10/29/18-Bell Gambled….And Lost

By: Mike Pelaia

A month ago, I sat at my computer and I wrote all the reasons why Le’Veon Bell was needed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. I stated he had won the standoff and had proven his point. The Steelers, at the time, sat 1-2-1 and had a few dismal rushing performances by James Conner and the offense. 

To me, it seemed, Bell was the missing link to get this team straightened out.  Now, it seems to me, Bell missed his window of opportunity. He should have returned when Conner was struggling because it’s over for him in Pittsburgh now.  Conner is the man now. He’s doing everything Bell does, perhaps better in some phases of the game (getting into the end zone). 

So what should the Steelers do when Bell returns?  They shouldn’t play him.  I wouldn’t cut him, don’t let him walk for free to the Patriots or some other contender this year but I’d deactivate him.  I wouldn’t let him near the team. 

At this juncture, with the team on a roll, heading into Baltimore and then into the second half of the season; whenever Bell shows up, he’ll be nothing but a distraction, a locker room menace and an unwelcomed source of drama.  His time in the Burgh’ is done. 

Don’t get me wrong, he was one heck of a player, and still is. His skill set could absolutely help this team on the field but he’s just not worth the headache he brings along with the talent anymore.

James Conner has done everything right. He’s run the ball, he’s caught the ball, he’s put the ball in the end zone nine times in seven games and he’s blocked as well as anyone could ask for.  He makes peanuts compared to Bell and he’s performing at the same level as Bell, minus the drama. 

There is no reason for Bell to be here anymore, other than to keep him away from a contender.  The Steelers haven’t missed him this season, specifically during this three game win streak.  The locker room is certainly sick of answering all the questions about him while he’s away, imagine how annoyed they’ll be with the questions when he comes back.

Sure, he’ll publicly be welcomed by the players and coaches, what else are they supposed to do or say? But if you think for a second Bell can walk into that locker room and have everyone welcome him with open arms, you’re crazy. If Conner were struggling, that may be the case, but he’s not.  Conner has earned his place as the teams starting running back. He’s shown he can play with the best in the league.

He’ll get his chance to show that again this week when the Steelers visit the Ravens for the second of two matchups between the bitter rivals.

In the first game, Conner has a dismal 19 yards on nine carries.  That won’t happen again.  He will get the ball 25 times on the ground and he will make good use of those 25 carries. I think he’ll get 100 yards. He’ll get another five catches for 50 more yards and he will lead the team to a 24-20 victory.

Could Bell do all that?  Yes, absolutely. 

Should he be given the chance upon his return?  No, absolutely not.

This is James Conner’s team, Le’Veon Bell needs to stay home.

10/25/18-Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers

By: Mike Pelaia

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming out of their bye week and ready to go.  They entered the bye week looking up in the standings but thanks to losses by both the Ravens and Bengals, they came out of the bye with a hold on first place.

They will be looking to extend their first place lead when the Browns come to town for the second matchup of the season between these two foes.

It’s well documented how the fist game went in that 21-21 season opening tie.  The Steelers were embarrassed at the way they blew a 14 point fourth quarter lead and they will be looking to avenge that tie with a big win this week.

Here’s What They’ll Need To Do To Win The Game:

The Offensive Line Must Continue To Play Well

It may seem like such an obvious statement but nothing is more true than the fact that this team is led by the O line.  If they play together, at the top of their game, there may not be a better O line in the league and there certainly isn’t a more talented unit on the Steelers. 

The have played extremely well over the last two games, games the Steelers won by the way.  They’ve opened up running lanes for James Conner and have allowed Ben Roethlisberger time to distribute the ball effectively.

The Defense Must Contain Jarvis Landry

The Steelers secondary is WEAK.  Outside of Joe Haden, it’s straight up bad.  They are very capable of giving up huge plays and Jarvis Landry is quite capable of making big plays. Haden must be the guy who follows Landry all over the field and the front seven need to get to Baker Mayfield as they did against the Atlanta Falcons and Matt Ryan, which allowed them to stop Julio Jones.  If they can put pressure on Mayfield, they will contain Landry and keep themselves ahead in the game.

 

They Need To Ride James Conner

Conner put up 192 all purpose yards in week one to go along with two touchdowns.  He also had a costly fumble that lead to the tie.  That said, he’s been a very good running back for this team over the first six games, putting the ball in the end zone seven times already.  I believe if the team can feed him the ball 20-25 times, he’ll get a couple of scores and help control he clock at the same time.  If he can get his yards (he currently averages 4.4 yards per carry), he’ll open up the passing game.  Once that passing game opens up, the one and only Antonio Brown comes into play.  Once Brown is involved, the splash plays follow.  But it all starts with feeding the ball to Conner.

