Steelers at Raiders Wrap-Up, Broncos at Steelers Preview

A lot has been said on the Raiders game, and I�ll try not to be repetitive. My biggest gripe from this game was the play calling. It was clear from the beginning that the Steelers weren�t having much success running the ball, and that the Raiders were crowding the line of scrimmage. They often showed blitz, and dropped back into coverage and just confused the Steelers offensive line, not to mention Ben Roethlisberger.

Whisenhunt took too long to adjust to the Raiders. He tried to play action early when he saw them stacking the box, but was trying to hit the big play. The only problem there was the offensive line couldn�t give Roethlisberger the time, and the Raiders secondary clearly saw it coming. When Roethlisberger threw his second pick, Whisenhunt lost his faith in his QB, and turned back to the run game.

It wasn�t until late in the third quarter that Whisenhunt did the smart thing. He shortened his WR�s routes, and began to run some short, safe and quick passes. He even began to spread the Raiders out. All of this should have been done much sooner.

The incompetence of the Steelers coaching staff in this game (or in general) was highlighted perfectly on Monday Night, where the Patriots came out firing against the Vikings. They put Brady in the shotgun, generally with five wide (a formation the Steelers don�t even have). Why? Well, it kept the Vikings from stacking up against the run and blitzing. It forced the Vikings out of their gameplan. The Steelers don�t do this. You see, the Steelers have an identity. They are a power running team, while the Patriots are a team that just does what they have to in order to win.

Roethlisberger was clearly struggling, and there is no excuse for him throwing into coverage. He was forcing passing on third and longs. He put extra pressure on himself to make something happen, regardless of whether or not it was actually there. Whisenhunt has no clue how to deal with a struggling QB. The Steelers idea of protecting a QB is turning to their ground game, which is fine when the ground game is working effectively. The only problem is, the run game wasn�t there Sunday, and this has happened too many times. On days like this, Roethlisberger is put in difficult, if not impossible situations. He�s asked to throw on third and long.

The idea that it may be easier sometimes for a QB to spread a team out, and throw safer passes is often times lost on this coaching staff.

What do you say when the Steelers are out coached by Art Shell? What does that say about the rest of the season? It is certainly possible for them to still make the playoffs�at least mathematically. For weeks now we�ve all been waiting for that long win streak. The only problem is, they�ve yet to show they have that ability this year. Each week, a different aspect of the team seems to crumble.

Roethlisberger had his best day as a pro against this team last year in the AFC Championship game. Roethlisberger this year isn�t the same QB, or at least hasn�t been so far. I need to make my belief on one thing clear right now�the Steelers won�t run on Denver. They didn�t last year, and I have to think Denver is going to try and take it away this year with Roethlisberger struggling. This offense will fall squarely on the shoulders of Roethlisberger.

So far this season, Denver has taken a different approach to defense thanks to Roethlisberger�s performance. They were blitz-happy last year, but have decided to take a safer approach this season. They want to let their 11 guys beat your 11 guys. Their LB�s are reading and reacting. Their CB�s are playing mostly man coverage.

I have to wonder at this point whether they will do this next week. The blitz didn�t work last year, but things are different so far. Oakland and Jacksonville both had success against the Steelers by doing a good job of disguising their blitzes, and often times dropping people back into coverage. It effectively allowed them to play against the run and the pass, as well as confuse the Steelers line (which is even more vulnerable with Kemo and Okobi starting). There�s no telling if Denver will come out and try to imitate what other teams have done. I�ll assume they won�t until I see on Sunday. The Steelers have to be prepared for stunts and the blitz, though. If they don�t do these things, they should not have any pass rush. Their front 4 is incapable of generating any pressure. The lone exception is Elvis Dumervil, who has racked up 5 sacks in the four games he has played in so far. That is 1/3 of all Denver�s sacks (15). Smith has struggled with speed rushers in the past, and with Dumervil coming in on just third down, he won�t have much time to figure him out. This is the only match-up that could give the Steelers OL struggles in the pass game.

The Steelers should have good match-ups on the Denver DB�s. Darrent Williams has returned this year, but was victimized by Indy much like Foxworth a year before. These two are key. Wilson/Holmes should be able to have success. And, there�s no reason not to throw at Foxworth, either. Washington, Holmes, or Wilson should all eat him alive when they get on him. Champ Bailey called Hines Ward the toughest WR he has faced in his career because he was basically �sneaky good.� The Steelers should take the same approach they had last year. Take the occasional shot at him. Take advantage of his aggressiveness with the routes and pump fakes.

I�ve written every week that Heath Miller should have a big day, but it hasn�t happened yet. He just hasn�t been in the game plan so far this season. He had just two catches against Denver last year, on top of that. You have to like him on Lynch or Denver�s LB�s, but it hasn�t materialized at all this season.

