We are living in an age in which the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is becoming more well-known for iconic hair as opposed to intimidating play on the field. Troy Polamalu has his flowing locks. Brett Keisel? Well, his Yukon Cornelius beard is no more.

Keisel’s beard was sacrificed in the name of charity Thursday night in his annual Sheard Da Beard event. Members of the Steelers organization, including Dan Rooney, were on hand to help Keisel rediscover the face behind the beard.

Who is that man?

“I’ve got to admit it’s pretty unique,” said Tomlin of the event. “After six years here I can’t tell you that it surprises me.

“I like him with the beard. I think it’s his natural state. I think this thing has taken off and given him the opportunity to do what he probably likes to do anyway, which is not shave. He is a larger than life character and I think the beard fits his personality.”

Keisel’s annual event benefits cancer programs at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh at UPMC.

“Brett’s beard really has taken on a life of it’s own and Shear Da Beard has become a great annual event to support cancer programs and research at Children’s Hospital,” said Christopher Gessner, president, Children’s Hospital. “We’re extremely grateful to Brett, and more importantly to his wife Sarah for letting him grow the beard back each season.”

Is It Bigger News When A Coach Leaves To Coach Somewhere That Is Not Arizona?

The Steelers’ offense is down another coach. Wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery has left the Steelers to become a co-offensive coordinator at Duke.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin has had a busy off season hiring new coaches, so what’s one more? I don’t pretend to know everything there is about coaching wide receivers, but I hope whoever gets the job stresses the “catch the damn ball” technique that is all the rage these days.

Pittsburgh Steelers 24 Cleveland Browns 10

The Pittsburgh Steelers managed to finish the 2012 season on a strong note with a victory over the Cleveland Browns. Granted, finishing 8-8 isn’t ideal, but a win is a win.

Ben Roethlisberger finally returned to form, being rather inconsistent after coming back from his shoulder and rib injury. Big Ben was 15 for 23 for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps the most important stat for Ben was zero interceptions.

» Continue reading “Steelers Close Out 2012 Season With A Win”

San Diego Chargers 34 Pittsburgh Steelers 24

Ben Roethlisberger was back under center for the Steelers, but that really didn’t matter as the entire team decided against showing up for this game.

The Steelers’ many miscues set up plenty of opportunities for Philip Rivers and the Chargers, who took advantage of these opportunities. Where do I even begin?

• Back-to-back offsides penalties by Troy Polamalu and James Harrison gave the Chargers a first down and set up a 51-yard Nick Novak field goal for the first score of the game.
• Antonio Brown attempted to recover a lateral in the end zone instead of taking the safety.
• Big Ben throws an interception deep in his own territory, that sets up the final score for the Chargers.
• The defense’s general inability to stop the Chargers on third down.
• Special teams penalties. Again.

» Continue reading “Multiple Mistakes Doom Steelers Against Chargers”

December is here, and that means two things: I really should start my Christmas shopping, and I can’t start my Christmas shopping because the Steelers are making their final push for the playoffs.  Coming off a huge upset win in Baltimore against their division rival the Ravens with 3rd string QB Charlie Batch, the team received excellent news when HC Mike Tomlin announced on Thursday that Ben Roethlisberger would resume his role as starting QB when the San Diego Chargers come to Heinz Field for the week 14 matchup.

The 4-8 Chargers season is all but over, having lost 7 of the last 8 games.  Just this week President Dean Spanos was doing damage control when it was reported that he had already decided to fire HC Norv Turner and GM AJ Smith at the season’s end…although he never directly said it wasn’t true.  The Chargers are 0-14 when playing at Heinz Field, and it’s likely the Steelers will make it 0-15.  Then again, we all know the Steelers have a tendency to let weaker teams hang around and struggle to put the game away early. » Continue reading “Steelers Eve: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers”

Week 13

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens

Time: 4:25 PM

TV: NBC

Site: M&T Bank Stadium

Last Meeting: 11/18/12, L 10 – 13

Baltimore Ravens on Aerys: The Purple Nest

The Pittsburgh Steelers get set to take on the Baltimore Ravens… again. And they will be doing so without Ben Roethlisberger… again. But before you think this is just a repeat from Week 11, Troy Polamalu will be back. So, yay.

As last week’s game proved, an impressive defensive effort means absolutely diddly when the offense has eight fumbleceptions. Polamalu has always been the thorn in Joe Flacco’s side, but if Charlie Batch and company play as poorly as they did last week Troy’s return may not be enough for the Steelers.

» Continue reading “Week 13 Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens”

You’d have to be living under a rock to be unaware of the countless injuries the Pittsburgh Steelers have sustained this season, and Week 12 was no exception.  Several more players went down in the slugfest vs the Cleveland Browns, resulting in a mind-boggling shift of players on the active roster and practice squad.  Check it out:

