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Stillers-Bungals Postgame Analysis and Grades

December 13, 2010 by Still Mill

Stillers 23, Cinci 7 ���Dec. 12, 2010
Stillers 23, Cinci 7���. Dec. 12, 2010 ����Game # 13

 

Stillers-Bungals Postgame Analysis and Grades

 

The Stillers came out sloppy and punch-drunk against the hapless Bungals, who were riding a 9-game losing streak.�� Luckily, Cinci�s mistakes, combined with a few good plays by the Stillers, cracked open what was a fairly tight game.��

 

Grades:

 

QB:On paper, Ben seemed to have a good day, going 21 of 22 for 258 and no INTs.��� Again, on paper.��� On the field, he was fairly shoddy.�� To be fair, his injured foot got injured worse when a lineman fell atop the appendage.�� He also dealt with the visor and rain droplets, and ended up removing the visor at halftime.��

 

The constant clutching and holding of the ball reached a feverish level today -- ��

 

�� - 3d & 4, 1st drive, held forever, sack.

�� - Late 2 Q, held bal forever, sack

�� - 2d & 7, 4Q, held forever, sack

�� - next play, sack, albeit on a fast-moving blitzer up the gut.Still, these 2 plays occurred when the Stillers had a 2d & 7 on the Cinci 15. nursing a flimsy 20-7 lead.�� These 2 sacks took the team out of chippie FG range and force a punt.�� Particularly on the 2d & 7 play, this is where Ben simply MUST throw the ball away and avoid the hideous lost yardage.

 

��� Let me add that there is a difference between Ben MOVING around the pocket and MAKING something happen -- which is usually good -- rather than standing still like a statue and clutching incessantly, and then, 5 seconds after the ball is snapped, he takes a sack.���

 

His worst pass was the utterly hideous stab on 3d & goal late in the 1H, which hit a Bengal LB right in the chest but was dropped.He also threw a high-risk quail pass off the flea flicker that had too much Yepremian influence.��

 

To his credit, he made some good strikes, and also had a brilliant play late in the 1H when he deftly deflected a super-high snap, corralled the ball, and then had the correct presence to keep the ball and scamper ahead for 13.Of course, he spoiled this by immediately spiking the ball, which enraged me due to the waste of down with a full 46 tics and 1 timeout remaining.�� ����

 

Randle El played a wildcat QB for 1 play, and adroitly ran the option and pitched to Wally for 12. B-

 

RB:Mendy had another low profile, workmanlike effort, with 18 for 66.There were a few plays that highlighted strong 2d & 3d effort.�� I still feel his instincts and vision are lacking at times.�� He made a superb grab of the low quail pass in the 1Q, and had a good RAC.��� Moore toted the ball a few times, but was never allowed to participate in the passing game.��� B-

 

FB: Redman came into his own last week, with the clutch RAC for a TD against the Ravens.�� For that, he earned less playing time and less touches.�� Go figure.��� He did have a superb plunge on 3d & 1 late in the 3Q, which gained 4 yards.�� ��B+

 

WR:Hines had a huge day, grabbing 8 for 115 yards. He made a tremendous grab on a well-covered deep seamer, good for 29 yards.

 

Wally had 5 for 78. He had a drop in the 2Q, but had a strong jet-RAC on a bubble screen for 22 yards. He also sped around end on an option pitch from El, for 12 yards. He made a superb snare of a deep lob in the 4Q, basically snow-coning the grab for a 33-yard gain.

 

Brown had 3 grabs for 27, and had a stellar effort on an early-3Q 3d & 5, gaining 9.�� Sanders limped off late in the 1H.��

 

Randle El made a rare, but terrific 1-handed stab n� grab on a seamer late in the 2Q, good for 22 yards.��This was, by far, one of the best all-around efforts by this crew this season.�� A

 

TE:Miller did not dress, due to the concussion last week.Spaeth started and reminded all of us to ponder exactly how, and why, he continues to take up a roster spot on this team (or any NFL team, for that matter).�� Supposedly a �pass catching TE, Spaeth had 1 grab for a whopping 4 yards, and dropped a CAKE-EASY curl right in his gut in the 4Q.�� His blocking was mediocre.����

 

Both Spaeth & Johnson were flagged for a hold on different ground plays, which always enrages me.�� ����D+���

 

OL: The line was hardly dominant, but didn�t play as poorly as the paper stats might indicate.�� As noted above, Benji and his penchant for clutching led to several sacks.��� So, too, did the mindless, plodding, Crayola game plan.

