Stillers
29, Bungals 21���. Nov 24th, 2002 ����Game #11
Stillers-Bungals� Postgame Analysis and Grades
(Note: this will be a far
more succinct version of my regular post-game report�.time was in short supply
for me on Sunday evening.)
Grades:
QB: Stewart was pretty efficient,
completing 22 of 26.� He was a bit off
on some fairly easy throws (which limited the RAC), although some of that could
be attributed to rust.� He wasn't the
second coming of Montana, but with both his arms and legs, he contributed
immensely and, amazingly enough, committed no turnovers (although he nearly
caused a turnover on a SG snap).� And,
in marked improvement from his Western Union tendencies, Stewart was actually
looking off DBs, and/or scanning, from time to time.� Next week, he�ll resume his spot on the bench, but at least the
Stillers have a more far more capable backup than Mike Prozac or Kent
Graham.� A-.�
RB:�
I'm sure I�ll be inundated with poppycock about how "Bettis is
back", yaddy yadda.� Facing the
31st ranked defense in the entire league, Bettis looked like a fat tub o' lard
out there, tip-toeing and plodding around for meager yardage most of the day.� He had the late 24-yard TD that made his
final stats look somewhat respectable, but that 1-9 Cinci defense had
practically mailed the game in by then.�
Any defense with just half the energy and enthusiasm of the Pats '01
defense holds The Doughboy to about 23 carries for 61 yards.� Amoz chipped in with some screens, but
amazingly enough, was not allowed to carry the ball the entire game.� Looks like this "platoon" of
Bettis & AZ is now back to Cowher's favorite one man, one
dimensional "rotation" of Bettis and Bettis.� B-.
FB: Kreider walloped a few Bengals to
pave the way for some runs.� He also
chipped in with what I believe was a career high 4 grabs.� B.
WR:�
Ward again led the way, with the nice RAC for the 64-yard TD and also a 37-yard
grab to set up the clinching TD.� Plex
had 4 grabs, mostly on shorty stuff.� He
had a sterling, diving grab over the middle.�
El had 2 short grabs, although one was a clutch 5-yarder on 3d &
4.� A-.
TE:�
Bruener once again was held without a reception.� Facing the 2nd worst rushing defense in the
NFL, the God of TE Blocking was so dominant, so important, and so effective,
that the Stillers' RB averaged well under 4 yards per carry.�� Quick -- extend this man's contract and
give him a hefty pay raise, immediately.��
B-.
OL: The O-line faced a softee front 7
that was missing a starter, yet slapped and slathered around quite a bit.� On the plus side, they protected fairly well
and allowed only 1 sack.� The big
concern is the injury to Simmons.� Vincent
came in and played all right, but if the injury to Simmons -- who has played
quite well -- is serious, it could cause really hamper the line play down the
stretch.� B.���
DL:�
The d-line bottled up the dangerous Dillon fairly well.� The pressure and push was pretty negligible,
although Bailey had the big hit on Kitna late in the game, forcing a quail-like
pass that fell harmlessly incomplete.�
B.��
LB:�
This group did ok but did not provide the impact and
game-making/game-breaking plays the 3-4 is designed to provide.� Porter and Bell led the LB corps.� Mike Jones replaced an injured Fiala and played
so-so.� Jones, having not played nor
practiced with any NFL team since early October, was obviously rusty.� He was beaten a bit on the Schobel TD
(failed to turn around for the ball), although one has to wonder where the
safety help was on a play like that.�
Haggans chipped in on a couple plays.�
Team Captain Jason Gildon did nothing and was a total non
factor the entire game.� B.�
DB:�
The secondary gave up its usual assortment of softee coverage, hefty
gains, and so forth.� The result: a
combination of decent play mixed in with puzzling slop that allowed Kitna and
Co. to move the ball and score 21 points.�
WR Chad Johnson feasted with a big day.�
And, yet another game with no INTs.�
If anyone had the slightest bit of confidence that this DB corps can, in
the playoffs, effectively limit a good QB who has a good group of WRs, they've
got a helluva lot more nerve and cold blood than I do.� C+.��
Spec teams:�
The KO coverage was as sorry as one can possibly have at this level of
football.� John Kitna could have
returned the KOs for the Bengals and still averaged 25 yards per try.� Aside from Haggans' late forced-fumble on
the Cinci punt return, kicker Jeff Reed was the lone bright spot, coming
through with clutch 2nd half FGs of 43 and 45.�
Sure, he missed the late PAT, but given the fact that this was his
first-ever NFL game, going 3-4 at Heinz Quagmire and booting decent KOs is more
than enough to dismiss one PAT.�
Reed:� A.� Rest of Spec Teams:� F.��
OC:�
Mularkey had the enviable task of feasting on a horrible Cinci defense,
and started out the game impressively enough.�
After the 1Q, though, all the Stillers could muster were a few FGs and a
late TD.� Mularkey once again fell in
love with the screen pass.� B-.
DC:�
Tiny Tim had the lead and was playing at home, yet still had to go into
fingernail-biting mode to stave off the Bungals.� Continuing the season-long trend, Lewis' defense allowed Cinci to
make 7 of 15 3rd down conversions.� C-.
HC:�
Cowher got the early 17-0 lead, and then predictably went into his
favorite mode, TURTLE MODE.� The
team thus followed suit and went soft and flaccid, and instead of putting the
Bungals away by burying them, the Stillers allowed them to hang around.� Cowher got the apple stuck in his throat and
nearly choked away another easy win.�
The special teams have become such a joke that the Stillers are the
laughingstock of the NFL in that regard, and the dimbulbed Cowher has once
again done nothing about it.� The
refusal to allow Amos Zereoue to run the ball even once points to Cowher once
again heading to the playoffs -- should he not gag and choke en route -- being overly
enamored and in love with his favorite one-dimensional fat boy, Jerome
Bettis.� D.�
Synopsis:
�A win is a win, but this game exposed the
warts of the Stillers: a softee defense that forces no turnovers & no hastiness
in the opponent�s decision cycle and is ripe for being scorched through the
air; horrible special teams; and a dimwitted head coach who prefers turtling
and having chunks of apple stuck in his throat.� Playing at home with the anger from last week's loss to Tenn,
this team should have come out and thrashed the Bungals.� The fact that they didn't speaks volumes
about the vast problems that plague this team, and without any kind of adult
supervision, the chances of getting these problems rectified seem rather
slim.� Up next, a tough game at
Jacksonville, where the Stillers have rarely ever played well, against a coach
(Coughlin) who always seems to get up for the Stillers and a dangerous passing
attack that has long enjoyed success against the Stiller defense.