Still Desi - Daily Journal: 1/05/03

5:30 � 6:00 AM � Wake Up/Shower/Get Ready
6:00 � 10:30 AM � Drive from Detroit, MI to Pittsburgh, PA

10:30 � 11:30 AM � Meet friends and proceed to Heinz Field

12:00 � 1:00 PM � Enjoy the elements (tailgating, raucous pre-game crowd, etc.)

1:00 � 3:30 PM � 2.5 hours of watching the game clock thinking "if they score on this possession, and make a key stop then score again we're right back in this thing"

3:30 � 4:30 PM � Game begins to turn and crowd is in a frenzy that I've never seen before.

4:30 � 6:00 PM � Leave Heinz Field with a sigh of relief, heart still hanging out of chest.
6:00 � 11:00 PM � Drive back to Detroit, MI listening to Pittsburgh post game and then Cleveland post game.� Interesting difference in perspective.

Coaches Corner

Let's the get the fun stuff out of the way.� Cowher (and probably more so Tim Lewis) did not have the defense prepared for the no-huddle spread offense.� How else can you explain the time out on the 2nd play of the game?� Only other coaching gaffe was calling a timeout with 58 seconds remaining and a 2nd and goal from the 3 yard line approaching.� I sat in Section 506 screaming for that clock to run, unfortunately I was on the 2nd level on the Browns side so Cowher couldn't hear me.� In that situation you want the clock to run down to about 35-40 seconds and run your next play (run or pass).� You've still got a timeout in hand and three shots at getting it in with plenty of time left.� I believe that you've got to try and score as soon as possible (don't waste plays running the clock down), but if the opportunity presents itself (which it did) you've got to let that clock tick away.� The Browns got the ball back with 50 seconds and had an opportunity to get into field goal range.� If I'm managing the clock they get the ball with less than 30 seconds remaining.� I like my odds better than Cowher's.

It seems all anyone does around here is bash Cowher, since they no longer have Kordell to kick around.� Well try this on for size.� Some say Cowher didn't have his team ready to play and the Brownies jumped out to the big lead.� Well I could counter with Cowher kept his team motivated and fighting for a comeback.� Some say Cowher makes the same mistakes year in and year out.� Well again I counter with Cowher does learn from his mistakes.� Case in point, he pulled Kordell in game 3 after a Pro Bowl and Team MVP season.� He gave Bettis one carry, and promptly sat him on the bench for what looks like the remainder of these playoffs (and probably his career).� During the game, Cowher didn't flinch and pull Maddox in spite of a putrid 1st half where Maddox consistently hit Browns' DBs in stride.� These are the coaching decisions you won't hear about.� You also won't hear about the fact that in the last 2 weeks Cowher coached teams have come back from 11 point deficits late in the 4th quarter.� Cowher has only lost one 11 point deficit in his entire career (right S33?).� These are the things that you won't hear.� I read arguments that Cowher didn't have his team ready to play and they won in spite of him.� Going back in history, I can point out numerous coaches that lucked their way to SB victories.� Bellicheck's genius is nothing if not for a flukey "tuck" rule call that enabled his favored, cold-weather Patriots to eke out a win in a blizzard against the warmer climate pass happy Raiders.� Steve Mariucci, a coach some on this site probably think more highly of than Cowher, faced a 24 point deficit and watched his team come back.� Does this make him a worse coach (since his team got outgunned by an even wider margin) or is he a better coach because his team overcame a wider margin.� It's all a bunch of mularkey; the fact is Cowher is the best coach for this team right now.� He's not an X's and O's guy, and his supporters have never claimed him to be.� He needs to have 2 solid coordinators, but his team will play hard for him and will never quit.

The real problem the Steelers face is this:� their defensive coordinator is clueless and the defense is banged up beyond belief.� Who thought a Chidi Iwouma injury would hurt, but judging by Hank Poteat's play we could have used Chidi on both special teams and defense.� Chad Scott is needed back in a big way, so that everyone in the secondary could slide over to his respective spot.� Kendrell Bell was on crutches 2 hours after the game � not good, not good at all.� Maybe they can shoot him up with cortisone again next week and he can play at 60% -- he'd still be the best player on the field.� We need Chris Hope's speed at safety immediately.� Brent Alexander has no speed, excruciatingly evident on that early catch and run, where Alexander looked like a 3rd grader running circles around himself.� He has no speed, and thus no confidence in his speed, prompting him to take such a conservative angle (he was trying to make sure he pinned the receiver out of bounds at the 5 yard line rather than use some speed and go for a tackle at midfield).� It was quite depressing to watch live.� One thing the great Steeler defenses under Cowher have always lacked is speed at free safety.� The veteran, savvy types are nice, but give me speed to help a CB on a deep sideline route any day of the week.� The defense also gets zero pressure on too many plays, thus hanging the secondary out to dry.� Smith, Bailey, Kimo, Gildong, and Haggans had better start laying some wood real fast, or it will be a quick trip back from Nashville.