 

Scott committed his weekly holding penalty.�� Adams was also called for a hold.Kemo and Pouncey failed to make a routine seal of Peko on a screen pass, allowing Peko to blow the play up for -3.Kemo had a terrific mauling of LB Keith Rivers on a counter-pull in the 4Q.�� ���C+��

 

DL:Yancey Keisel had a pretty strong game.He stuffed a run on the 1st series; batted a pass in the 3Q; and put a good, hard lick on Benson in the 4Q.�� He rabidly over-ran a stretch play on the final play of the 1Q, which allowed an easy 7-yard gain.�� Fat Casey Hampton waddled about and did little.�� Hood disrupted a couple plays, but otherwise did little.�� Hoke chipped in some in relief.����� B

 

LB:James Harrison had an unusually quiet game, so much that he didn�t record a single solo or assist.Very bizarre.�� Yes, the Bungals slid protection over to the left to provide more resistance to Harrison, but damn......for such a stellar player to roll a donut like this is unfathomable.�� He also was flagged for an offsides.

 

On paper, Big LaMarr Woodley seemed to have a monstrous game.�� On paper.��

 

��� Yes, he had the adroit -- and enormously surprising -- INT and then returned it 11 yards for a key TD.�� Obviously, the Bengals were stunned that a clumsy, oafish guy like Woodley could mosey over into coverage as stumble-free as he did.�� This was really the lone laudatory highlight for Big LaMarr.�� He had a classic Dong Sack when Carson LipBalmer slipped in the pocket and Big LaMarr came over and tapped him with his fingers.He got an earlier Slop Sack when he was SOLOED by a TIGHT END (Reggie Kelly) and easily ambled by and barely nabbed the boot-footed Palmer.

 

��� As for his other solo stops.....Big LaMarr had a weak-assed, limp-dicked solo on a Benson run early in the game....good for 7 yards. Early in the 2Q, as he was untouched and unblocked, he got a cheesy solo stop on a run.�� Again unblocked and untouched, he had a back-side slop-stop on a ground play at 12:00 4Q.There you have it -- 5 solos, and not a single one of them would impress anyone with the slightest knowledge in the sport of tackle football.��

 

��� Big LaMarr�s blunders and boners were almost enough to fill up a lowlight reel.On the 1st series of the game, the Bungals threw inc. on 3rd down to create a punt.No, wait -- DumbFuk LaMarr was offsides !��� Given 2nd life, Cicni marched down the field to the Steeler 1.�� On the 1st & goal at the 1, Big LaMarr got caught in NO MAN�s LAND, neither guarding the tackle-eligible he was lined over, nor harassing the passer.�� Palmer flipped the EASY toss to the wide open tackle for the lone TD.�� On the first play of the next series, Big LaMarr was easily turned in and walled off, allowing an easy 5-yard run by Benson up RT.�� This simply shouldn�t happen to an OLB this big and experienced.�� Unacceptable.���� ���

 

Taunto Farrior had a couple good stuffs in the running game.�� I was surprised the Bengals didn�t take advantage of, and abuse, Farrior in the passing game the way they did in both Cinci wins last season.

Timmons sniffed out a screen and blew it up in the 4Q.��

Jason Worilds, as usual, was not permitted to play on defense.�� ����Harrison:�� C�� Farrior:B+��� Woodley: C+��� Timmons:C+���

 

DB:Pola led the way with 2 picks, including a pick-6 that picked up a moribund team.�� I would be remiss if I didn�t ridicule him on the return of the 2nd INT.�� Already nursing an injured ankle, he started to go cross-grain after adequately advancing the ball to his 11 or so.��� Then, he held the ball OUT with 1 hand, and then, like a complete stupid-fuk, tried a wild-assed pitch to McFadden that was bobbled and could have resulted in a turnover.Sure, the game was all but over, but in addition to getting a blindside hit & injury, the pitch was just a dumbassed play no matter how anyone might justify it.

 

Ike had an ok game, but was flagged for a PI and a hold.�� The PI was pretty ticky-tack.

 

Mcfadden continues to under-impress.�� He�s so soft on coverage, it�s sickening.��

 

Gay whiffed on a short dumpoff in the 2Q, but had a couple of good CB blitzes. Clark had his face shoved into the dirt by a stiff-arm by the TE, Kelly, after a short grab.�� His run support was pretty strong.��

 

Pola:��� A-����� Rest:B-��

 

Spec teams:The coverage was soft and leaky.�� The coverage on the opening KO was shaky.Newly signed punter Kapinos got off a shit-laden 35-yard punt in the 2Q (fielded at the 17), and shoddy coverage allowed a 14-tyard return.Instead of pinning the Bengals perhaps inside their own 10, this exchange enabled Cinci to take over at its own 35.�� Worse, there simply were too many flags on spec teams, as Fox and Allen each held on a punt return.���

 

Brown foolishly allowed a punt to roll forever in the 4Q, and then, like a dumbfuk, he tried to field it.Of course, he muffed it, and only a recovery by Madison prevented disaster.Madison got nicked up on the play, and he can thank Brown for his troubles.��

 

Sylvester had a good, stick n� stop on KO coverage in the 4Q.

