Stillers 15, Cowboys 14 ���. Aug. 21st, 2003 ����Preseason Game # 3

Stillers-Cryboys Postgame Analysis

(Note: As always, due to the relative meaninglessness of winning & losing in the preseason, my focus is on player and unit effectiveness, not on a win-loss that is typically decided in the 4Q by scrubs who will soon be collecting unemployment checks.� Additionally, since the flavor of this kind of preseason game involves so many players on both teams who won�t be part of the regular season mix, no grades will be issued.)

The Stillers pulled out a 15-14 win over the Cryboys in front of a fairly flaccid crowd at Heinz Field.��

QB: Maddox had a solid game.�� He threw a nice 25-yard TD strike to Plex in the 2Q.� Perhaps his best play was a 3rd & 15 just before the TD, in which Maddox adroitly stepped up in the pocket to avoid pressure, and then hit Plex on a deep crosser for a 20-yard gainer.� Maddox will never scramble or run with much effectiveness, but like Dan Marino, he merely has to be able to shuffle sideways or step forward a few feet in order to buy the extra second of time.� Batch entered the game late in the 2Q and got 5 series worth of work.� Overall, he was fairly lousy, although he was victimized by loads of penalties, dropped balls, and other assorted slop, plus he was working with 2nd & 3rd stringers.� He did complete an impressive pass as he was getting ready to be hit, resulting in a nice 16-yard 3rd down completion to Doering.� St. Pierre led the offense on a late 70-yard TD drive, and then hit a wide-open Wes Ours for the winning 2-pointer.��

RB:� Amoz got the start, and did little.� He was engulfed on a few early runs, in which hordes of defenders flooded the backfield and dropped him for losses.� He did have a few nice, quick-hitting slashes off tackle that churned out some good 5-6 yard gains.� Doughboy Bettis toted the ball a few times and had some adequate production.� Haynes saw a good amount of work at tailback and chipped in nicely.� He looks a lot less wooden and less stiff than he did in his rookie campaign.� Grabbing 4 passes, Haynes also gives the impression that he can be a John L. Williams type of threat at FB, due to good hands and good receiving skills.� Dante Brown got some work in the 2H and scampered practically untouched for the late TD on 4th & 1.� Combined with Haynes' ability to back up at both TB and FB, Brown has looked good enough to warrant keeping on the final 53 over the injury-prone Fu.�

FB: Kreider looks to be his old, mean self.� He had a nice lead block to start the 2nd series, allowing AZ to slash ahead for 5.� Ours, the massive FB who resembles a pudgy guard, saw a good bit of work in the 2H.� Ours seems like a legit NFL'er, but will probably be lost out in the numbers game.�

WR:� Ward had a drop on the 1st series, but otherwise resembled the trusty, tough WR that Stillers fans are accustomed to.� Plex caught the easy TD pass.� He also caught an apparent TD a few plays prior on a bomb, but Smith's holding call negated the play.� On that particular play, it was a plus & minus for Plex.� On the plus side, Plex did a great job of "bodying" the DB -- perfectly legal and legit -- by slowing down a smidgen and "bodying" the DB & then shifting forward & being right where the ball was placed.� On the minus, Plex, despite the nice body work, nevertheless allowed the ball to hit his chest plate.� Fortunately, he was able to corral the ball, but it's rather disappointing to see the same horrible habits crop up in what is his 4th NFL season.� Speaking of the same horrible habits, Plex was also flagged for a false start, as was El.� ARE had a couple short grabs.� Doering grabbed 4 balls and Mays 2.� It still remains to be seen who the 4th WR will be, although either seems to be a decent option.� Ivy was blistered by Woodson after dropping a short slant, and left the game in a daze.�

TE: �On an early 3rd & 3, Riem snared a tough ball for a clutch 4-yard reception, a play that Mr. Stonehands, Mark Bruener, couldn't have made given 30 tries.�

