How to Fix the Steelers

Some people are talking about how they need to rebuild or how this team is a complete mess. It�s important to keep things in perspective. This is, with the exception of three starters, the same team that won the Super Bowl last year. They are even almost identical to the team that went 15-1 the year before that. What happened yesterday was, by far, the worst loss of the season. The Steelers had not been dominated like that up until this point. Those sorts of games happen, though. Every team has bad, and downright awful days. The Steelers just couldn�t afford it at this point. So, just stay calm if you are in full panic mode. This team will rebound next season.

At this point in the season, I�m fairly certain as to what players I think need to go (coaches, as well), and what parts of the team need fixing. This is based off what I�ve seen all season (and even last season), not just the Sunday massacre.

It all starts here at the top. There�s a lot of talk about Cowher having lost his intensity, and jokes about how he retired last February. I may be in the minority, but I think Cowher comes back after this season. I can�t imagine he is going to go out with an underachieving team such as this. Part of me would almost be glad to see him go at this point. However, the reasonable side of me says that, even though Cowher is very far from perfect, his track record speaks for itself. He has won a lot, and there are only a few coaches in the league who I would actually rank above him. He isn�t a genius when it comes to strategy, like a Belichick or Shanahan, but he knows how to get the most out of his talent and win football games.

I have never liked Whisenhunt, and neither did many fans last season before the Steelers miracle playoff run. Whisenhunt, in my opinion, ended up receiving credit for what Roethlisberger actually accomplished. The teams plan was hardly revolutionary, even for the Steelers. Cowher led teams have tried to pass first in the past, but simply never had the QB to execute like they did last year. They often opened with the pass in the regular season. The only playoff game I thought he called exceptionally well was the win in Denver. Otherwise, he is far too conservative, and his system far too simple. Yesterday�s plan was the perfect example of this.

The Steelers had never run well on Baltimore, and to try was foolish. The Ravens run a complex system and have the most talented defense in the league. I had hoped and believed the Steelers were going to pass to try and set up the run in spite of the comments made during the week about wanting to try and run (which were similar to those made before the Denver game). There are teams and times when you run, clearly. The Steelers are about running the football and defense, first and foremost. They are not good enough, though, to come out and try to impose their will on the Ravens. They came out and tried to run out of their base formations, and I smelled a disaster from the start. Not coincidentally, the Steelers actually began to move the ball when FINALLY they made the switch to the no-huddle/spread late in the third (already down 17). It was too little, too late as the game spiraled out of control and the Ravens simply continued to blitz. Whisenhunt was even dumb enough to put Roethlisberber back behind center (and have him drop back 5 steps at times) as well as try to pump-fake after seeing how well the shotgun, up-tempo attack worked. If the Steelers had come out like this from the beginning, the Ravens would have been caught off guard, and forced to lay back as the Steelers moved the ball.

Russ Grimm is another coach who is vastly overrated. Somehow these two are the leading candidates to replace Cowher, and that scares the hell out of me. To put it simply, no man has been given more talent and done less with it. The Steelers line is made up entirely of day-1 picks. Hartings was one of their few FA signings. Faneca and Smith were both first rounders, as was Simmons later on. Starks was a third rounder. All of these players have grossly underachieved. The line eats up a quarter of the Steelers cap space. Faneca, Smith, and Hartings are three of the highest paid players on the team. None of them has lived up to their contracts. Simmons is a complete bust who shouldn�t be starting, and Starks is just soft. He has never progressed and learn to use his natural talent. Other then Simmons, there really isn�t any member of this line I don�t expect start next year, though. I think Starks returns, and the team either drafts a guard, or turns to Kemo. Depends on what they think of his play. I don�t support the idea of using high round picks on the OL at this point, because the team has already tried it. There are also plenty of guys starting and performing at a high level who were taken late. The Steelers, though, are awful on day-2 of the draft, and have been throughout the Colbert era.

