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November 29, 2009 News Clippings

Pittsburgh Steelers

SPORTS / STEELERS

Ravens QB Joe Flacco vs. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeauHead to Head: A closer look at the game within the game Sunday, November 29, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ravens QB Joe Flacco vs. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau

If he could, Joe Flacco probably would transfer out of the AFC North after playing the Steelers.

In a season in which he became the first rookie in National Football League history to win two playoff games, Flacco looked more flustered than fantastic in two of his three meetings against the Steelers. And it just happened to be in two of the Ravens' biggest games of the season.

After throwing for 192 yards and a touchdown in his first game against the Steelers at Heinz Field, Flacco had a significantly more troublesome time against Dick LeBeau's defense in the next two meetings.

He completed just 11 of 28 passes for 115 yards and was intercepted twice in the Steelers' 13-9 victory Dec. 14 in M&T Bank Stadium. And he was 13 of 30 for 141 yards and intercepted three times in the AFC Championship game in Heinz Field. His combined passer rating for those two games was 17.1.

What's more, Flacco was sacked three times and stopped on a fourth-and-1 sneak that led to Santonio Holmes' 65-yard touchdown pass in the conference championship, won by the Steelers, 23-14.

"I think they did adjust their game plan, like you always do," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. "As they got to know Joe a little better and some of the things that we were doing or trying to do with our personnel, obviously they did the better job and were able to improve with each one of those games."

Flacco will get a shot at some personal redemption tonight when the Steelers (6-4) play the Ravens (5-5) at M&T Bank Stadium.

"They stop the run well and they try to confuse the quarterback a little bit and make him not be settled with where he's going to go with the ball," Flacco said of the Steelers, who rank No. 1 in the NFL in rush defense and total defense. "I think as a quarterback you've got to go back and play confident with what you see and just let loose and we'll see what happens. We're going to go in there and play confident, we're going to come into our stadium and play confidently, just let the ball loose and let our natural abilities take over."

Despite Flacco's arm strength, the Ravens aren't exactly known as a vertical passing team. He has 28 passes of 20 yards, fewest among AFC quarterbacks who have started every game.

Nearly half of his 213 completions are to running back Ray Rice (56) and wide receiver Derrick Mason (45), leading to complaints that Flacco does not involve other receivers in the offense. He has been quick to check down a lot to Rice, especially on third down when he has a team-high 17 receptions.

That, though, could change against the Steelers, who gave up five passes of 20 yards or longer in their 27-24 overtime loss in Kansas City. Of those, the Chiefs hit passes of 30, 47 and 61 yards in the final 16 minutes -- a surprising amount against a team that prides itself on preventing big pass plays.

Page 1 of 2Ravens QB Joe Flacco vs. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau

11/30/2009http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09333/1017084-66.stm

"We were out of place," coach Mike Tomlin said of his defense, which allowed only two passes of 40 yards or longer during the 2008 regular season. "That hasn't been a signature of our football team."

Flacco had gone three consecutive games in which he didn't pass for more than 195 yards until he threw for 256 yards in last week's 17-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts -- the fourth time in seven games the Ravens have lost by four points or fewer.

Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email protected].

Ed Bouchette's blog on the Steelers and Gerry Dulac's Steelers chats are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.

First published on November 29, 2009 at 12:00 am

Page 2 of 2Ravens QB Joe Flacco vs. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau


SPORTS / STEELERS

Former Steelers Dawson, Greene are semifinalists for Hall Of Fame2 ex-Pitt players also candidates Sunday, November 29, 2009 Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Former Steelers Dermontti Dawson and Kevin Greene are among the 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, announced yesterday.

Among other semifinalists for enshrinement are former Pitt players Russ Grimm and Rickey Jackson.

The semifinalists pool will be reduced to 15 Jan. 7 and they will join two seniors candidates -- Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and running back Floyd Little -- for a final vote Feb. 6 for the Class of 2010.

The complete list

Cliff Branch, WR -- 1972-1985 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders ... Tim Brown, WR/KR -- 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers ... Cris Carter, WR -- 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins ... Don Coryell, Coach -- 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers ...

Roger Craig, RB -- 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings ... Terrell Davis, RB -- 1995-2001 Denver Broncos ... Dermontti Dawson, C -- 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers ... Richard Dent, DE -- 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles ... Chris Doleman, DE/LB -- 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers ...

Kevin Greene, LB/DE -- 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers ... Russ Grimm, G -- 1981-1991 Washington Redskins ... Ray Guy, P -- 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders ... Charles Haley, DE/LB -- 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys ... Lester Hayes, CB -- 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders ...