OL: The O-line had some good moments, but also was ransacked and pillaged on more than a few occasions. �Marvel Smith was called for a hold, plus allowed some leakage on several passing and running plays. �Ross had some problems at RT.� Fordham looked adequate, and at this point, I'd lean toward Ford getting the starting nod, although, because Ross has been with the team longer, he inherently will get Billy Cowher's nod if it's a close call.� The interior (Gs, C) were fairly solid, although Hartings looks a little gimpy.� Okobi was called for a hold on the 1st play of the 2H.� The overall concern, of course, is that the Ravens will bring a boatload of more toughness, ferocity, pressure, and stunts than what the Cryboy front 7 showed tonite.�

DL:� The D-line was pretty stout.� The run stuffing by the starting D was very solid.� Hampton was easily steered wide on a 3rd & 6 early in the 2Q, and Carter scampered thru the massive hole for a 7-yard gain. �Smith had a couple good stops.� Keisel darted in and stuffed a RB for no gain.�

LB:� This starting crew had a solid game.� Porter and Farrior were quite active.� Bell didn't have any huge hits, but he crashed the line a couple times and you could see the bow-wave as he did it.� With GilDong sitting out from knee fluid, Hggans got the start at LOLB and had a solid performance. �He missed an easy, untouched Dong Sack in the 2Q, but also forced a couple throw-aways with good, relentless pressure. �His run-stopping was acceptable.� Unlike GilDong, Haggans also showed the willingness to hustle and play all-out, such as the stop he made on the other side of the field to tackle Hambrick on a screen play late in the 1Q.� Alonzo Jackson showed exactly what he can do, twice stripping the QB.� Jackson displayed good quickness and a massive wing span on both of these strips.� Equally important, he showed a keen awareness of where the QB would be, so that he didn�t foolishly loop 6 yards past the QB like some OLBs are prone to do. �Jackson doesn't look much different than Joey Porter did as a rookie, but unfortunately Zo will suffer the same rookie fate as Porter -- lengthy bench rot.� Harrison chipped in some, and might make the squad.� Kriewalt dropped an INT.� �

DB:� Not much has changed since last season.� DeWayne gave up gobs of cushion, and yet still flailed after a short out to Galloway, resulting in an easy 22-yard gain.� Chad Scott played a full 5 yards off the LOS on a 3rd & 4 from the Stiller 8-yard line, and then backpedaled the second the ball was snapped, resulting in an easy pitch-and-catch TD to Galloway on a short out.� Scott also dropped a not-difficult INT on a "basket catch".� Taylor got some work and shows promise.� Pola came up on run support with some good sticks.� Burnt Alexander was invisible and non-existent, as always.�

Spec teams:� The special teams mostly stunk.� On the opening KO, the coverage and tackling were horrible, giving Dallas the ball at their 31.� Reed barely missed an easy 37-yard FG.� Josh's punting was utter dogshit.� Don't let the stats fool you -- he got away with a couple low liners that the young punt-returner allowed to hit-and-roll.� Amongst Josh's vomit was a pathetic 28-yard boot late in the 3Q.� Poteat actually looked ok returning the ball.� Taylor had a long KO return negated by a hold (actually a TACKLE) by Kriewalt.� Foote committed a foolish personal foul on a late-2Q punt.� ���

OC:� Mularkey pulled out a few end-arounds and similar gimmickry.� I was disappointed with his weakling screen play on 3rd & 9 from the Dallas 18.� Preseason should be a chance to see what the QB and WR can do in clutch 3rd-down plays, and running the homo screen play in that situation is absolutely maddening.�

DC:� Tiny Tim should see that both Zo and Haggans can easily replace Big Jason GilDong.� He should also see the absurd cushion that allows the easy pitch and catch.� There were a few rare sprinkles of press coverage, but� nothing will change on defense this season if the CBs continually play 8 yards off the LOS.� Problem is, Tiny Tim is a mental midget, so he won't see any of this.�

HC:� Cowher probably is contemplating which movie to take the team to next week.� After all, why worry about slop, penalties, and execution, when there are so many good movies out there to watch?�

Synopsis:� This was the last preseason litmus test for this team.� The starting units will most likely play no more than 2-3 series vs. Carolina.� There were some good signs tonite, but against such a weakling team like Dallas, there was far too much slop, poor execution, penalties, and so forth.