A win is a win especially when it’s a divisional game and the Steelers did what they were suppose to do-beat a bad team. (If you remember October 29, 2006, the Steelers lost to a bad Oakland Raiders team20-13)
It’s the first game of the season. It was a must-win game. It was the inaugural game for our new head coach Mike Tomlin. Just don’t plan on purchasing the Super Bowl tickets just yet.
Steelers’ special teams’ was impressive. (Did I surprise you? I know I am). The Browns special teams’ was deplorable committing 4 penalties on one play in their first series of the first quarter: 2 for holding, 1 illegal formation and 1 for ineligible man downfield. I don’t think I ever remember any team ever committing 4 on one play. Jeff “Skippy” Reed was 2-2 in field goals and Daniel Sepulveda continues to impress averaging 37.5 yards per punt, especially the 42 yarder pinning the Browns on their own 2 yard line. Every time Sepulveda punts that ball, I find my mouth agape because of his incredible accuracy. He has been quoted to say, his approach is to make sure the punts are non-returnable. Since pre-season, we can count on one hand how many have been returned and those returned paid for it. (Case in point, LB Lawrence Timmons stop in second quarter on Sunday.) In addition, Sepulveda is a former linebacker and loves to tackle. He has gotten in a few good licks in against the Browns.
While special teams kept the Browns’ backs pinned deep in their own territory, Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau (who celebrated his 70th Birthday last weekend) let out the wolf-pack who recorded 6 sacks and 5 turnovers (2 INTs, 3 fumbles). One of those INTs can be credited to rookie CB William Gay. The defense blitzed all day. The run defense held Jamal Lewis and Lawrence Vickers to 43 yards on 13 carries. However, TE Kellen Winslow received 83 yards on 14 receptions mostly from QB Derek Anderson who seems to reads blitzes very well. The D has got to get better on TE coverages.
I really didn’t expect the Browns to look so bad considering some of the talent on that team. They do have the makings of a decent defense. In the first half, the Browns defense held the Steeler running game to 57 yards with RB “Fast Willie” and Najeh Davenport. The lack of a running game can be attributed to RB Carey Davis in as starting fullback instead of 8 yr veteran FB Dan Krieder. Also, there were some changes up front, Willie Colon started at RT instead of Max Starks and Kevin Mahan started at center for the first time. The more reps they get in the better for them down the stretch.
(At least these changes happened against the Browns-not the Ravens).
In the first half, the Steeler offense showed its ineffectiveness when the Browns defense held the Steelers to 3 points in the 2nd series of the first half, after CB Deshea Townsend’s interception to the Cleveland 17. It was not until the second half that the defense sputtered.
The Browns have some offensive weapons in WR Braylon Edwards and TE Kellen Winslow along with RB Jamal Lewis. Coach Romeo Crennel made the mistake not selecting the starting QB before the regular season began. QB Charlie Frye won out the starting job and was benched in the second quarter to back-up QB Derek Anderson. Frye was benched in the second half and completed 4 passes on 10 attempts for 34 yards. Anderson finished with 13 of 28 for 184 yards and 1 TD to Lawrence Vickers to avoid the shutout. Anderson had one turnover, an INT by CB “Vote for Ike” Taylor.
The Steeler offense did not show up until the second half. Yes, you heard me right, the second half. The first 17 points were from gimmes. The first 7 points came from the botched up punt with the 4 penalties attached, putting the Steeler drive at the Cleveland 22. 2 series later, 3 points off the foot of Skippy Reed from Deshea Townsends’ INT. Finally, Ben throws a 40 yarder to Santonio Holmes from a fumble created by LB James Farrior, recovered by CB Bryant McFadden. If the Browns had not committed those 5 penalties in the first half and Anderson had started instead of Frye, we could have possibly been looking at a different game. All in all the Steelers capitalized on the Browns’ mistakes and that is a good sign.
In the second half, the running game opened up and the Browns’ defense showed fatigue. Steelers’ offense dominated the game using up 36:16 minutes to the Browns 26:44. “Fast Willie” got his first 100 yard game this season rushing for 109 yards total and Najeh 43.
Sunday, the Steelers host the Buffalo Bills. This off-season, the Bills lost 4 key players, 3 on defense (Takeo Spikes, Nate Clements, and London Fletcher) and on offense Willis McGahee (who went to the Baltimore). Buffalo lost a heartbreaker at the foot of Denver K Jason Elam Sunday 15-14 after leading most of the day.
The Bills come to Heinz Field wounded with key injuries: TE Kevin Everett who suffered possibly a season-ending injury to the spinal cord, and 3 defensive starters – FS Ko Simpson (Fx ankle), CB Jason Webster (fx forearm) and LB Keith Ellison (out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain). To replace McGahee, Buffalo drafted RB Marshawn Lynch and in his first start against Denver rushed for 90 yards in 19 attempts and 1 TD.
Another star that showed in the Denver game is special team return man WR Roscoe Parrish. Parrish returned a punt 102 yards for a touchdown.
The Bills allowed Denver offense 470 net yards- 299 passing and 171 rushing. Bills QB J P Losman was sacked twice and fumbled once. Even with the 470 net yards of offense the Bills defense did hold Denver to 3 field goals and 1 touchdown.
For all intense and purposes this should be another win for the Steelers.
Here we Go Steelers. Here we Go!
vfarries@comcast.net
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