Steelers 38, Bengals 10

What is there to say? Another week, another crushing Hines Ward block on a defensive player (this one breaking the jaw of Bengals' rookie linebacker Keith Rivers, most likely ending his season), and another Steelers' victory over the Bengals.

With the predicted victory, The Steelyard is now 4-2 on the season and 30-9 all-time. Next week: At home vs. Plaxico Burress and the Super Bowl champion New York Giants.

Hines Ward fined unnecessarily for unnecessary roughness

It has recently come to light that Steelers’ wide receiver Hines Ward has been fined twice this season by the NFL — on two consecutive weeks, a total of $15,000 — for “unnecessary roughness,” in spite of the fact that he wasn’t penalized for such a rule violation in either of the two applicable games (Baltimore, at Jacksonville).

Lost in the afterglow of the win over Jacksonville is the fact that Ward was the catalyst for turning the momentum in Pittsburgh’s favor after the Steelers were dominated by the Jags for most of the game. Recall that it was Ward’s block on a Jaguars’ defensive lineman (I believe it was #95, Paul Spicer) that sparked the Steelers’ offense, as the six-foot-four, 295-pound Spicer was so infuriated by being pushed downfield by a diminutive wide receiver that he committed a personal foul against Ward in frustration. The penalty gave the Steelers a free 15 yards, a shining example of the kind of game-changing effort that Ward has demonstrated throughout his career.

In conjunction with the fact that Ward already holds most of the team’s key receiving records — ahead of Hall of Famers John Stallworth and Lynn Swann — it seems likely that Ward will one day receive serious consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Steelers: First impressions of Pittsburgh's first- and second-round picks

Guest commentary by Nick Beckwith:

Since the NFL free agency system was instituted the NFL mantra of drafting “the best player available” has been largely a myth. After losing a key player teams almost reflexively draft a college player at the same position, regardless of whether the new player’s talent warrants the spot he is being taken. This is not to suggest that need should not be part of the scouting calculus, it must be. But in recent years it had begun to overwhelm all other considerations. Last year veteran NFL personnel man and former GM Floyd Reese, noting teams’ tendency to “reach” for positions of need lamented “the lost art of scouting.” Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers rediscovered that art. And they did it under what must have been trying circumstances.

Round 1
The Steelers' two greatest positions of need were on the lines – offensive and defensive. Offensive line looked like the position to take, with five prospects worthy of the first round ... and certainly five offensive lineman would not be selected before the Steelers picked at number 23. Five weren’t – six were, with another going later in the round. Rather than panic and select an offensive lineman of insufficient talent just to fill a need, the Steelers turned this near crisis into an opportunity. They drafted Rashard Mendenhall and came away with one of the best bargains of the first round.

Round 2
If Mendenhall was a bargain, Limas Sweed was an absolute steal. This is an extraordinary value pick. Despite missing most of his senior season with a wrist injury, some analysts still considered him the best overall wide receiver in the entire draft. And refreshingly, he is not a diva. Think Hines Ward and Marvin Harrison, not Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson.

Summary
It is hard to see how the Steelers could have done better yesterday; they skillfully turned a draft that was breaking against them to their favor.

Steelers' second-round pick is Limas Sweed

Another player the team didn't expect to be available this late in the draft.... In round two the Steelers added Limas Sweed, WR, Texas. Obviously, wide receiver is a huge area of need as going into this weekend Pittsburgh had no proven NFL caliber wideouts on its roster after Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington, leaving at least two spots open. In Pro Football Weekly's draft preview Sweed's bio concludes: "If he continues to make strides in the pros like he did in college he could be a legitimate No. 1 receiver."

Richardson, Worley on list of biggest busts in NFL draft history

In ESPN.com's new ranking of the Top 50 biggest busts in NFL draft history, former Steelers' first-round pick Huey Richardson (1991) comes in at #15. Running back Tim Worley (1989) is at #25. Click here to read the complete list.

On a more positive note, the Steelers also have six draft picks among ESPN.com's Top 50 all-time greatest draft steals: L.C. Greenwood (1969) is at #8; John Stallworth (1974) #16; Mike Webster (1974) #22; Hardy Nickerson (1987) #27; Hines Ward (1998) #33; and Greg Lloyd (1987) #37. Click here to view the complete list.

Wilson released following arrest

The Steelers have released veteran WR Cedrick Wilson in the wake of Wilson's arrest for assault, harassment and disorderly conduct on Wednesday night. Considering that Wilson has been involved in at least one other unflattering incident since joining the team, coupled with the fact that he is entering the last year of his contract, it's no surprise that Rooney & Co. decided to part ways with him. However, the move leaves the team very thin at wide receiver, with Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington the only proven wideouts still on the roster.

Hines Ward: Hall of Fame worthy?

On January 21 WR Hines Ward was named one of four finalists for this year's Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which "recognizes community involvement and service, as well as on-field performance." As many Steelers' fans know, in 2006 Ward established a foundation that assists bi-racial children in South Korea (where racial discrimination is apparently endemic), and has earned considerable praise for his efforts.