 

They Need To Buck The Trend

The Steelers are 1-4 in their last five games coming off a bye week. That’s flat out bad. I’m not sure what they are doing on their time off but they are clearly not preparing for their upcoming games.  We don’t have to go that far back to see what happened in the playoffs last year against Jacksonville, coming off a bye.  The team better have prepped for the last two weeks, while enjoying their time off so they can buck this trend.

 

I expect the Steelers to come out swinging. You’ll see a lot of James Conner, a good amount of Ben to A.B., a heavy rush on Baker Mayfield and a team fired up and ready to prove this season is theirs ready to go.  

The Steelers will extend their win streak to three games with a 35-23 victory.

10/23/18-Steel Nation Radio Browns Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

I wrap up the bye week happenings and preview the Browns game on this weeks’ edition of Steel Nation Radio. 

 

10/18/18-PODCAST Steel Nation Radio Bengals Wrap Up and NFL Rant

By: Mike Pelaia

I take the time to wrap up the great win in Cincinnati and I go off on the NFL and Vontaze Burfict.  It’s worth the listen.

10/15/18-The True Keys To The Steelers Success

By: Mike Pelaia

Ben Roethlisberger. Antonio Brown. Le’Veon Bell. JuJu Smith Schuster. James Conner. Vance McDonald. Cam Heyward. TJ Watt.  The list often goes on before you get to the names of guys like Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, Ramon Foster, Marcus Gilbert and Alejandro Villanueva. 

Yet those last five names very well might be the most important five on the roster.  They are the true keys to the Steelers success.  They are the ones who allow Conner to run the ball for an average of 4.4 yards per carry through the first six weeks. They are proving they make the offense go round and without them playing at their finest, the offense just may not click. 

I don’t see it any other way.

Pouncey and DeCastro are all world offensive linemen, Villanueva is a pro bowl player and the other two are very good. Together, they are one cohesive unit. 

Roethlisberger is no stranger to this concept.  From 2004 to 2008, Roethlisberger was sacked more times than any other quarterback in the league, with 192. From 2009 to 2013 he was sacked 194 times, also good for first in the league.  Over the last for years, he’s been sacked just over 90 times, putting him at 21^st.  396 sacks over the first 10 years of his career vs. a little over 90 the past four, as he’s aged.  It’s very clear to me why he continues to play at a high level, the guys in front of him. The true keys to this teams success.

They make the run game go, see Conner and Le’Veon Bell, but they also make the passing game go. Roethlisberger, Brown and Smith Schuster can speak to that.  Yet they don’t get enough glory. They don’t get the praise they deserve by the fans.

Sure, everyone says they’re good. But people don’t realize just HOW good. 

The black and gold currently average 28.5 points per game, good for 7^th in the league through six weeks. In 2017 they were 5^th at 26.4, in 2016 they ranked 12^th at 24.4, 2015 they ranked 7^th at 25.4 and in 2014 they ranked 7^th at 26.6. 

So since the sacks for Roethlisberger have been declining, the points per game have been no worse than 12^th but usually right around 7^th in the league, as they stand so far this year.

Yes, the playmakers like Brown, Bell and Big Ben make dazzling throws, amazing catches and flashy runs, but none of those are going to happen, at least not as frequently, without these five men upfront.

So I say, appreciate the stars that this team has, the underappreciated ones, that is. Pouncy, Decastro, Foster, Gilbert and Villanueva. 

They are the true keys to the Steelers success.

10/11/18-PODCAST Steel Nation Radio – Falcons Wrap Up and Bengals Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

I cover the Falcons game and preview this week’s match up against the Bengals in this weeks episode of Steel Nation Radio.

10/9/18-Rushing The Ball and Defense, That’s What Pittsburgh Does

By: Mike Pelaia

The Steelers have one of the best quarterbacks in football with Ben Roethlisberger.  It’s undeniable. 

They also have the best wide receiver in football, with Antonio Brown.  Another fact that can’t be argued. 

Yet, the key to their success comes from rushing the ball with James Conner and when he returns, Le’Veon Bell and playing defense with fury. 

When the black and gold do that, they win football games. Period.  And that’s what they’ll need to do again this upcoming week against the Cincinnati Bengals if they want to win the game.

