Palmer’s Post-Game

Palmer�s Post-Game

The Stillers survived both Dennis Dixon and some really asinine playcalling to best the Falcons in an overtime thriller � that should�ve never gone to OT.

The win came courtesy of a stalwart defense spearheaded by the player I believe is the key to the season: Lawrence Timmons. You heard that right: Timmons is the key to the defense, which in turn is the key to how the team does this year.

I watched Timmons carefully in the preseason � he�s now what I call a �lightbulb� player. That is, he�s taken that leap from college star to a guy who now grasps what the pro game is all about. You saw that in Troy P.�s second year, for example, when he switched from bumbling rookie to standout safety. It was as if the lightbulb switched on above his head.

Yesterday Timmons was a man possessed, stuffing Burner Turner on one play, breathing down Matt Ryan�s neck the next, hustling and wreaking havoc like a crazed Viking. If I�m not mistaken, he even blew up someone on special teams. I don�t get a Hard Hat vote, but if I did there�s no question who would get my nomination.

I say Timmons is the key because if he�s in fact emerged, the defense moves up a big notch. Everyone�s talking about the return of Aaron Smith and Troy Pola, but with the extra threat of Timmons this defense becomes truly formidable. Against Atlanta they began to resemble the Stiller D�s of old, rather than last year�s soft and creamy version. Timmons was a major reason for that.

Considering the current state of the offense, it�s the defense that must carry this team until Ben Roethlisberger returns in October. So far, so good. Now if only someone else besides Troy can hold onto a stinking interception, we may be in business!

If the Stiller D truly has improved, then the Ravens may not waltz to the division title as the dumb sports media have predicted. Imagine a newly dominating Stiller D to go along with Ben�s return! As for our other AFC North friends, the Bengals are who were thought they were. So was Carson Palmer, who put up big yardage once the game was out of reach, and the pressure was off. (Carson Palmer: Garbage-Time Great.) Expect a T.O. headache anytime now, Cincy! And Cleveland? Way to choke against probably the worst team in football.

(Monday Night Update: �Average Joe� Flacco looks to be right on course for yet another totally adequate year. If not for the putrid play of Mark Sanchez, the Ravens go down week 1. Or should I say, if not for a bogus run-into-the-kicker call, the Ravens go down week 1. You want to keep inking in this team to take the division, dumb sports media? Be my guest.)

Anyway, let�s hope that Bruce Arians takes his head out of his posterior and stops trying to turn Dixon into Dan Fouts. Let�s see some boots, roll-outs and waggles � and nothing wrong with some designed QB runs. That way, the Stiller D may not have to carry the whole load.

Dixon is what he is � or rather, what he�s not. He�ll never be a classic dropback QB, so why try to square peg him? In the pocket Dixon short arms and locks onto receivers. He also fails to see defenders between him and the receiver. Putting him on the move will help correct some of these problems. Dixon was a classic spread-option QB in college. Let�s start playing to his strengths, not weaknesses, mmkay?

Anyway, some may not have exactly enjoyed the tension of yesterday�s game. I for one was thrilled with the result: the Stillers got the �w� despite lame point production. If that doesn�t make you appreciate having Big Ben as your QB, I don�t know what will. As far as I�m concerned, that�s a total win-win.

PLENTY OF ROOM AT THE HOTEL FLOZELL ADAMS: Flo�s taken a beating for his pass blocking, and deservedly so. But lost in all the hysteria is the fact he�s been a BEAST in run support. Go watch the replay of Mendenhall�s TD run: besides the superb block laid down by our own #85, you�ll see Flo just plain bury his man.

If he can bump up his pass pro (which wasn�t bad Sunday) Adams has a chance to be a real upgrade over that other guy.

Now onto another topic. I had written the commentary below last week after hearing Terry Bradshaw preach about Ben. Then I decide to shelve it, not wanting to get caught up in the negative. But yesterday Bradshaw opened up the worm can again, going off on how he wouldn�t just suspend Ben, he�d ban him from the team altogether! Since Bradshaw won�t shut up about this, neither will I.

Bradshaw�s repeated rants have gone from mere complaining to some bizarre obsession with Ben � which reveals, no doubt, some ulterior motive and insecurity about his precious status as the Stillers� �all time greatest� QB. Funny, he never seemed to go off on Cliff Stoudt or David Woodley. Gee, I wonder why?

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Thanks Again Bradshaw � For Nothing

�Sucks Says

Random Rants by PalmerSucks

September 4, 2010

He�s at it again, your favorite preacher, the Reverend Terry Bradshaw. This time he�s weighing in on Ben�s suspension. He doesn�t think it should be reduced.

"Going to bars -- treating women like that; oh my God," says big Terry.

Oh my God!

OK, first off � since when did going out to bars become a crime? Have you been out lately to have a drink? If you have, you should be suspended from your job, at least according to the Reverend.

Now, if you�re like me, you saw red seeing Terry�s red face on TV, snorting and snarling these words. You saw red because if you know Bradshaw, you know what a tremendous hypocrite he�s being.

Below is an exchange between two posters on a well-knowns sports site. Their conversation sums up the matter better than I ever could.