Rickey Jackson, LB -- 1981-1993 New Orleans Saints, 1994-95 San Francisco 49ers ... Cortez Kennedy, DT -- 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks ... Art Modell, Owner -- 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens ... John Randle, DT -- 1990-2000 Minnesota Vikings, 2001-03 Seattle Seahawks ... Andre Reed, WR -- 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins ... Jerry Rice, WR -- 1985-2000 San Francisco 49ers, 2001-04 Oakland Raiders, 2004 Seattle Seahawks ...

Shannon Sharpe, TE -- 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens ... Emmitt Smith, RB -- 1990-2002 Dallas Cowboys, 2003-04 Arizona Cardinals ... Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner -- 1989-2006 National Football League ... Steve Tasker, Special Teams/WR -- 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills ... Aeneas Williams, CB/S -- 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams.

Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].



Page 1 of 1Former Steelers Dawson, Greene are semifinalists for Hall Of Fame


SPORTS / STEELERS

Steelers Game 11 Matchup: vs. RavensGerry Dulac breaks down rivalry game with Baltimore Sunday, November 29, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mark Duncan/Associated Press

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis still loves to hit, even after 14 seasons.

Game plan

When the Ravens have the ball: Despite the presence of Joe Flacco, the Ravens have lacked a vertical passing game and have been unable to produce touchdowns through the air. Flacco had 256 yards against the Colts -- the first time he has topped 200 yards in his past four games -- but he has not thrown a touchdown in his past three games. His main target has been WR Derrick Mason. RB Ray Rice is averaging 3.9 yards per carry in his past four games, but he also has 23 of his team-high 56 catches for 190 yards in that time, mostly on checkdowns. The Steelers haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher inthe past 28 regular-season games (32 counting playoffs). Tackles Jared Gaither and Michael Oher did a good job last week on the Colts' Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. Now they have to slow James Harrison (10 sacks) and LaMarr Woodley (5).

When the Steelers have the ball: Ben Roethlisberger completed 54 of 97 passes for 692 yards, three touchdowns and only one interception in three victories against the Ravens last season. But he had to leave the overtime loss to the Chiefs with a concussion-like injury last week and will be replaced by Dennis Dixon tonight. RB Rashard Mendenhall is averaging 92 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry in seven starts. The Steelers haven't had a 100-yard rusher against the Ravens since October 2005, but the Ravens have already allowed two backs -- Cincinnati's Cedric Benson (117) and Minnesota's Adrian Peterson (143) -- to rush for more than 100 yards in their past five games. NT Haloti Ngata returned last week after missing two games with injury and looked rusty. But he and T Kelly Gregg clog the middle of the line and force running backs into the defensive pursuit. The Ravens will be without CB Fabian Washington (knee) and LB/DE Terrell Suggs (sprained knee).

Keep your eye on

KR Lardarius Webb: He averaged 26.3 yards on three kickoff returns against the Colts last week and is second in the AFC in kick returns, averaging 28 yards for the season. What's more, he had a 95-yard kick return for touchdown in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos and is facing a Steelers team that has allowed four kickoff returns for touchdowns in the past five games.

Intangibles

The Steelers have lost back-to-back games for the second time this season and are 2-3 on the road. They won all three meetings with the Ravens last season, including the AFC championship game that sent the Steelers to Super Bowl XLIII. However, their victory in M&T Bank Stadium ended a five-game losing streak there. The Ravens have lost five of their past seven games after a 3-0 start, but four of their losses have been by a combined 13 points.

Data

Game: Steelers (6-4) at Baltimore Ravens (5-5).

When: 8:20 p.m.

Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Md.

TV: WPXI.

Radio: WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970).

Page 1 of 2Steelers Game 11 Matchup: vs. Ravens


Keys to victory

To win, the Ravens must ...

1. Not jar Mason. He tends to beat coverage with double moves up the sideline and the Steelers were barbecued with big plays in Kansas City.

2. Nix Dixon. The Ravens will use their pressure to harass and confuse the young Steelers quarterback.

3. Surf the Webb. He has one of the 11 kickoff returns for TD in the NFL this season -- four which have been allowed by the Steelers.

To win, the Steelers must ...

1. Dice Rice. Has become Ravens' featured back, but also has a team-high 17 catches on third down and tends to break tackles after short catches.

2. Get Flacco out of whack-o. He had five interceptions and a QB rating of 17.6 in his last two games against the Steelers in '08.

