Steelers Look Awful in Loss At Houston

It was another pitiful showing by just about the entire team in what turned out to be more than just a lost football game.  The Steelers went into Houston 2-1, left 2-2 and also suffered some injuries that may impact future games. After the 17-10 loss was complete the rubble that was the Steelers football team had Ben Roethlisberger in a walking boot, Aaron Smith carted from the sideline with a foot injury, Rashard Mendenhall with some apparent injury and further proof the Steelers have the worst offensive line in the league.

Big Ben is in a walking boot largely due to the fact that the aforemetnioned offensive line sucks. Roethlisberger was sacked 5 times, hit 8 more and hurried so many times we don’t care to even count it.  He was the lone bright spot and on an offense that was completely inept overall. Roethlisberger was able to throw for 206 yards despite running for his life all day. The O line is not only destroying the passing attack with Ben getting killed on just about every play but the running attack is still non existent. Quite frankly it appears that what we’ve been saying is true, Mendenhall is not the best back on this team. He only managed 25 yards on 9 carries, a pitiful 2.8 YPC average while our boy Isaac Redman ended up carrying 6 times for 40 yards. He was able to find the small, nearly non existent holes this horrific, horrendous, pathetic, pitiful, scrub, loser offensive line created.  He seemed explosive where Mendenhall seems lost and confused.  With a running attack that hasn’t shown up all year now and being a quarter of the way through the season, it seems it may be about time to shake things up doesn’ it? 

That type of change is on Tomlin and Arians. And speaking of changes, they start a full back on the first play of the game every week and then they rarely ever use him again. It’s about time the full back stays in the backfield on just about every play. We know that would hurt what Arians thinks is a threatening pass attack. While it’s a very talented receiving corps, Ben won’t be able to get them the ball if he doesn’t have blocking or if the running game isn’t a true threat. Providing Ben with a full back to add an extra blocker in the back field and also have a lead blocker for the running back seems like a no brainer to us. Make the change guys!  Does it hurt to try it?  Doubtful.

Defensively something needs to change too. Aside from Polamalu, who led the team with 9 tackles, they look pretty terrible. They have always been a feared rush defense and quite frankly they suck. Arian Foster, essentially playing for the first time all year ran 30 times for 155 yards and a TD!  He’s a stud, no question, but in years past it didn’t matter who the black and gold was playing, 100 yards was not going to happen!  The secondary is no good, they still don’t have an interception 4 games into the season.  They have 1 takeaway all year!  This is not a Steeler defense we’re used to seeing that’s for sure! 

There are still 12 games to go and they do have time to turn this around but it better start in game 5 or it will truly be a long season and prove that this recent bunch can not play the year after a super bowl appearance. 

Here’s a new segment for you, we’re going to attempt to do this weekly, giving props to the stars of the game, calling for players to be benched, started or cut. It will be based on the season as a whole and largely take into account the game just played.

Stars of the game:  Ben Roethlisberger-he seems like he has to do everything on this 2011 team and while he proved again he’s capable of doing just about everything, he needs help. He’ had a good game and kept them alive.

Troy Polamalu-He was in on the bulk of the defensive plays and led the team in tackles, he’s one of the only guys to show up!

Move to the bench:  Hines Ward-He only had 1 catch for 19 yards, he’s just irrelevant at this point. He can still contribute but not at the same high level, the sun is setting on him.

Rashard Mendenhall-He doesn’t seem to have it this year. Yes, the O line is bad, but true super star backs find a way, he hasn’t and it’s time to see what someone else can do.

Move to the starting line up:  Antonio Brown-He looks to be the clear number two receiver at this point, he’s fast, he makes great adjustments to the ball and he can be a game changer.

Isaac Redman-He gets a lot of yards even with a bad O line, he’s powerful, quick and appears to be better than Mendenhall.

ANY FULLBACK-The O Line sucks so add a blocker!

Cut-The entire O Line (except Pouncey).  They completely suck and are by far the worst in the league.

The team won’t do these things but they should. Other things they should do is start using Heath Miller more.  He’s a clutch tight end and in an offense where Ben is getting hit so soon after the snap, he can be a go to guy on quick release throws. It could keep Ben upright and also make up for a non existent rushing attack. 

The thing the team is doing that someone needs to get in their ear about and tell them to stop is their show boating, mouthing off garbage. There’s nothing wrong with with swagger, but when you’re taunting, getting penalized and still losing, you need to cut that out. That’s all on Tomlin.

The damage is done, the wounds are are fresh and the team is down. They can sulk about this for a day or two and then they need to get their asses in gear and prepare for next week.

2-2, next weeks vs. Tennessee (3-1)