The Steelers have a good WR core. Nate Washington is pretty much a rookie. He�s had some big drops this year, but at the least he manages to get open and make plays. If he can fix his drops, he will be a nice player on this team for years. Holmes has shown a good deal for a rookie WR, and will only continue to progress. He will look good lined up across from Ward (should already be there now). Even Wilson is serviceable, if not spectacular. There is still Willie Reid on the bench, too. No additions need to be made. Just let some of the young guys play and mature.

Heath Miller has been a disappointment this year. Even though he isn�t involved in the game plan enough (could blame either Roethlisberger or Whisenhunt for this), he has not performed well. He has dropped some passes as of late, which isn�t something he did in his rookie campaign. His blocking has dropped off substantially on top of that. The Steelers need to make an effort to get him involved in games earlier. He started the season as the invisible man, and I can�t help but feel that not getting thrown to for much of the season, or early in games has an impact when he is suddenly asked to make a big catch in the end zone and he drops it (Raiders game�).

Kreider should not be on the field as much as he is. It may be a pipe dream, but I would love it if the Steelers cut Tuman, and drafted another TE (not a bum like Charles Davis) in the mid-rounds. Someone to serve more as an H-back and be a legitimate threat in the passing game. It would allow for some much needed flexibility in this offense. They occasionally try this with Miller already, but as is, Tuman is pretty much just a waste of space. Haynes may also be serviceable in such a role (if he returns); if they would ever deploy him in the backfield with Parker at the same time.

I am comfortable enough with Fast Willie being the lone starter. I wouldn�t mind a complimentary back, although I don�t think it�s necessary. I think you�re crazy if you are calling for a high draft pick (as in rounds 1 and 2) on one. Guys like Turner and Jacobs were grabbed in the mid-rounds, and that is where the Steelers should look. I don�t like Davenport as a runner (especially as a �power� back), but he�s a fine return man. I�m pretty sure that if Cowher stays, they grab a RB earlier then round 7 this time around. Especially if the season continues to go down hill from here on out. Cowher will most likely compare this season to 03 (which I think is nonsense), and try to return to �Cowher Ball� as soon as possible.

This unit has even more to do with this teams demise than many realize. Beyond blowing several games, such as the one in Cinci, they have generally given the other team incredible field position. Gardocki and Reed have no leg, and both are near the bottom of the league in terms of yardage. Gardocki was especially bad in the Ravens game. The defense, while playing lousy throughout the first half, was still able to hold Baltimore when given enough field. Their three scoring drives were of 56 (TD), 47 (TD), and 56 (FG). Gardocki was hitting the ball 30-40 yards. Absolutely pathetic. Baltimore�s two punts in the half were on drives that started at their own 11 and 27. If given the field, the defense may have been able to hold.

Reed also lacks the leg. His kickoffs are lucky to get past the 10 yard line. The coverage teams rarely have time to get down there on either punts or kicks. While Reed was at least reliable with FG�s in the past, he has been pretty average (if not lousy) this season, no matter the distance. At the least, the Steelers should consider a kick-off specialist, if not replace him outright. Gardocki needs to go.

It hasn�t been quite right all season, although not awful, either. Blame has been placed on all three aspects, as well as LeBeau. I view the run defense as a strength. It hasn�t missed a bit without Kimo. That is in my honest opinion. Yesterday was a bit rough, and Keisel was dominated by Ogden in the run game. Then, the Steelers are still the only team to not allow a 100 yard rusher. You find me a run defense that doesn�t have bad weeks, and I might reconsider. The Steelers defense had some bad days against the run last year, too. Porter was weak at the point of attack, and washed out of several plays. Smith played well, and has for most of this season. Still, the run defense is almost solely a reflection of the play of Casey Hampton. He was knocked around by the Ravens, but that is hardly a trend. The front-7 are fine in this regard. There is no way I see the Steelers taking a DE high this year. Smith still has another year on his contract, and Keisel several. Keisel continues to make plays in other aspects of the game. He leads the team in pressures, and I would call him an upgrade over Kimo overall. Smith is still very tough to move, and I can�t remember Baltimore running to the right with any success. When they tried, they were stuffed, if not losing yardage. It was mostly to the left and right in the middle.