3. Take heed of Ed Reed. Has three interceptions, including a 52-yard scoring return this season, but hasn't had an INT in past six vs. Steelers.




Page 2 of 2Steelers Game 11 Matchup: vs. Ravens


SPORTS / STEELERS

On the Steelers: Cover boys (they're not)No one will be putting the team's kick-coverage unit on a magazine cover any time soon ... unless maybe it's Mad magazine. Sunday, November 29, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Cincinnati's Bernard Scott was No. 3 on the list of four to victimize the Steelers' kickoff-coverage team.

Since the Steelers and their coaches have worked on their kickoff "coverage" team over the past five weeks and it's only gotten worse, here are some suggestions that could not hurt. After all, how could you get any worse than four kickoff returns over the past five games? That ties an NFL record and they still have six games to go.

Would it surprise anyone if Baltimore rookie Lardarius Webb returned the opening kickoff tonight for a touchdown? He already has one. It's also interesting that rookies are having so much success returning kickoffs, especially when they playthe Steelers.

The Steelers have not had a good rookie return man of note since Antwaan Randle El in 2002. Santonio Holmes did a decent job returning punts as a rookie in 2006. Every April they draft one or two fellows and heap praise on him as a return man. Mike Wallace and Joe Burnett were among those this season. Wallace set the Mississippi record for single game, season and career kickoff return yards. He's returned one kickoff this season. Burnett returned kickoffs or punts for five touchdowns in college. He has no returns for the Steelers. Both players have dressed for every game except the opener when Burnett was inactive.

Mike Tomlin and his special-teams coaches seem to prefer the veteran return man. Look at who has returned for them the past three seasons -- Najeh Davenport, Gary Russell, Allen Rossum and now Stefan Logan, 28 and formerly of the CFL. The only exception was Holmes. Such is their lack of confidence in Logan's hands or decision-making that they usually insert Mewelde Moore on punt returns that will go deep in their own territory. It's not just Tomlin's staff, either, who have virtually failed to find return men this side of Randle El. Remember Willie Reid and Ricardo Colclough?

Now for those suggestions for their kickoff-coverage unit.

One would be merely to have Jeff Reed pound the ball out of bounds (stop with the negative thoughts that he would not get it there) and let the opponent start its series at its 40. That would be 60 yards deeper than four of their kickoffs ended the past five games.

Short of that, they could at least outfit each kickoff "coverage" member with bicycle horns so they could both look and sound the part as they run down field. Or as they run under the ball they could at least be instructed to shout a Three Stooges signature war cry of "woo, woo, woo, woo!" You could get 10 volunteers from the stands who could give up fewer than four touchdown returns over five games.

It is probably too late for this next suggestion -- although the way they're throwing players overboard, it might not be -- but if this ineptitude continues, next spring or summer Tomlin and his staff could conduct tryouts for special-teams players. All comers, all ages, yes both sexes.

Data


When: 8:20 p.m.


TV: WPXI.


Page 1 of 2On the Steelers: Cover boys (they're not)


This is an old idea that goes back to 1976 and Philadelphia rookie coach Dick Vermeil, who supposedly held an open contest, inviting all comers to try out for the Eagles. One made it, Vince Papale, an Eagles season-ticket holder, a 30-year-old part-time school teacher and bartender who never played college football. His story was embellished but it did become a successful Disney movie, "Invincible," starring Mark Wahlberg as Papale and Greg Kinnear as Vermeil.

The Steelers now have a Hollywood producer as an owner, Thomas Tull, so maybe if it's successful, we could have "Invincible II" on this side of the state.

Ludicrous? Of course, but is anything more absurd than those four kickoff returns for touchdowns over the past five games?

Direct benefit for the fans

Here's some good news for Steelers fans around the country who can pull in Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh: It was sold by Liberty Sports to Direct TV last week.

Direct TV plans to add more Steelers programming. Who knows, it may even bring back Stan Savran's popular daily show that Liberty inexplicably eliminated. Liberty gutted FSN, laying people off, cutting back programming and almost eliminating their Steelers coverage. The long-time local all-sports channel was reduced to carrying Penguins and Pirates games with little other programming other than pre- and postgame shows for those two sports.

The only Steelers coverage they provided was the Mike Tomlin press conference and the Mike Tomlin Show. They did not even send crews to training camp to cover the Super Bowl champs.

Because it has been bought by Direct TV, it also may be available to a wider audience throughout the country, which can be nothing but good news to those not living in the Pittsburgh area who also cannot get FSN now.

