Steelers at Bengals Preview

The gameplan on offense stunk. I am not sure who to blame. I knew it was going to be a disaster when I actually heard the Rich Gannon say Cowher felt the team tried to spread the Ravens out and pass in the last meeting, and that it simply wasn�t who they are. If true, I have to wonder what is going on inside his head. Whisenhunt thought it would be a good idea to use more two TE sets, establish the run game, and hit them with quick passes. The team tried to hit the Ravens on a skinny post patterns, which they had some success with in the last meeting. It wasn�t there this time. It took until late in the third quarter for them to attack the Ravens vertically on the outside, and it was a 31 yard completion to Holmes.

No matter who is to blame for the piss poor gameplan, though, it was awful. Tuman is worthless, something I think most Steelers fans realized a long time ago. He offers nothing in the passing game. The only way the Steelers were going to have success in this game was with three and four wide sets. In both the past two games, the Steelers came out in two TE and two back sets, and were unable to move the ball. After falling behind, they finally made the switch to the no-huddle and shotgun, and they FINALLY began to move the ball in both games. This isn�t a coincidence.

There was only one way this team was going to move the ball on the Ravens, and that was to spread them out and pass. That was proven in both meetings now. They didn�t do it until it was too late. Well, it could have been a seven point game, but the team continued to make mistakes�like fumbling the ball at the goalline.

The players on the field were not put in the best situation to succeed, but they also played piss poor. Roethlisberger had happy feet. The team put him in third and long situations where he saw the Ravens blitzing, just like in the last game. He did not trust his OL to pick the blitz up. The shame of it is, throughout the first part of the game, the line actually did a respectable job. He was protected, but never comfortable. #7 takes the blame for the first two sacks. Of course, the Ravens adjusted. They began to bring more pressure from the middle, and blitzers walked in untouched.

Polamalu wasn�t healthy on the defensive side of the ball. In hindsight, he shouldn�t have been playing. Anthony Smith was probably at least partially to blame for the first TD, as he tried to help Townsend on the outside. He clearly did not have his normal speed, though. As far as I can remember, those were still the first two TD passes he has allowed this season. It will be interesting to see what happens this week.

The poor play from the LB�s was self-evident. Joey Porter had a disgusting performance that should have made every Steelers fan realize the ugly truth. That has already been documented on here enough, though.

This week, they will end the season for the Bengals, who have proven just how unable they would have been to go on the road and do what the Steelers did last year. Their past two games? Losses on the road to Indy and Denver. The schedule makers were then wise enough to schedule the third game at home against the Steelers. Were they trying to recreate the playoffs?

Little pass rush, poor coverage, and an even poorer scheme result in this sad excuse for a defense. The Steelers should have their way with them. Roethlisberger had all day to throw in the last game, as the Bengals starting front four were unable to generate any real pass rush. They will blitz, but it�s ineffective. They do not disguise it at all. When they show, they are coming. It�s really that simple.

The only match-up of concern is situational pass rusher Robert Geathers on Willie Colon. He�s emerged this season with over 10 sacks, and two of those came against Max Starks. Colon showed the ability to handle the edge rushers in the last game. The Bengals will probably try a few stunts and inside rushes. This is one of the most important match-ups in the game, and will have a very real impact on the moves the team makes in the offseason, and who plays next year.

The secondary can�t cover anyone. This has been proven. Their only chance is turnovers. They will try to take away the big play and force Roethlisberger to stay in the pocket and pick them apart underneath. The only problem is the guys they have playing back there aren�t disciplined. They made a living off jumping routes last year. The Steelers will have their run game going. They will throw some double-fakes in, and burn the Bengals for big plays.

Was dominant in the last meeting. There were two reasons for that. One, Kendall Simmons had his way with Sam Adams, and two, the Bengals front 7 is just as undisciplined as their secondary. Parker picked up a large chunk of his yards on the cut back.

Win the interior match-up, and Parker can and will make these LB�s miss. They�re awful. The only thing that will stop the Steelers run game in this game is the Steelers themselves. Last time they made two big blunders that put them behind late.

Willie Colon was most impressive as a run blocker last week, as I stated. If he can do what he did to Trevor Pryce again this week, the Steelers run game will be better than in the last meeting.

The offense will need to be good, and from the start, as I don�t like the odds of the Steelers stifling this offense. In the last meeting, the Steelers were able to get at Carson Palmer. Whitworth came in late, and their center was inexperienced. They allowed a lot of pressure from the inside. The Cinci line has gelled since then, though. LeBeau�s blitz schemes won�t work as well in this game.

Levi Jones is likely to return for this game. He�s listed as probable, has dressed the past two weeks, and practiced this week. Even hobbled he handled Joey Porter in the last meeting. Porter has never faired well against him. Then, Whitworth handled Porter as well. There is always a chance that, like in the last game, Jones will have to come out again. If Porter can�t beat him, I don�t know how anyone can deny he�s lost a step. Well, I�m already at that point. I just don�t know what else to say about the guy. On the other side, James Harrison will likely be filling in. I haven�t been impressed with what I�ve seen from him so far. I don�t have high expectations.

I don�t think much of Carson Palmer. He has poor pocket awareness. The guy has fumbled 15 times this season, and they�ve been very similar plays. A guy hits him from behind, and he�s completely unaware its about to happen. Defenses go for it every time, and he still just holds it out there. He fumbled three times in the last meeting. Beyond just coughing the ball up, Palmer gets happy feet in the pocket. If you can get pressure around him and make him feel uncomfortable, he crumbles. His passes start to zip straight over his receivers heads.

The problem is, I can�t see the blitzes reaching him. I think he will have some success early, and it will be up to the Steelers offense to keep up pace. I believe the Steelers would be better off just to throw different looks at him. Show some blitzes, and drop back. They�ve had a lot of success doing this in the past. Disguise the coverage, and force him to adjust. I don�t think he can, but I also don�t think LeBeau will do that. He�ll blitz until he gets burned, as he has in the past.

Still, I expect Palmer to cough up the ball at some crucial point, because the guy is a choker. It�s money with him. When a big game roles around, or a key moment in a game, he�s going to fail his team.

Of course, the secondary isn�t likely to be at full strength. Ryan Clark is out, and Polamalu was horrible last week. Townsend will be matched up on Chad Johnson for much of the game. The Steelers will need to double him. T.J. Houshmanzadeh is a tough receiver. He�s the least explosive of the starting three, but McFadden doesn�t match-up well. Ike Taylor on Chris Henry will be interesting. Henry was in his head in the last game. How Taylor responds could be very telling of his future.

Bengals center Ghiaciuc is a very good run blocker. He�s at his best when he�s just attacking the opposing defender. He won�t push Hampton around, though. The only way the Bengals run on the Steelers is if Hampton runs himself out of the play. Jamal Williams did this against the Bengals, and they were able to run with success as a result. Hampton needs to stay in position, as does all of the DL. My biggest concern is that, once the Bengals passing game gets going, they�ll be going up field. When a defensive linemen is putting rushing the passer ahead of stopping the run, running lanes start to open up.

The Bengals will have to pass to set up their run, but that could very well end up happening.

Prediction: Fireworks early. I see a shoot-out unless this defense surprises me. The good news, as I see it, is Carson Palmer will blow it at some point. He always tries, and usually succeeds. The offense is good for over 30 in this game.