 

Suisham continues to impress with a perfect 3 of 3 on FGs amidst the rain and soggy footing.��

Dude�s been lights out.His KOs were a bit shallow.���Suisham: A��� All others: C-

 

OC:Arians came into the game with 2 TDs in the past 23 drives.�� He kept this embarrassing streak alive with ZERO TD�s in the 8 drives today.�� (7 legit drives; the 8th came late in the game with less the 2:00 remaining.)��� This pile of shit production, after facing a WRETCHED defense that has been decimated by injury and had been giving up nearly 27 points per game.�� 7 Cinci defenders have been lost for the season due to injury, and the Bengals were without Jonathan Joseph, who did not dress.To further compound their problems, safety C. Ndukwe hurt his leg in the 2Q.��

 

At this point, the Bengals were essentially playing a secondary comprised of Hank Poteat�s weak sisters, yet Arians, the complete idiot that he is, was unable to muster a single TD against this rag-bag defense.��

 

The slop �n slather was lowlighted by a typical Arians decision.After Ben scrambled to the Cicni 5 late in the 1H, Ben spiked the ball on 1st down.With 46 tics and a TO remaining, this was stupid; just stone stupid.Arians promulgates this kind of stupidity, and he deserves as much blame as anyone for this asininity.��

 

There is a large contingent of Arians Apologists (AA), and perhaps more of them will see the light as this embarrassing non-TD streak continues.�� D

 

DC:Dick, as usual, was totally confused and befuddled to start the game, with Palmer going 6 for 6 to begin the game and marching the Bungals to a prompt TD on their 1st series.�� Sure, Wodley prolonged the drive with his offsides, but there were numerous chances to halt the drive thereafter and they came up nil.��

 

I liked Dick�s clever tactic of having Timmons SOLO cover Terrell Owens on a 2d & 9 in the 1Q.�� 22 yards later, Owens snared an easy deep in.�� Dick is just so clever.

 

Dick did another foolhardy �Let�s blitz Pola on the INSIDE�, on a 3d & 10 in the 2Q.�� Pola was easily swatted away like a fly, and Ocho snagged an easy 15-yard in for the cake-walk 1st down.

 

I liked how Dick went all Anthony Smith on Pola after Pola�s late pitch and near fumble.�� Ok, it wasn�t as bad as Dick�s tirade on Smith, but it was the most life you�ll see out of the old fossil all season.�� It�s funny that Dick would get all riled up, and it wasn�t because he was concerned with the near-fumble, but rather the risk of Pola getting injured.�� Pola very clearly is Dick�s meal ticket; without Pola, Dick is as feeble and incoherent as a drunken wino.�� ��

 

With the Steeler offense chewing large chunks of the clock, and the defense facing the moribund Bengals, I�m not going to fawn all over this D-side effort.�� See me when Dick faces the Patriots again.�� C+

 

HC:I was vastly disappointed in lethargy and lack of intensity and focus in the entire 1H.�� Since Tommy has basically relegated 99% of ALL of the X�s and O�s to his coordinators, shouldn�t motivation be his lone priority?��� I also blame the spike late in the 1H on Tomlin, who is another proponent of this kind of ribald stupidity.�� Lastly, why was Ben -- as beaten and gimpy as he was -- still in the game after Pola�s 2nd TD ???��� WHY ??�� We�re up by 16; there�s only 1:52 remaining, and there�s Ben, back in the pocket, just begging to take another cheap shot or get a knee twisted in a pileup.��� And, of course, Leftwich still has not taken a snap all season.�� Just brainless management at its worst.��� C+

 

Officiating.��� I don�t often rant about officials, but I am again forced to, due to outrageous incompetence and inconsistencies.��

 

�� - On the 1st series, Ben is belted in the head on a helmet-to-helmet hit on a sack.To make matters worse, Ndukwe steps on Ben after the play.�� No flag.��

 

�� - Ben is belted in the FACE by a hand on a sack late in the 2Q.No flag.

 

�� - Ben is blasted well after his release on 3d & goal, late in the 2Q.�� The defender clearly took an EXTRA step and applied a needless hit.��� No flag.

 

�� - Ben is tackled well after his release on a 21-yard pass to Ward early in the 3Q.�� Again, the defender clearly took an EXTRA step and applied a needless hit.��� No flag.

 

�� - A LB was beaten by Mendy on an improvised wheel route in the 3Q, and used an arm bar to hold back Mendy.�� No flag.�� This crew flagged Ike in the 1Q for ticky-tack contact on a pass that was basically uncatchable, yet they deemed this play as legal ??���� Utter horseshit.

 

Fuck Roger Goodell.�� Fuck Ray Anderson.��� F

 

Synopsis:�� A solid win after a raggedy start.�� Still, hardly inspiring to struggle to beat a team on a 9-gamne losing streak on your home field. Next week�s game against a Jets team peeved about their past 2 losses, should be a much better litmus test.��The Stillers had better be ready to hunt bear.The biggest concern is -- who is going to cover Tonio Holmes, since the Stillers have no one capable of doing so?��

 

(Still Mill and Stillers.com -- when it comes to the analysis of the Pittsburgh Stillers, no one else comes close�.)

 

 

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