Fullbacks: An endangered species

Paul Zeise, who covers Pitt for the Post-Gazette, wrote an insightful story last week about how Pitt's offense is a throwback: a power offense with a true blocking fullback who can also run. He showed how that offense rarely exists in the college game anymore as teams have fallen in love with the spread.

Dave Wannstedt told Zeise about how that style of offense has become a good recruiting tool for them because Pitt uses the "pro-style" offense and players can go there and get a jump on the game as it is played in the NFL.

The only problem with that, as we've seen dramatically unfold with the Steelers over the past two seasons, is the pro game is turning into the college game with all the spread offenses, empty sets and no fullbacks. It's a natural because the colleges are producing those types of players and, as college coaches enter the NFL ranks, they bring the philosophy with them.

When the pros started having trouble finding fullbacks, they merely eliminated them as Bruce Arians has done with the Steelers.




PDF

Catch me if you can ... Players who have returned kickoffs for touchdowns vs. Steelers this season

Page 2 of 2On the Steelers: Cover boys (they're not)


SPORTS / STEELERS

Steelers' Dixon to start against Ravens; Roethlisberger will serve as No. 3 QB Sunday, November 29, 2009 By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Dennis Dixon will make his first NFL start at quarterback against Baltimore.

BALTIMORE -- Ben Roethlisberger experienced post-concussion headaches after he practiced the past week and the Steelers are left with one large headache of their own for their game against the Ravens tonight.

Dennis Dixon will make his first NFL start at quarterback against Baltimore, the Steelers announced late yesterday. Tyler Palko, who practiced with the team for the first time Thursday, was signed from the practice squad yesterday and will serve as No. 2, replacing injured backup Charlie Batch.

Though Roethlisberger was judged not well enough to start tonight, the Steelers announced he would suit up as the No. 3 quarterback, which means he will be available to play. Doctors were scheduled to test him today one last time.

The Steelers, who have lost two games in a row, are 6-4 and one game behind Cincinnati in the AFC North. Baltimore is third at 5-5.

Roethlisberger left the game at Kansas City last Sunday with what were described as concussion-like symptoms after a blow to his head. Those symptoms disappeared the next day.

Roethlisberger said in interviews Thursday after practice that he felt fine, that he passed every test doctors gave him and would start against the Ravens, but he began having some headaches after his first practice Wednesday and they continued throughout the week.

"The doctors have all taken about a thousand tests, and I passed them all with flying colors, so that's the good news," he said. "If they tell me we need another one, just to keep doing it, I'll keep doing it."

Dixon took most of the snaps in practice Friday, however, while Roethlisberger took a few here and there. The decision not to start him was made yesterday after Dr. Joseph Maroon, the Steelers' renowned neurosurgeon, took a look.

Veteran receiver Shaun McDonald was released to make room for Palko on the 53-man roster.

The Steelers spent last week installing a game plan for Roethlisberger because they felt he would start. Dixon has thrown one pass in the NFL in his two seasons but has not taken a snap this year other than in the preseason.




Page 1 of 1Steelers' Dixon to start against Ravens; Roethlisberger will serve as No. 3 QB


SPORTS / STEELERS

Steelers: Some losses destined to haunt a teamSunday, November 29, 2009 By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Nov. 22, 2009 - Ben Rothelisberger is injured during the Steelers loss to the Chiefs.

It was bad enough when Jay Cutler, who had thrown four interceptions a week earlier, brought the Chicago Bears back from a seven -point deficit in the fourth quarter for a 17-14 victory in Week 2. Or when the Cincinnati Bengals, who had been dominated for nearly 3 1/2 quarters, scored 14 points in the final nine minutes to end what had been a seven-year losing streak to the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium.

But it is an entirely different matter when the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that had won just four of its previous 34 games, came back from a 17-7 second-half deficit to beat the Steelers in overtime -- a defeat so paralyzing that it conjured memories of a 2002 loss to the expansion Houston Texans and a 2006 loss in Oakland to a Raiders team that never won another game that season.

Those were defeats that ultimately derailed Steelers seasons, costing them a first-round bye in one instance and a playoff spot in the other. And they were defeats that, since the start of the decade, rank as the most distasteful during the regular season, right up there with what happened seven days ago in Arrowhead Stadium, a loss that ranks as the worst of the Mike Tomlin era.

"This one was miserable," said safety Ryan Clark, one of the culprits in the 27-24 overtime defeat that, among many other things, cost the Steelers a chance to tie for the lead in the AFC North. "For me, personally, it was miserable because I feel like I had a hand in this loss.

