty much assured that Aaron Smith won't be back next year after season-ending injuries two years in a row. Defensive captain and signal caller James Farrior just finished his 15th season. Hines Ward ends his 14th season (I think he'll be back) but that isn't a big deal because...

4) The Steelers have the best receiving corps in the NFL. Period. They don't have the best single receiver. They have the best unit. Antonio Brown: first ever in league history with 1,000+ receiving yards and 1,000+ return yards. Mike Wallace: nobody will out run him. Emmanuel Sanders: so long as he stays healthy, he's clutch. Jericho Cotchery came up with a couple of big catches in key spots, but won't likely return since he's an unrestricted free agent and with the Brown/Sanders/Wallace trifecta, the Steelers will use cap space and the dollars elsewhere. Prediction: Ward takes a pay cut and stays here. The alternative is retirement. He's loved here, and was around for the Rod Woodson departure debacle. I don't think he'll risk his good will with the fans.

5) Back to an "age" topic, what was up with Polamalu? No secret Troy had an off-year. What I found more disturbing than his lack of interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries was his instincts seemed to be off. Throughout his career, Polamalu has had an awesome ability to jump plays or come out of nowhere to make a game changing play. He started looking better late in the season - I saw a lot of that Troy - but was way off the mark in the Wild Card playoff game. Hopefully, he gets back in the groove for next season...at age 31.

6) Let's hope Maurkice Pouncey isn't really fragile. Two seasons. Two late season ankle injuries. He also missed time during the season. The difference in the Steelers' O-Line is massive when Pouncey plays versus not. We need him healthy.

7) What next? With their loss Sunday, the Steelers locked up the 24th overall pick in the 2012 draft. I think they might be in the position of picking the "best available player regardless of position", but I think they'll shy away from a receiver. If I was making the pick, it would be a lineman - offense first, then defense.

Looking ahead to the 2012 season, the Steelers will get a rematch with the Broncos (figure that will be a Sunday Night Football appearance). If the AFC West is on the rise, it could be a tough schedule. Games vs. the Jets and Titans should be easy wins based on relative team situations. The games vs. the NFC East should be interesting too - the only walk-over is the Redskins.

What will 2012 hold? It's going to depend really on how the Steelers who suffered late season injuries (Rashard Mendenhall, in particular, not mentioned earlier) recover. Right now, I'm going to say they don't do as well as this year, finish 11-5 but win the division with a week 17 victory over the hated Ravens.

Idiot of the Day Award

Thanks a lot Santonio, way to be a team player.

Suspension is a must. Whatever the league does to him, the Steelers should do worse.

KICKOFF: Steelers vs. Texans

Football is back! Will be updated frequently. Updates at top. HERE WE GO STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!!

15:55: Steelers are running out the clock. Texans score two meaningless late TDs, and Reed added a Steelers' Figgie, so the final is 38-17. Great start to 2008 for the Steelers!!!!

15:02: TOUCHDOWN!!!! Roethlisberger to Ward, easy score. Up to 35-3. Steel city cruisin'!

14:45: TOUCHDOWN!!!! Steelers open the 2nd half by marching right down the field for Fast Willie's third TD of the game. Steelers 28, Houston 3.

14:23: Halftime, Steelers still lead 21-3

14:07: After two tackles for losses, Houston comes out of their time out to 3rd and 15...DEFENSE HOLDS! Field goal attempt by ex-Steeler Kris Brown is good, so the Black'n'Gold's lead is cut to 21-3.

14:01: INTERCEPTED!!!! Troy Polamalu picks off a bad pass from Schaub and it was an easy one. No return, so the Steelers take over at the Texans' 32. First snap...NOOOOOOO - Big Ben fumbles followed by a big return, plus a Steelers' penalty and the Texans are right back in it.

13:50: INTERCEPTED!!!! Schaub throws into double coverage, and it's picked off one-handed by the Steelers' LaMarr Woodley! 1st and 10 at the Houston 31! Quick run up + 15 yard facemask, then....TOUCHDOWN!!!!! Over the middle, Roethlisberger to Hines Ward. Reed's kick is good again and the Steelers are sailing, 21-0 with 9:03 left in the first half!!!!!

13:45: TOUCHDOWN!!!! Willie Parker scores from 13 out, kick good, Steelers up 14-0 on the 76-yard drive! Boy, they looked real sloppy down there (fumbles on 2 consecutive plays) but a TD is a TD!

13:31: Two sacks on the series puts the Texans back to 4th and 24, and they punt!

13:20: TOUCHDOWN!!!! Willie Parker breaks in from 7 yards out to the right with a great stiff arm...Jeff Reed's kick is up and good! Steelers lead 7-0.

13:14: Kubiak challenges the spot and measurment, and loses - Steelers' ball, 1st and 10 @ PIT48.