An area of concern so far has been the redzone. Teams have finally caught on to cover the middle of the field against the Steelers in the redzone, after they caught TD after TD on little slants or crossing patterns. Go back and watch last season, or even this year. When the Steelers throw here, it almost always seems to be into the middle of the field. The Atlanta game was the perfect example of this, and it almost killed the Steelers then, too. Last week Oakland was able to beat the Steelers up front, and both Okobi and Kemoeatu, which kept them from punching it in. The myth of the fatback has been covered on this site, and elsewhere. I don�t buy that this is the reason. The Steelers have obvious tendencies.

I expect this to change. The problem has become glaring, and I expect (or at least hope) the Steelers to come out with some extra wrinkles. The QB draw is an option that they used occasionally when Roethlisberger was a rookie. Bootlegs are another, and give the QB the option to run or pass. I expect them to try and hit the corners more, as well. If Whisenhunt doesn�t mix things up here, and instead tries to repeat the same failed strategy, he�s not worth a damn. Instead of being promoted, he should be fired�immediately.

No pass rush, combined with a conservative secondary spells trouble for Denver. Plays will be there. It�s up to the Steelers to take advantage of it. Roethlisberger has to be smart, and Whisenhunt has get the stick out of his ass. The Steelers got to the Super Bowl by not playing Steelers football. The coaches have to remember that and have faith in Roethlisberger. I believe they will this week.

Denver has had one of the top run defenses over the past two seasons, and there�s no reason for me to believe the Steelers will run with success. The Steelers line is banged up, and struggling right now. There isn�t much to say. Every member of this line has been disappointing this season, with the exception of Marvel Smith. Maybe they�ll shock me and pull off a rare event�and actually generate some push up front.

The biggest change here is the absence of Verron Haynes in the pass game. Do the Steelers dress Davenport or Staley in this role? Maybe it will even be Kuhn, although I doubt that. I would actually prefer it if they tried to bring five wide out on the field, or perhaps bring in Miller (really a better option then Morrey). Miller would offer better protection then the other RB�s, and is obviously a better pass catcher.

I�m unusually worried about the Steelers run game. Both Hampton and Haggans may not play, and that leaves two gaping holes in the Steelers front. Riance Wallace or Chad Brown would appear to be the two who would take Haggans spot, and they may be able to do a respectable job. Hoke can not fill in for Casey Hampton against this Broncos defense. He�ll be facing an elite center this week in Halen, and there was too much room last week against the lowly Raiders for me to feel confident. The Steelers are left with a weaker rotation that Denver will run at, as well.

Last year, the Raiders had to abandon their run game in the second half due to their deficit. They were averaging over 4 YPC up until then, though, and had managed to move the ball with some success. If the run game gets going, the Steelers defense is in trouble.

The reason is the complete lack of a pass rush so far this season. In the playoffs last year, Denver struggled to pick-up the Steelers blitz, and it led to turnovers in the first half that turned the game into a route. They tried to block Porter with a back, and that just did not work. Will Shanahan fall for the same tricks twice? I doubt it. The Steelers have not had much of an edge pass rush so far this season, and Porter has been swallowed up by every tackle he�s faced. The other OLB spot is a big question mark right now.

And, this becomes exponentially worse if the Broncos have a balanced offensive attack. The defense was able to tee-off on Plummer before, which was a luxury they aren�t likely to have this week.

I worry about the big play. Plummer showed his ability to throw on the run last week, and was also able to hit some against the Steelers last year. At throwing on the run and avoiding a pass rush, he�s elite. You could argue that he�s the best in the league at throwing out of the pocket. It often took multiple tries to get him down. Keeping him in the pocket is always crucial. Ryan Clark can and will be burned deep, and that is my biggest concern. McFadden is not ready to start, and Townsend is being victimized. The Broncos will take their shots.

If I had to pinpoint the one reason why the Broncos passing game has been struggling this year, it wouldn�t be Jake Plummer, but Rod Smith. He may have hit his breaking point as a WR. I would rather have Ike Taylor on Walker, who has become their most reliable target, and can burn you deep. Blanket him, and stick Townsend on Smith.

Quincy Morgan makes his return this week. I know I�m not the only one who is expecting him to break off a long return. The already struggling special teams continues to lose key members, and I want to vomit every time they come on the field. Reid is out, once again. The only thing I pray for this week is no screw-ups�is that really so much to ask?

Prediction: I don�t have the heart to pick against the Steelers this week. I don�t have the right to really have any confidence in them after they dropped that game last week, but I�m going with them, anyways: