Searching For Answers After Philly Loss

Steelers fans are no doubt fuming about their favorite team’s performance against the Philadelphia Eagles. The offense was downright offensive in the 15-6 loss as the the offensive line allowed nine sacks and and the unit could only must two field goals. What I found a bit troublesome in talking to the players afterward is that they all insisted the Eagles didn’t do anything in their pass rush that they weren’t prepared for, but two offensive linemen told me there were communication problems. Which begs the question: HOW? After a spring full of OTA’s, a summer full of training camp, four preseason games, and three regular season games, how can there be communication problems? Lest we forget, the NFL is a copycat league. The Steelers’ future opponents are probably breaking down film of the Eagles game as we speak, and unless an until the the offense is doing a better job of pass protection, expect to see a lot more pressure, and plenty more sacks.

Browns Not Ready For Primetime

The Steelers’ 10-6 win over the Browns in Cleveland proved a number of things to me. First, Ben Roethlisberger is ready to take his place among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Big Ben shook off a bad shoulder and some bad weather to help pull out the victory. His performance will only enhance his reputation as one of the league’s best big-game quarterbacks. Second, despite what you may have heard in the off-season, the Cleveland Browns are not ready for prime time. I was one of the ones who thought they could challenge the Steelers for the AFC North Division title, but when you look at how inconsistent they are, plus all the questionable decisions made by head coach Romeo Crennel, it’s pretty obvious that the Brownies are still a work in progress. The Steelers have won 10 straight over the Browns, and now, they have a two-game lead in the division. It’s early, but it sure doesn’t look like the Steelers will have to worry about their rivals by the lake this season.