13:09: DENIED! Defense tries to hold on 4th and short, QB sneak by Schaub, Referee signals 1st down. Steelers ask for measurement...and...it's SHORT! Steelers take over on downs at their own 49!

13:04: We're on - Jeff Reed kicks off to Houston, and we're underway!

Bad Photoshop Job of the Day

Glad he's our new coach, but did they have to cut and paste Mike Tomlin's head onto a Steelers' shirt? Let's show the guy some respect! Picture direct from the Steelers' website:

Doesn't anybody at the Steelers have a digital camera and a spare polo shirt, so that they could have done a real job?

Coach Mike Tomlin: Steelers' News Conference

Live blogged comments:

From the horse's mouth, Coach Tomlin will retain Dick LeBeau as Steelers' defensive coordinator. Great news - probably won't mean a wholesale change of the Steelers' 3-4 base defense. Reading between the lines, it means that they'll have to build the personnel to switch to a "Tampa 2" 4-3. Best guess, Steelers take a quick DE with their 1st draft pick, looking to a 4-3 future.

Bravo! He's stressing that Coaches Dungy & Smith making it to the Super Bowl is significant because of the quality of the individuals, NOT because they just happen to be African-Americans.

UPDATE: other coaching positions will be settled "in the next few days".

UPDATE: he's talking about how he'll be involved in personnel decisions and basically saying what a great organization it will be to work in. Translation: "So long as I don't make a complete pig's breakfast of this job, it's my job until I don't want it any more!" ;-)

UPDATE: "as coaches, we have to be flexible schematically" - skirting around the 3-4 vs.4-3 issue. Can't argue with him though. Basic methodology is get good players, and game-plan for their strengths.

UPDATE: says he hasn't spoken to Russ Grimm, says he probably will. I really doubt that Coach Grimm will be back. Getting passed over is asking too much to have him stay on, even if hypothetically, he became the offensive coordinator.

Press conference ends at 15:57. Impressive. Said all the right things, must have used the term "blue collar" about a dozen times. As a Steelers' fan, I'm looking forward to seeing him prowl the sidelines for hopefully the next 15-20 years, and bring a couple more of those Lombardi Trophies back to Steel City.

Steelers: it's Tomlin!

After this weekend's mix of "It's Tomlin" and "It's Grimm" stories, the Pittsburgh Steelers will reportedly introduce Mike Tomlin as their new head coach today, according to this story by Ed Bouchette and Gerry Dulac in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

I like the pick. It will be interesting to see what happens on the Steelers' defense, having spent the last 10+ years running the 3-4 zone blitz as Coach Tomlin is a proponent of the 4-3 Cover 2/"Tampa 2". Could be a lot of personnel changes on defense if the base package changes, since we don't have a 4-3 style D-Linemen, or linebackers for that matter. Switching to a form of Cover 2 could also affect the Steelers best defensive player, SS Troy Polamalu, since with two deep safeties, unless they're going to play nickle on every down, Polamalu's usual "all over the place" play won't work.

Will Grimm replace the Chin?

ESPN is reporting that the Steelers have narrowed their coach search to three: current Assistant Head Coach Russ Grimm, Vikings' Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin, and Bears' Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera. The P-G's Ed Bouchette sounds off here on the story.

At this time, it would appear that the interview over the weekend with Georgia Tech's Chan Gailey (former Steelers' Offensive Coordinator) and the "permission asking" by the Steelers to consider Mike Sherman (current Texans' Assistant Head Coach/Offense, former GB Packers' head coach) will go nowhere. Sherman didn't even interview; when I heard his name mentioned, have to admit I was intrigued by the possibility.

Conventional wisdom is that if the Steelers don't announce their selection in the next several days, that puts Ron Rivera in the front runner position since the Steelers can't engage him any more until after the Bears' season is done. According to Bouchette, Tomlin has his 2nd interview tomorrow, Grimm on Wednesday.

I'd go with Grimm at this point - let's maintain some continuity on the staff. If there is no announcement on Thursday or Friday, then it will probably be Rivera.

BTW, congratulations to former Steelers' Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who is going to be the new Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers play at Arizona next year, so mark that one down on the calendar! Unfortunately for Coach Whisenhunt, the Cardinals just seem to be one of those franchises mired in perpetual mediocrity.

How much you want to bet that Whis' first official act as Head Coach will be to tell Matt Leinart to sell his motorcycle, if he owns one. ;-)

Thank you, Bill Cowher!

Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach has made it official: he will be "retiring" and not be the Black'n'Gold's Chief Chin on the sidelines next year, and likely ever again. I felt for sure that when NC State hired Tom O'Brien away from Boston College that we'd have Bill back for another season.

Here's a link to the NFL's article on his resignation.
And the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Can't wait to see him on TV next year though. I'm sure he'll be an analyst for someone.