I understand that Ben Roethlisberger can put up gaudy numbers but those numbers don’t always translate to putting up the ‘W’.  And that’s all that he, or anyone affiliated with the Pittsburgh Steelers wants.

Before I go further, let me be clear, I’m not suggesting the Steelers turn Roethlisberger into a game manager, far from it.  I’m merely suggesting the Steelers reduce his throws, control the clock by utilizing the rushing attack and get their defense going.

It’s their secret formula to winning ball games.

In the Steelers games this season, this is how it broke down in their two wins and one tie.

Week 1 at Cleveland, tied 21-21: 159 Rushing yards, 135 rushing yards by Conner. 41 Roethlisberger throws. Seven defensive sacks.

Week 3 at Tampa Bay, won 30-27:  78 rushing yards, 61 rushing yards by Conner. 38 Roethlisberger throws. Three defensive sacks.

Week 5 vs. Atlanta, won 41-17:  131 rushing yards, 110 rushing yards by Conner. 29 Roethlisberger throws. Six defensive sacks.

Do you see the trend?  Rushing yards higher, sacks up, Roethlisberger throws more limited (the Cleveland game was a bit high on the throws, but they didn’t win, they escaped with a tie)

In their two losses this season so far, here’s what happened.

Week 2 vs. Kansas City, loss 42-37:  33 rushing yards, 19 rushing yards by Conner. 60 Roethlisberger throws. One defensive sack.

Week 4 vs. Baltimore, loss 26-14: 19 rushing yards, 19 rushing yards by Conner. 47 Roethlisberger throws. Two defensive sacks.

Do you see the trend there?  Far less rushing yards, far more Roethlisberger throws and a limitation on the defensive sacks.

If the Steelers plan to go into Cincinnati this week and come out victorious, which they normally do when going into Ohio, they need to follow the formula above.

They’ll need to allow Conner to rush the ball around 25 times, gaining 100 yards, or more.  They’ll need to keep Roethlisbergers pass attempts to around 35, allowing him to still distribute the ball to Brown and JuJu Smith Schuster, still getting close to 300 yards and a couple of TD’s, but not throwing it so often that the clock doesn’t move.  Ben doesn’t need 450 yards for this team to win.

What they’ll also need to do, is get after Andy Dalton on Sunday afternoon and put him to the ground four or five times. When this defense is getting to the quarterback, they protect a weak secondary. The secondary didn’t look bad against Atlanta and when playing against guys like Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley; good secondaries are made to look foolish, let alone ones that are down right bad (with the exception of Joe Haden). 

They’ll face a challenge in AJ Green this week so once again, the best defense they can put out is one that rushes the quarterback frequently and doesn’t allow plays to extend.  Keeping the ball away from AJ Green via the pass rush as well as a ball control offense is the way this team will find it’s way to the win column this coming Sunday and every other Sunday onwards.

Rushing the ball and defense, that’s what Pittsburgh does.

10/4/18-Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

The 1-3 Flacons come to Heinz Field on Sunday to face the surprisingly bad 1-2-1 Steelers.  It’s a game that both teams need to have, the loser will be facing a massive uphill climb the rest of the season just in order to sniff the playoffs.

It will be a game that features two high powered offenses against two very susceptible defenses.  Who will come out on top?

Here are the keys to the game.

 

The Steelers Need To Start Fast

The black and gold have been bad at home this year and in the playoffs last year.  They haven’t scored a 1^st quarter point at home since last December, they’ve been down a combined 35-0 at home in the first quarter so far this year and they have failed to convert a single opening drive first down in any game in 2018. 

That cannot continue this week. If this team wants to be successful, they need to begin that success early and then sustain it throughout. This continued need to play catchup is killing them and it will again if it happens vs. the Falcons.  With an offense as high powered as this one, it’s mind boggling to see what’s occurring early in games.  It’s also completely unacceptable. Randy Fichtner better get a game plan in order from the opening whistle if he doesn’t want to hear screams from above after this game.  The Steelers don’t need to score on their opening drive, but they need to move the football and they need to be up by the end of the first quarter.

 

James Conner Needs To Be A Focal Point

There’s news this week that Le’Veon Bell is returning during the bye week.  I’ll believe it when I see it.  Honestly, I hope he does, if not sooner. This team needs him right now. As far as I’m concerned, he won the faceoff with Steelers management. They need him more than he needs them. Don’t think so? Think about this;  Bell is potentially this teams best defender; in that he keeps the black and gold defense off the field.  Would you rather see Bell running the ball or this defense on the field?