The nomination inspired me to consider whether Ward is worthy of a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. When one considers his statistics, blocking ability, Super Bowl (SB) performance, and his "likability," I believe there's a good chance Ward will one day be elected to the Hall. A comparison to Steelers' Hall of Fame receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth is illustrative:

To begin with, Ward already holds all of the franchise's receiving records (720 career catches for 8,741 yards and 65 TDs). Of course, Swann and Stallworth played in a different era in which the ball was thrown far less frequently. On the other hand, until the arrival of Tommy Maddox and then Ben Roethlisberger in 2004, Ward had the misfortune of playing within run-oriented offenses led by subpar QB's like Kordell Stewart.

Meanwhile, Swann and Stallworth won four SB rings each compared to just one (thus far) for Ward, although Ward did capture a Super Bowl MVP award for SB XL, much like Swann did in SB X. To date Ward has been elected to four Pro Bowls (2002-05), while Swann and Stallworth earned three berths each.

However, it's Ward's well-deserved reputation for being a great blocker and his sunny disposition that may ultimately put him over the top. A few more solid seasons and another SB ring wouldn't hurt either.

Anyone care to weigh in with further thoughts on this topic?

Roethlisberger's underrated season

When Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger was named to the Pro Bowl earlier this season many sports media pundits questioned whether other AFC QB's like David Garrard (Jacksonville) or even Derek Anderson (Cleveland) would have been more deserving. Sorry folks, Roethlisberger is more deserving of a Pro Bowl berth than any other QB in the league, excepting Tom Brady, of course.

By way of comparison, Brady finished the regular season with 50 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions (117.2 passer rating). Roethlisberger threw 32 TD passes and only 11 interceptions (104.1 rating). Compare those numbers to those of Garrard (18 TD's, 3 INT's, 102.2 rating) and Anderson (29 TD's, 19 INT's, 82.5 rating). Then consider that Roethlisberger received some of the worst pass protection in the NFL. Big Ben was sacked a David Carr-like 47 times in only 404 pass attempts (one sack for every 8.6 attempts), while Garrard went down 21 times in 325 attempts (once every 15.4 attempts) and Anderson a mere 14 times in 527 attempts (once per 37.6 attempts).

It's also worth comparing Roethlisberger's numbers to other QB's who received inadequate protection. Only two other quarterbacks were sacked more than 37 times in 2007. Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia) was sacked 44 times in 473 attempts (once per 10.75 attempts) and posted an 89.9 passer rating, while Jon Kitna (Detroit) absorbed a league-high 51 sacks in 561 attempts (one sack per 11 attempts) and finished with an 80.9 rating.

Some might argue that Roethlisberger benefitted from a strong running game, as Pittsburgh's feature back, Willie Parker, gained more than 1,300 yards. Yet, Parker managed a relatively pedestrian 4.1 yards per carry (far below most of the league's other rushing leaders), and his impressive yardage total is mostly a function of his high number of carries. Meanwhile, Big Ben's receivers are hardly an impressive lot: Hines Ward may one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but at this point in his career, he's a move-the-chains type of possession receiver. And like Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh's only legitimate down-the-field threat), Ward has not been able to stay healthy this year. Finally, tight end Heath Miller is a solid receiver, but rarely generates a big play.

The bottom line is that Roethlisberger has done more with less than any other QB in the league. If the Steelers somehow find a way to upgrade the talent around him, one can expect even better performances from Big Ben in coming seasons.

Browns' Holly calls Ward a cheap-shot artist

In a story in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer, Steelers' WR Hines Ward defends himself against accusations by Browns LB Daven Holly that Ward is a cheap-shot artist. If you recall, Ward was penalized for unnecessary roughness and fined $5,000 for a hit on Holly during the September 9 game between the two teams. As I see it, Ward went over the line with the shot on Holly, and the league saw it the same way.

But there's no way that Ward is a dirty player, a charge also leveled against him this week by Ravens LB Bart Scott, who was on the receiving end of a wicked Ward block just last Monday. Ravens' safety Ed Reed was also pulverized by Ward during that same game, and now the Ravens are whining because they apparently don't feel its very wide receiverly for a wide receiver to be raining punishing blows on defenders.

Steelers 38, Ravens 7

As it turns out, The Steelyard correctly predicted the outcome of last night's game ("What are the Chances?" is now 7-1 on the season and 20-4 all-time), but we gave the Ravens more credit than they deserve in our pre-game prediction.

Kudos to LB James Harrison, who essentially had a career year, all within the confines of a single game. Here is Harrison's stat line for last night's game: 10 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, 3 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. Now compare that with his first five seasons in Pittsburgh: 63 total tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception, and 1 fumble recovery.

Also, kudos to WR Hines Ward, who delivered several highlight reel blocks on Ravens' defenders, most notably S Ed Reed.

And congrats to QB Ben Roethlisberger, who posted a 158.3 passer rating, thanks to throwing five TD passes in only 16 attempts. In light of the Ravens' obvious challenges on offense and Big Ben's propensity for getting "dinged up," I thought Mike Tomlin allowed Roethlisberger to play too long. I also wasn't wild about the fact that Tomlin allowed Roethlisberger to re-enter the game after he suffered the injury (or injuries). Hopefully, Ben won't suffer any lingering effects or miss time.

