3 Steelers make PFW's "Super 50"

Three Steelers' players earned spots on Pro Football Weekly's "Super 50" list, which identifies 2007's top NFL players "based on performances and value to their teams." QB Ben Roethlisberger is at #7, RB Willie Parker is at #21 and LB James Harrison is at #49. Click here to view the entire list.

Steelers' Pro Bowl Update

Our favorite big boy, NT Casey Hampton, will make his fourth Pro Bowl (2003, 2005 and 2006) after being chosen as a replacement for the injured Jamal Williams (San Diego).

Hampton joins Ben Roethlisberger, Alan Faneca and James Harrison in Honolulu, Sun. 02/10.

Two Steelers players will miss the game with injuries, running back Willie Parker (broken leg) and safety Troy Polamalu (sprained knee). Aloha!

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.

Steelers drop in PFW Power Ranking

This week the Steelers dropped from #5 to #6 in Pro Football Weekly's Power Ranking. Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger is holding steady at #5 on PFW's MVP Meter. Predictably, Willie Parker has fallen off the list. And, as has been the case all season, no Pittsburgh rookie is among the top 30 on the publication's Rookie Meter.

Offensive line not getting the job done (spin)

One of this week's "spins" in Pro Football Weekly (PFW) concerns the Steelers' offensive line. Click here to read the report.

Meanwhile, PFW still has the Steelers at #5 in its Power Ranking (behind New England, Dallas, Indianapolis and Green Bay). Ben Roethlisberger is at #5 on PFW's MVP Meter, while Willie Parker has dropped to #9. It's hard to believe Parker is still in the Top 10, however. Naturally, no Steelers' rookie even warrants a mention among the long list of rookies on the Rookie Meter. While Pittsburgh seems to have drafted five legitimate NFL players this year, none of the five is making a significant impact this season.

Jets 19, Steelers 16 (OT)

Today’s game was a shining example of the advantage afforded teams coming off a bye week. On the second play of the game the Jets executed a trick play that went for 56 yards, setting up New York’s one and only touchdown. I’m certain that sometime during the Jets’ extra week of preparation the coaches noticed that Steelers’ CB Ike Taylor is quick to abandon his pass coverage responsibilities on running plays and thus especially vulnerable to flea flicker-type fakes. Needless to say, the Jets looked to exploit that vulnerability right away, and it was the difference in the game.

Of course, the Jets deserve plenty of credit for doing enough to win. As if the 19-16 OT loss wasn’t enough, Jets RB Thomas Jones broke the Steelers’ streak of 34 consecutive games of not allowing a 100-yard rusher.

More importantly, the game highlighted a few ongoing problems: Never mind the kick coverage, the Steelers’ offensive line isn’t as good as the national media makes it out to be. Today, Pittsburgh never got its run game going (Willie Parker rushed for 52 yards) and the offensive line allowed a season-high seven sacks. And once again, the team started slowly on the road against an inferior opponent.

In my opinion, Ben Roethlisberger is making the offensive talent around him look better than it really is, but even Big Ben isn’t going to be able to lead the team back from 10, 14, and 15 point deficits on a regular basis. Look for the Steelers to focus on the offensive side of the ball in the 2008 draft.

"What are the Chances...?" is now 8-2 on the season and 21-5 all-time.

Roethlisberger Reaching New Heights

A new article in Pro Football Weekly (PFW) chronicles Ben Roethlisberger's development. Roethlisberger has moved up to #5 on PFW's MVP meter, while RB Willie Parker has fallen to #8.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is currently at #4 in the magazine's Power Ranking behind New England, Indianapolis and Dallas, and just ahead of Green Bay and San Diego. For what it's worth, Cleveland has moved up to #12, Baltimore is at #19, and Cincinnati is at #26.

PFW announces midseason All-Pro selections

Today Pro Football Weekly (PFW) announced its midseason All-Pro team. Not surprisingly, no Steelers were on the list. Interestingly, former Steelers’ WR Plaxico Burress (Giants) was one of the two wide receivers selected. Even more interesting is the fact that Cleveland’s rookie left tackle Joe Thomas was one of the two tackles chosen. Click here to view all the selections.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are still at #4 in PFW’s Power Rankings, and QB Ben Roethlisberger is holding steady at #6 on the magazine’s MVP meter (with RB Willie Parker falling one slot this week to #8). As usual, no Steelers’ rookies even warrant a mention on PFW’s Rookie Meter.

Woodley making a push for more playing time...?

That's the word according to Pro Football Weekly (PFW). Meanwhile, PFW still has the Steelers at #4 in its NFL Power Ranking (behind the Pats, Colts and Cowboys). And for the second consecutive week, Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker are sixth and seventh, respectively, on the magazine's MVP Meter. Regrettably, no Steelers' rookie even warrants a mention on PFW's Rookie Meter.

Mid-week Steelers' news from Pro Football Weekly

This week Pro Football Weekly (PFW) has the Steelers listed at #4 in its Week Eight Power Rankings (behind the Patriots, Colts and Cowboys). Meanwhile, QB Ben Roethlisberger and RB Willie Parker are #6 and #7, respectively, on the magazine's "MVP meter." No Steelers' rookies warrant a mention on the "Rookie of the Year meter."

Click here to read PFW's "The Way We Hear It" (AFC North); this week's Steelers' blurb features KR Allen Rossum.

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.