The Crystal Ball 2009 Week 14 Thursday Night Special

Wow, Tomlin was right, the Steelers did unleash hell. Because if watching the Raiders beat Pittsburgh at home isn’t hell, I don’t know what is.

Let’s face facts. This team currently is mediocre at best. At worst, we’re looking at a bad team and a mere shell of the unit that won the Super Bowl. Does it have the capacity of being a high caliber team? Absolutely. But will it? Who knows?

I’m resisting the urge to go on a screed about the team, we’re not quite there. Oh, we’re close, but not there yet.

I don’t understand how a team that can defeat the Vikings, a good team, can lose 4 straight with two against abysmal AFC west teams. I just do not. I don’t know where their mojo went, but someone find it and fast.

As for the Oakland game, there’s not much to say. Look, the offense screwed up more than once. Three trips into the red zone that resulted in a field goal, a failed 4^th down conversion and a turnover do not spell world beaters. But at least in crunch time they stepped up. The same cannot be said for the defense.

This game falls squarely on the defense. The defense consistently gave up big play after big play, to a career backup quarterback at home.

They cannot stop big plays, nor can they seem to force turnovers without Troy. The only thing they can do with any semblance of success is prevent opposing running backs from reaching 100 yards of rushing. But any more, I think teams are eschewing the rush to go after Pittsburgh’s exposed secondary. And so far, that has yielded big results for the opposition.

So what is the problem? Why is a unit that looked so dominating last year now at best the middle of the NFL pack? Well it’s like a king size bed with queen size blankets; there are not enough covers to go around.

Troy is out, so they have to cover for him. Aaron Smith goes out so those remaining must cover for him. Larry Foote and Bryant McFadden left, but instead of their replacements taking over, those remaining must cover for the sub par players in their spots. This is especially true in the secondary, where William Gay has proven to be far more ineffectual than advertised.

I said previously that at least this season the Super Bowl defense is going better than in 2006. Now, I wonder. It would seem that the team is getting caught up in a cycle of mediocrity that is self perpetuating. Of course, having Big Ben and Hines having a war of words in the press and Troy questionable for the remainder of the season doesn’t help either.

Maybe I must think 2006, when I went back and watched the Super Bowl XL highlight DVD and it made me feel better. Hey, it’s already like 2006, complete with a crappy loss to the Raiders.

On Tap Tonight

Pittsburgh (6-6) at Cleveland (1-11)

"Hines will do what's best for Hines, I'm sure." – Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

Hines Ward has a strained hamstring, is listed as questionable and said he will try to play tonight, but it’s doubtful he will. Yes, taste the irony of Hines’ becoming injured a week after questioning Ben’s toughness for not playing. They stated they kissed and made up. But I think Ben’s thinly veiled dig, said earlier in the week, kind of tells everyone that things are still a bit frosty between the two.

Well, playing in Cleveland tonight will not help, with game time temperatures in the low teens and wind chill making it terribly colder. This will be a game of attrition, and one with the season on the line. That flicker of hope I have is as small as my confidence. But hey, as long as it’s still there, we forge ahead….

Steelers over Browns