Until his return though, James Conner needs to be that guy.  That goes along with starting early. The team cannot afford to get down early and abandon the run. They need to pound the ball early, get Conner some breakaway plays and he needs to carry it 20 times, or more.  He needs to do what Bell does, keep this defense off the field, it’s the only chance for success they have. 

When Ben Roethlisberger has to throw it as many times as he has, this team does not have success, traditionally. I know the Falcons have a susceptible defense but the Steelers must control the clock through Conner in order to come out with a victory. If they choose to play the fast, up tempo game, as if they were the Golden State Warriors, they’ll end up on the losing end of a shootout. 

 

The Secondary MUST Step Up

Who in a black and gold uniform is going to stop Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley? Both Jones and Ridley average over 17 yards per catch. Ridley already has six touchdowns to go along with it.  In other words, they take the top right off the defense. 

You know what’s not good?  The Steelers defense loves to let opposing offenses take the top off.  See Burns, Artie or Sensabaugh, Coty.  Joe Haden is the only cornerback that I trust and I’m not sure even he can cover Jones. 

They have to find a way to keep these receivers in front of them at all costs, they may even be better off holding the receivers vs. giving up the big plays. Yeah, that’s where I am with this group right now. They are terrible and until they prove otherwise, consistently, I’ll continue to think so. 

The Front Seven Need To Provide Help

The secondary is awful, no question about it but the front seven aren’t really doing their jobs this season either.  After the Cleveland week, where has TJ Watt been?  How about Cam Heyward or Stephon Tuitt?  Bud Dupree has played above my expectations but beyond that, nobody is doing much of anything.

When you have the secondary the Steelers have, the front seven need to make up for it. They aren’t doing it so far.  They must pressure the Matt Ryan, who has only thrown two picks this season; and if Devonta Freeman plays on Sunday, they best find a way to contain him too.

Either way, I think this defense is giving up over 30 points this week.

                                                                           …………………………………………..

If the Steelers are unable to put up over 35 points this week, they will not win this game. I have no trust in this defense right now and the scary thing is, I’m losing faith in the offense that has so much talent. 

That all said, I think you’ll see the offense get Conner involved more this week. Antonio Brown is going to show up in full force this week and put together his best game of the season, to date and the defense will come up with a big play or two when it counts.

The Steelers will save their season with a 38-33 victory to the delight of the home town faithful.

 

10/3/18-STEEL NATION RADIO Ravens Recap and Falcons Preview

By: Mike Pelaia

I take a look back at the Ravens debacle, preview the Falcons game, discuss Le’Veon Bell’s return and ask the question, do the Steelers miss Landry Jones?  Find out all of my thoughts right here:

10/2/18-The Bell Rings For Le’Veon

By: Mike Pelaia

Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong. Ding.

Do you hear it?  The Bell ringing?  It’s calling Le’Veon.  It’s time for Le’Veon Bell to return to Pittsburgh. He says he will do so in week seven.  The black and gold need to hope it won’t be too late by then.

Through the pre-season and even through the first couple of weeks of the regular season, I was dismissive of the Steelers needing Bell’s services. I was convinced James Conner was a perfect replacement for this season and beyond.  He sure did look the part against the Cleveland Browns, didn’t he?

But then reality hit. After four games, he has a total of 232 rushing yards.  Sure, I get it. The team has been down and they’ve had to throw the ball far more than the game plan had originally laid out. I’ll buy that as part of the reason his numbers aren’t massive. But it’s the yards per carry average, 3.2, that concern me. 

Conner doesn’t appear to have the same abilities as Bell and he certainly doesn’t command the same respect from the opposition that Bell does. 

Bell will need to win back the fans, if he returns and plays for the Steelers but more importantly, he’ll need to win back his teammates. An impact player can do that.  Let’s face it, Bell is the impact player this team desperately needs at this point.  He can carry the load on the ground. He can provide Ben Roethlisberger another target through the air and he can force defenses to pay attention to him, hopefully assisting Antonio Brown to become a more impactful player again.

Brown has struggled in the absence of Bell.  It’s time the Killer B’s reunite and see what this offense can really do.

But it’s not just about the offense, which is too dependent upon Roethlisberger at the moment, another reason Bell needs to return. It’s about a defense who can’t stop anyone right now.  They need to remain on the sidelines, that’s the best defense this team can throw out there. Bell enables that more than anyone. He can help the Steelers sustain a drive, maybe one of five minutes or more.  Pounding the football is what this team needs to do, Conner doesn’t appear to be able to do that. It appears the answer is Bell.

Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong. Ding.

Do you hear it?  I do.