The LB core is weak right now. The blame has to fall squarely on the shoulders of Joey Porter, who should be gone at the end of this season. As a pass rusher and leader, he has failed miserably. He is still signed for another year, but I think there�s a good chance they pull the plug on him if he doesn�t step up big in these last five games. Haggans is better at taking on blocks than Porter, although nowhere near as good in coverage. Foote and Farrior will due. I have been calling for an OLB in R1 for some time. The Steelers need their version of Merriman or Ware.

The secondary has been pitiful this year. Part of it is the lack of pass rush, which especially hurts with the frequency in which they blitz. Some of it is scheme (both LeBeau�s and that of the opposing team). Teams tried to exploit the massive cushions early on this year, and still are. The Ravens mostly threw quick underneath routes. The pass rush generally didn�t have time to get there. There were times when if the coverage had held a little longer, it would have. Brees and McNair both also did a good job of buying time and moving around to make plays. The tackling has been poor throughout the defense, which is another factor for the defensive woes. Other teams max protected (San Diego and Denver). Jacksonville and Cinci tried a lot of quick passes. They had one and three step drops in the game plan. How many WR screens were they hit with early on this year? The fade route has also clearly been a factor in the redzone this year.

The secondary has been feeble at best. Ike Taylor is not playing up to his contract, and seems to have lost confidence since the Denver game (on top of becoming a big target). McFadden hasn�t improved, and looks lost when he is on the field. Townsend was never very good, and has simply been exposed this season. Plummer even said they came in hoping to target him all game. No one can make a play on the ball, and teams seem more willing to gamble down field against them.

Ryan Clark has been respectable enough. Anthony Smith should be stepping in for the remainder of this season, though, especially if Polamalu is down. I would like to see him starting next year. Probably won�t happen. Polamalu has missed a lot of tackles. He did that last year, though, too. It�s always been a problem. I still think he�s looked better overall. Teams have generally not thrown down field against him. I think there is a real fear of his ability to make a play. I can�t remember him giving up any big passes to date. He seems to come up with a few big plays every game, and may be the most clutch player on the team. He and Hampton are the keys to this defense right now.

They certainly shouldn�t spend another high pick on the secondary. Colclough was a second rounder, as was McFadden. Taylor was only a fourth, but is the best of the bunch. They just re-signed Townsend. Polamalu was a first rounder, and Smith a third. Too much is already invested. Let McFadden and Taylor start next year with Smith and Polamalu. The combination should work, especially if the pass rush improves.

This team has some holes, but is still very talented and will be back next year. They need to make a few changes, such as at LB. In other areas, young talent just needs time to improve (WR/DB�s). Just remember they�ve been in just about every game this year. All of these problems won�t get fixed, obviously. Grimm is hardly going to be fired. The only hope is that he and Whisenhunt are hired away, or Cowher leaves and they go with him. I only hope neither becomes the head coach. Still, what flaws they have won�t hold back the on field talent, which is certainly there.

It�s early, and I will cover this in much greater depth down the road, but these are the roster moves I would make if I were the Steelers (assumes they get two 4^th rounders for El/Hope):

Draft:

1. OLB

2. G/C

3. RB/LB

4. DE

4a. LB/RB

4b. TE

5. CB

6. LB/QB

7. LB/QB

Cuts:

Joey Porter

Kendall Simmons (may just be demoted)

Sean Morey (Yeah right�)

Jerame Tuman (isn�t going anywhere)

Duce Staley

Ricardo Colclough (may stick around)

This is based partly off what I think may happen, and what I would like to see happen.