1. RT Marcus Gilbert, hoping to return from an ankle injury, suffered a setback and was placed on IR.
2. Rookie T Mike Adams, the 2012 2nd round draft pick who has been filling in for Gilbert, suffered an ankle injury and will reportedly miss “significant time”.
3. Rookie Kelvin Beachum will likely start in place of Adams, whom he relieved during the Browns game.  It will be his first NFL start.
4. 2012 1st round draft pick RG David DeCastro, who sustained a knee injury during preseason, was activated from the “IR with designation to return” list.  It is unclear if he will start, as Ramon Foster has played well in his absence.
5. LG Willie Colon has been sidelined with a swollen knee and may sit this week again…rumor has it that if Colon can’t play, ProBowl center Maurkice Pouncey may slide into the guard position, leaving backup Doug Legursky to fill in at center.
6. Rookie G John Malecki continues to bounce between practice squad and active roster.  This week, he’ll again be on the list of 53.
7. WR Antonio Brown practiced well this week and is expected to make his return against the Ravens.  This is good news indeed.
8. With Brown returning, rookie WR David Gilreath was released to make room on the roster.  The Steelers would likely have signed Gilreath back to the practice squad, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers claimed him off waivers.
9. Other rookies that were released were lost to other teams as well: WR Toney Clemons was signed by the Jaguars and G Ryan Lee was signed by the Saints.
10. To fill out the practice squad, T Joe Long (brother of Dolphins 1st round pick Jake Long), G Justin Cheadle (no relation to the actor Don Cheadle),  and WR Bert Reed (not in any way connected to paper towel dispenser killer K Jeff Reed) were all added.
11. RB Jonathan Dwyer will get the start over Isaac Redman and Rashard Mendenhall, who sits at #3 on the depth chart after fumbling twice on 4 carries against the Browns as part of the turnover marathon.  I guess Dwyer’s fumble was the least offensive?
12. WR Mike Wallace got a mini-demotion and now shares the starting position with Emmanuel Sanders opposite Antonio Brown.  Sanders has performed well in AB’s absence.

1. LaMarr Woodley will sit out with an ankle injury, and Jason Worilds will again start opposite James Harrison.  Both Worilds and Harrison have been performing well recently.
2. QB Ben Roethlisberger if officially out vs the Ravens, and Charlie Batch will again get the start.  Byron Leftwich continues to recover from rib fractures.
3. WR Jerricho Cotchery is also trying to return to the field from his rib injury, but don’t expect him to play this week.  Plaxico Burress will fill his spot.
4. After playing a mere 1.25 games this year, safety Troy Polamalu may finally make his return this week.  The #1-ranked defense has been playing so well the past few weeks, I think a lot of fans have stopped missing him.
5. Safety Ryan Clark has managed to avoid even minor concussions since he started wearing his new, big (unfashionable in his opinion), kevlar reinforced helmet.  Looking good, Ryan.

I don’t know about you, but all this roster movement makes my head spin…I need to rest up for the big game Sunday.  Steelers vs Ravens is always huge, and never more so than this week.  Ravens will essentially clinch the division with a win.  If the Steelers can pull off the upset, who knows?

Pittsburgh Steelers 10 Baltimore Ravens 13

The Steelers lost a very winable game against the Baltimore Ravens. Despite missing key players like Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu, the Steelers stayed close with the AFC North-leading Ravens. However, the absence of Big Ben and Troy really hurt the Steelers tonight.

Byron Leftwich scored the Steelers’ only touchdown on the second play of the game by scampering for 31 yards. He appeared injured at the end of the run, but stayed in the rest of the game. For the most part, it was all downhill for Byron after that. He ended up going 18 for 39 for 201 yards with one interception and extremely poor time management skills. Burning two timeouts in the red zone so early in the second half is inexcusable, and only managing a field goal out of it didn’t make it any better.

With Leftwich struggling and possibly injured, you’d think the offense would lean heavily on the run game. You’d think. But alas, that was not to be. Even though Jonathan Dwyer had a strong game with 55 yards on only 12 carries and running very well in the second half, it seemed to be too little too late for the Steelers.

» Continue reading “Steelers Can’t Overcome Numerous Mistakes Against Ravens”

Week 11

Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Time: 8:20 PM

TV: ESPN

Site: Heinz Field

Last Meeting: 11/06/11, L 20-23

Baltimore Ravens on Aerys: The Purple Nest

Is there any better rivalry in the NFL than the Steelers-Ravens?

If you were going to answer with anything but “no”, I’m going to have to stop you right there. Sure, other rivalries may have more history or more big name players with flashier stats. But a Steelers-Ravens games always tends to have a certain something to it. That “something” usually is bloodshed and a deep-seated hatred of the other team.

» Continue reading “Week 11 Preview: Baltimore Ravens Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers”

Good news, everyone!

Good news everyone! 

Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Clark are listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. With the injury issues the Steelers have faced this season, “probable” is a magical word.

Mendenhall has seen limited playing time this season due to the knee injury he suffered at the end of last season as well as the Achilles injury he suffered against the Titans. Clark is coming off his second concussion in three weeks.

As expected, Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu, Antonio Brown, and Marcus Gilbert will be out for the Steelers. Roethlisberger will be out indefinitely with his shoulder/rib injury. Steel City Blitz contributor Melanie Friedlander discussed her take on Big Ben’s injury in her latest House Calls article.

» Continue reading “Mendenhall And Clark Probable For Sunday”

Pittsburgh Steelers 16 Kansas City 13, OT

The Steelers managed to eek out a win over Kansas City in overtime thanks in part to the great play by the Steelers’ defense and the bone-headed penalties of Kansas City. After spotting Kansas City a 10-0 lead, Pittsburgh actually decided to show up. Ben Roethlisberger tied things up at 10-all when he hit Mike Wallace in the end-zone for a touchdown. I have to give Wallace credit, it was not an easy catch to make, as he ended up controlling the ball between his knees.

Things took a turn for the worst in the second half when Big Ben left the game with a shoulder injury. Byron Leftwich came into the game and things got boring and the offense went nowhere. The only real drive of the second half for the Steelers came as a result of a personal foul penalty on Kansas City for a touchdown that didn’t even count. This eventually set up a Shaun Suisham field goal that gave the Steelers their first lead of the game.

» Continue reading “Steelers Win Despite Playing Like Jerks”