Debbie 4-14-2010 8:00AM

Wasn't Terry Bradshaw the guy that used to beat up his wife?? She was a figure skater-can't think of her name right off. Pot calling the kettle black...

   reply

raisineddie 4-14-2010 6:39PM

You are referring to Jo Jo Starbuck, and yes, you're right. It's the pot calling the kettle black. I live and grew up in Latrobe, Pa., and I remember the "Super Steelers" from their time at the local bars here during training camp. Terry was no saint! What makes it worse is that Terry was, maybe still is, a Bible thumping "good ol' southern boy" who quoted many verses from it. Problem was, when he'd go to the local watering holes, he didn't act any different than Ben. He thought his sh!t didn't stink, and some of the stuff he did was just as asinine as Ben and the majority of peo athletes. BEN IS NO SAINT, but at least he doesn't profess to be a "good Christian" like Terry used to. Another thing, Ben is not married and doing this stuff. Terry, you were married and still acted like an ass and did the same things that you are bad mouthing Ben about. I personally know women you put the moves on and used your "status" of a superbowl QB as justification. Still, Ben, grow up and act like like an adult and role model. If you can't, then get the hell outta Pittsburgh. We don't need KIDS on the team!

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/04/13/bradshaw-rips-roethlisberger/14

Talk about �oh my God!� You see, when it came to treating women �like that� nobody did it better � actually nobody did it worse � than Terry Bradshaw.

Sorry to toss a brick at your glass mansion, Terry, but somebody�s got to. Good thing the league didn�t come down on personal conduct back when you played; you�d have been suspended half your career.

Anyway, the question is, why is he doing this now? The Stillers are in the middle of a QB crisis, their choices now reduced down to Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch. That�s like asking if you want stomach flu, or hemorrhoids. Do we need more negativity? Do we need more controversy?

Likewise, the Rooneys have come out in public and commended Ben for his recent good behavior and maturity. Think they�re thrilled with what Bradshaw did?

So why does he do it? Because the fact is, Terry Bradshaw doesn�t care about the treatment of women. He cares about promoting himself. Always has, always will. And what better way to get your mug in the media than to add a little hot sauce to the media stew? Screw the team, screw the city � I do what�s best for yours truly. So it has always been with Bradshaw, whether he�s trashing Chuck Noll in public, or skipping the Chief�s funeral. No, Terry, we haven�t forgotten.

What�re you promoting now, Terry? Got another book out? Or maybe the FOX show � which, coincidentally, is all about that other conference.

If Bradshaw had his way, Ben would be suspended for six years � all the better to keep him from breaking his records. For years, Bradshaw�s ego feasted off the procession of clowns that was the Stillers� QB position. Then along comes Roethlisberger, with two rings already under his belt, and threatens Terry�s position on top of Mount Stiller. So out comes Terry, to trash Ben any chance he gets.

"I pray they don't cut [his suspension] to four games. I hope they leave it at six,� says the Reverend Bradshaw. �There is no excuse for that. The egos get out of hand."

Indeed they do, Reverend. Indeed they do.

Growing up a Stillers fan during the �70s glory years, I thought Bradshaw was the Man. Now I wish he�d just go away. In the words of the immortal Michael Corelone: �he�s dead to me.�

Note to all you misguided morons who wanted to give back your Ben jerseys to the Rooneys: maybe you picked the wrong jersey to throw back. I know I�ll be searching the ol� closet to dig up any Bradshaw stuff, and use it for cleaning rags.

Yeah, you�re a fine one to set an example for Ben, Terry, whether it�s your history of mistreating women or showing your bare ass in a movie � which you did in your late �50s! Saddle up and ride that moral high horse, bud, you�ve sure earned that right!

Meanwhile, another former Stiller, Merrill Hoge, will be hanging with Ben during the suspension, trying to do something positive for the organization. Good job, Hoge.

By the way, Bradshaw had a rep for being just as big a dick to the fans as Ben is rumored to be. I have an aunt, who, to her dying day, talks about the time Bradshaw blew her off rudely when she approached him in the New Orleans airport asking for an autograph. It�s not the only story like that I ever heard.

Buried along with the Ben tirade is this little comment by Bradshaw, given to the Shreveport, Louisiana Times. Read it carefully and let the words sink in:

"I would do it all over again: I wish I didn't have to play for Pittsburgh. I wish I could have played down here and won some Super Bowls -- how cool would that have been?" he said. "Then I wouldn't have to go around making speeches, either. In a perfect world, how about being able to stay in my home state and do all that for my home state? That would have been the greatest gift ever."

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/09/02/bradshaw-bashes-many-of-todays-stars/

Got that? Thanks, Pittsburgh, but really, you were never my first choice. You�re like the fat chick I wound up leaving the bar with after I struck out with the hot babe. Sure I busted a nut, but it could�ve been sooo much better.

Well Terry, if you think you would�ve bagged those four rings without Swann, Stallworth and the Steel Curtain, you�re even wackier than I thought. Pittsburgh gave you those rings every bit as much as you gave them to yourself. And if you think you would�ve gotten close to the Big Show with the �70s Saints, well � let�s just say a better QB than you tried and failed.

Now contrast this with Jack Lambert�s Hall of Fame acceptance speech. Jack, who wasn�t from Pennsylvania either, had this to say:

�If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler.� Notice he didn�t say something like, �gosh it was swell playing for the Steelers, but I really wish I could�ve brought home the rings for my homeboy Browns fans.�

Any wonder Lambert is revered around these parts -- Bradshaw? I�ll leave you to your own take on that one.

So thanks, big guy. Thanks for making people think you represent the Stillers when you trash Ben. Thanks for giving every jagoff Browns and Ravens fans some awesome message-board material to slobber over. Thanks for once again putting yourself ahead of your old team and the city of Pittsburgh.

Everything bad that�s been said about Ben went double for Bradshaw. Remember that the next time the Reverend Terry delivers his next public sermon.

Sign I�d like to see in the stands at Heinz Field:

SHE  SAID  NO

the first time the cop asked

her if she�d been assaulted.

(The views of PalmerSucks are those of Stillers.com � and should be.)