15 Seasons
161-99-1, .619
10 Playoff Appearances
8 Division Titles
2 AFC Championships
Super Bowl XL Champion
Canton anyone?

Bill, when you decide to return to the sidelines, please, anywhere but Baltimore, Dallas, or perish the thought, CLEVELAND.

Steelers Analysis/Recap, Game One

Overall, I'm real pleased with the Steelers' performance last night. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac has posted his Game 1 Steelers Report Card; I think he's overly critical. While he doesn't get down to "grading" per se, the PG's Ed Bouchette paints a rosier picture in his game summary article.

The Miami Herald's article on the game has a title that looks like they're about to start whining - "Steal Curtain" - but actually spends more time criticising the Dolphins rather than trying to claim that the game was stolen from them. I always love reading the opposition press after a favorite team's win. (On a side note, three or four years ago I think after a particular Steelers' demolition of the Cincinnati Bengals the local beat writer commented that, "The Bengals next opponent is bye week, and the early line on the game has them as seven point underdogs.")

Thoughts on the game:

1) It was great to hang in Tulsa with the local congregation of Steelers Nation. The wings though at the Fox & Hound weren't the best - overloaded with sauce, and a few of them even had some bone chips in them. The tortilla soup gets the thumbs up. It's great to be ~1,000 miles from home in a bar/restaurant, and see the Terrible Towels wave!

2) I don't play fantasy football, but if you do and you don't have Heath Miller as one of your TEs, get your head examined. I thought about taking the fantasy plunge this year and Miller would've been one of my picks.

3) In my live blogging last night, I didn't highlight the fine play of Hines Ward really at all, except for his touchdown. Hines didn't show any rust at all from sitting out the whole preseason, and as usual, made the big catches when he had to.

4) While overall the special teams didn't do very well, if 1st round pick Santonio Holmes is going to continue as a punt returner, somebody has to bang into his head when to let punts fall. At least two of the ones he caught deep and then returned for little gain or fair caught probably would have bounced into the end zone for touchbacks.

5) 11 days off until the next game. Gives Big Ben plenty of time to get back into the mix. Next two games are key, at Jacksonville and home vs. Cincinnati. If we come out of that stretch 3-0 (and into the early bye week, which is unfortunate), things will be looking real good.

Steelers Final Score, 28-17

Steelers are running out the clock. Our defense stood up when they had to, and the offense did very well under the temporary care of Charlie Batch. Here we go Steelers, HERE WE GO!!!!!!!!

Put it in the win column, TOUCHDOWN!!!!!

Joey Porter grabs Culpepper's second pick of the night after a missed FG by Reed and takes it to the house. Steelers 28, Dolphins 17 with 2:59 remaining.

Intercepted!

Troy Polamalu gets his first pick of the season. Steelers take back the ball with now 4:30 and counting...

TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Charlie Batch passes to Heath Miller, who then gets massive yards after the catch. Nick Saban tries to challenge, but doesn't get the flag out before Reed kicks the PAT. Steelers 21, Dolphins 17 late 4th.

(UPDATE: Saban got the flag out in time, but the offcials didn't see it. His own fault though. He threw it behind the ref, when he should have run out on the field, as he's allowed.)

NOOOOOOOO!

Steelers fumble the hand off after an impressive 82y drive to 1@G at the 2. First Cowher chin sighting of this nascent season. Fingers crossed for a quick turnover...

Pfffft...MIA scores

Steelers almost pick off Culpepper in the end zone, but the Dolphins score on the next play; we're down by just 3, 14-17.

Halftime, PIT 17 MIA 10

Dolphins score a late figgie after a great defensive stand by the Steel Trap - MIA had 1@G from the PIT 8 and went 3 and kick.

Random thoughts:

1) Is it just me, or does Big Ben look better post-breaking his face?

2) The Steelers need to stop attempting the dive tackles; letting MIA gain more than they should.

3) Got to love Dick LeBeau, and he loves Troy Polamalu. It's not often you see a SS up as an interior lineman. IMO, if you had to pick a single reason for the SB XL win, it should be Coach LeBeau returning as the DC.

4) I'm glad the Bus isn't using Michael Irvan's tailor for his on air wear; he looks good. Cris Collinsworth looks like he's been embalmed.

5) This season continues with a near total lack of (IMO) obvious holding penalties called against the opposing OL.

6) Who cares about the 0-4 preseason now? Defense has been good, offense solid; things will only look up when Roethlisberger gets back on the field. I think the Steelers are looking at 12-4 or maybe 13-3 this year...

TOUCHDOWN!!!

Batch to Ward on the slant, Reed's kick is good, 14-7 Steelers!

Wilson gets the PI call this time!

1st and goal from the 8. If the Zebras hadn't called that one, then they all should be fired. Batch throws the ball away after rolling left under pressure; 2nd & goal, 2 minute warning called @ 1:56.