Finally, with Baltimore in the rear-view mirror and Cleveland next on Pittsburgh's schedule, I think Steelers' fans might like to be reminded that today is the anniversary of the day Art Modell announced plans to move the old Cleveland Browns to Baltimore. Click here to read a blurb about that infamous day in Browns/Ravens history.

Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 0

The Steelers won in impressive fashion today, shutting out the Seahawks in spite of playing without the services of defenders Troy Polamalu (ribs), Casey Hampton (hamstring), and Bryant McFadden (ankle), not to mention starting wide receivers Hines Ward (knee) and Santonio Holmes (hamstring).

"What are the Chances ...?" is now 5-0 on the season and 18-3 all-time.

"Plaxico"

Recently, The Steelyard received a copy of the new book “The G.M.: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares That Go With It,” by Tom Callahan (Crown), which chronicles the last year of Ernie Accorsi’s tenure as general manager of the New York Giants. Of course, the book is of minimal interest to Steelers’ fans, except for chapter 4 (“Plaxico”), which focuses on former Steelers’ wide receiver Plaxico Burress, described by Callahan as having “a sleepy manner and a penitentiary face.”

According to Accorsi, The Steelers “would have loved to have kept [Burress]” … but “Dan Rooney didn’t want to put all of the team’s money into receivers,” preferring to retain Hines Ward. Makes sense.

Meanwhile, Giants QB Eli Manning goes out of his way to defend Burress, saying, “Plax is smarter than what you think, or what he shows you.” Manning relates how he once borrowed Burress’ playbook and says, “When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes. He had written all these little notes in the margins--in beautiful handwriting. ‘I’m the hot receiver here.’ ‘I go here.’ ‘I do this or that.’ ‘Somebody else does whatever.’ All in perfect penmanship….”

It’s funny how Manning compliments Burress’ penmanship, as if that compensates for the occasions when Burress takes plays off or disappears from the offense.

Dead Money on Steelers' Cap Now Over $10 Million

Pittsburgh has always done a solid job of managing the salary cap, keeping the amount of "dead money" counting against its cap to a bare minimum. But after cutting Joey Porter, Duce Staley, and Chris Gardocki (among others) $10.335 million of the Steelers' 2007 salary cap is now taken up by players no longer on the team [per updated figures posted on August 1 by Steelers Live 'Xtra]. With this year's cap set at $109 million that's roughly 10.5 percent of the team's allowance, a higher percentage than in years past.

In case you aren't familiar with the mechanics of the salary cap, here's an oversimplified example of how a team is charged with dead money: Let's say a player signs a four-year contract with a $1 million signing bonus and base salaries of $500,000 each year. The cap charge for his first season would be $750,000 ($500,000 for his salary and $250,000 for one-quarter of his signing bonus). If that player is released after, say, only one season with the team, the remaining prorated portion of his signing bonus ($750,000) "accelerates" and counts against the cap the following year, even though the player is no longer on the roster. Meanwhile, the remaining $1.5 million that would have been paid in salary (over the next three seasons) "disappears." This arrangement explains why the Steelers are sqeamish about signing aging veterans like Alan Faneca to long-term contracts that include enormous signing bonuses.

Of course, a certain amount of dead money is inevitable. Draft choices—like Orien Harris, Charles Davis, Cedrick Humes and Omar Jacobs—sometimes don't pan out, and veteran players (like Jeff Hartings) often retire before completing their contracts. So the Steelers certainly aren't the only team above $10 million. According to NFL.com, Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, New Orleans and Oakland are all over the $10 million mark—and there may be others. Yet, when it comes to this problem no one compares to the Houston Texans, currently saddled with more than $30 million in dead money, a serious competitive handicap.

As for players who remain on the Steelers' roster, LT Marvel Smith is scheduled to count $6.645 million against the Steelers' cap in 2007, the most of any player on the team. LG Alan Faneca, NT Casey Hampton, WR Hines Ward and DE Aaron Smith have cap charges of $6.12 million, $6 million, $5.92 million and $5.46 million, respectively.

Fantasy Draft Board "Mis-Underestimates" Steelers?

Today, Pro Football Weekly (PFW) unveiled its offseason fantasy draft board, ranking quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, placekickers and defenses. With the exception of Willie Parker (#8 at RB and #9 overall) the fantasy talent evaluators at PFW don't think highly of the Steelers' offensive players. Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch are ranked 17th and 54th, respectively, at the QB position. Najeh Davenport and Kevan Barlow are 60th and 89th on the RB board. And Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Cedrick Wilson and Nate Washington are 18th, 41st, 83rd and 93rd, respectively, at wide receiver. Meanwhile, PFW has Heath Miller rated #22 among tight ends and PK Jeff Reed ranked 22nd among kickers. The Steelers are listed as the seventh-best fantasy defense, however.

Click here to view the draft board.