Loose Slag from the Still Mill

Loose Slag from the Still Mill

- It�s not a crushing injury like the Pats suffered with the season-ending loss of Rod Harrison, but the groin injury that will shelve OLB Clark Haggans is a big loss.� It�s no secret that Hagg has been leading this LB corps, to include his best-ever game just last week versus the Pats.� A groin injury is a concern, because this is the kind of injury that can linger and nag for weeks longer than anticipated, and it will be tempting for Cowhard and company to rush Hagg back into the lineup.���

- Remember this, in regard to the play of Clark Haggans�� this here was the only site anywhere to state, numerous times, that Hagg was a perfectly acceptable replacement for Jason GilDong when The Donger became a free agent in February 2002.� Just think what the Stillers could have done with that enormous amount of cap money had they simply allowed GilDong to walk and elevated Hagg to the starting job.��

- Of course, Hagg isn�t merely replacing The Gilded Dong; he�s vastly outplaying, outhitting, and out-toughening him.

- With Hagg out, Jamie Harrison will move into the starting lineup as the LOLB.� The biggest problem with Harrison�s move into the starting lineup as the LOLB?� Harrison was and is urgently needed to start at the ILB spot in lieu of Larry Slow-a-Foote, or into a platoon role with Joey �Half Speed� Porter.� Foote makes routine plays and makes some mediocre sticks on plays in which he is totally unblocked.� Harrison has the ability to blow up plays and force fumbles.�� Porter hasn�t done shit all season, presumably because of the August knee scope, and if nothing else, Porter could have used a platoon with Harrison.� With Hagg out for at least 5 weeks, neither option is viable and the Stillers defense will apparently continue to lumber along with a feeble pass rush from its front 7.�

- Gerry �No Brains� Dulac claimed in the PG this past week, �James Harrison is the best pass-rushing linebacker on the team.�� Sorry Gerry�.lay off the booze while writing articles.� In terms of sheer ability, Porter is the best rusher, followed closely by Hagg.� Harrison has great desire, fire, toughness, and energy.� What ails him on the pass rush, especially when rushing from the OLB spot, is his lack of frame length in terms of height and arm-length.� This isn�t to say he�s lousy, but simply that Porter (when his head isn�t stuck up his ass) and Haggans are better in that department.�

- In case you were wondering, here�s why frame length is important for an outside pass rusher.� I met Hall of Fame OT Anthony Munoz at a business luncheon about 2 months ago.� Got to stand next to him, shake his hand, and chew the fat for a few minutes.� Let me assure you, the guy is massive.� The guy is 6�6�, his hands were enormous, and his arm length was such that he could have shaken my hand while standing 5 feet apart.� Standing there, it really brought home the factor of frame length, because Munoz is the prototypical tackle that every team hopes to land as a franchise left tackle.� And if your frame length isn�t long enough to combat an athletic tackle like Munoz, you�re fighting a losing battle, getting jabbed away before you ever get remotely close to that lineman�s interior body.�

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- After seeing Faulk, Dillon, and even slowfooted FB Patrick Pass demonize the Stiller defense with meaningful downfield short flips, is anyone still not convinced as to what Willie Parker could do if the shackles were removed and he was actually allowed to run similar patterns?�

- Like I stated last week, Dick LeBeau�s biggest challenge -- creating pass pressure from the personnel in his front 7.� As we saw versus NE, QBs better than David Carr, with better blocking than Houston�s human sieve, are going to be able to sometimes exploit Pola�s blitz-created vacancy.�

- As you may recall, veteran CB Phil Buchanan meekly waved at Parker as Parker dashed by for a TD in the 3Q of the romp over the Texans.� Just a few days later, Dom Capers announced that Buchanan was taking a seat on the bench and was being removed from the starting lineup.� This was the correct decision, and it remains to be seen what, if any, fate Fat Barrett Brooks will face for his asinine false start on a Reed FG attempt.���

- If you haven�t read the latest Sporting News article about Bill Bellichick, do so.� A must read.�� After reading it, you�ll have a much better idea as to why Bellichick is the supreme HC that he is, and conversely, why Bilbo Cowher is such a bumbling fool of a head coach.�

Still Mill and Stillers.com -- the only nationally read coverage on the Pittsburgh Stillers that has accurately predicted the how's and the why's of the past 4 Stiller playoff losses�.)