"When you ring up 500 yards offense, when you keep an offense bogged down, you expect to win. And we prepared that way. Going in, we expected to win and we prepared that way. To come off a week when you lose to Kansas City, a team you expect to beat, and everybody in the division loses and you don't gain on Cincinnati or Baltimore and you keep yourself in that same place, it's disappointing."

The Steelers (6-4) are not alone in their misery. The Ravens (5-5), whom they will play at 8:20 p.m. tonight at M&T Bank Stadium, are toting their own personal baggage, having lost four of five games by a combined 13 points. The latest was a 17-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in which the Ravens appeared to be driving for the winning field goal until quarterback Joe Flacco threw an interception from the Colts' 14 with less than three minutes remaining.

OK, the unbeaten Colts are certainly not to be compared to the Chiefs. Losing to them may not be acceptable, or even palatable, but at least it is understandable.

Nonetheless, the continuing spate of maddening losses has put the Ravens in a tenuous position, teetering, perhaps, on the edge of playoff extinction heading into the first of two meetings with the Steelers, who won all three games last season, including the AFC Championship at Heinz Field.

PDFs

• The Wild Card • Then & Now

Page 1 of 3Steelers: Some losses destined to haunt a team


"We felt like we were a couple of plays away from having a big victory and what a difference just one or two of those would make in the record," said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. "Our guys do a good job. They are very tough, very resilient. They come back every week and just keep competing and hopefully we can improve through all of that."

But, heavens to Dr. Phil, how many close losses can they keep enduring?

Even those losses to the Steelers have conspired to test the mental fortitude of the Ravens. All three were by a combined 16 points and each was decided, in order, by a Jeff Reed field goal in overtime, a debated touchdown pass in the end zone by Santonio Holmes with 43 seconds remaining and an interception return for a touchdown by Troy Polamalu in the fourth quarter.

"We've had a lot of close games and we haven't been coming out on the good side of it," said quarterback Joe Flacco, who did not fare well in the final two meetings against the Steelers last season, throwing five interceptions and posting a combined passer rating of 17.1. "But, at the same time, we still have six games left in the regular season to decide our fate and these types of games are going to help us down the stretch. We're a tough team and we've been through some stuff and I think this is going to help us down the stretch when we need it."

Indeed, the Ravens' five losses -- Cincinnati twice, New England, Minnesota and Indianapolis -- are to teams with a combined record of 33-7. Conversely, the Steelers' four losses are to teams with a combined record of 14-16. But they are the only team to beat Minnesota.

Make no mistake, some losses are tougher than others.

"There are going to be some games in the NFL, you don't know who's going to win, like going into this game," Clark said. "It's tough to say Baltimore is going to win or Pittsburgh is going to win. You have to let it play out. But I think people expected us to go into Kansas City and win that football game. I'm going to say I did. In the NFL, you need to win the games you're supposed to win and toss up the rest of them and try to win as many as you can."

Invariably, though, losses such as the one in Kansas City can come back to bite a team in the end, as the Steelers are so painfully aware.

There have been other troubling defeats this decade, upset losses that carried punitive consequences that were never really felt until weeks, even months, after the embarrassing episode.

Consider:

• In 2002, the Steelers lost at home Dec. 8 to the expansion Houston Texans, 24-6, an astonishing loss that had nothing to do with the Texans' 3-9 record at the time. The Steelers outgained their opponent, 422 yards to 47, but lost when Tommy Maddox had two interceptions and a fumble returned for touchdowns. "That game was difficult for us because we couldn'tbelieve we lost that game," said nose tackle Chris Hoke. Even though the Steelers won their final three games and made the playoffs with a 10-5-1 record, the defeat cost the Steelers a first-round bye and a home game in the divisional playoff round. Instead, they had to travel to Tennessee and lost to the Titans in overtime, 34-31, when kicker Joe Nedney got a second chance at the winning field goal.

• In 2006, the Steelers lost Oct. 29 in Oakland, 20-13, when Ben Roethlisberger threw four interceptions, two returned for touchdowns. The Raiders finished 2-14 that season and never won another game after beating the Steelers, who finished 8-8. The defeat cost the Steelers a wild-card playoff spot to the 9-7 Kansas City Chiefs, whom they had beaten, 45-7, that season. "That was THE worst," Clark said.

"Losses like that are hard to get rid of anytime you look at a game you dominated and still lost the game," safety Tyrone Carter said. "You got to be winning in November and December and start that momentum into the playoffs right now. Man, we just lost two games that we shouldn't have lost, but that's how it goes.

"You have to get back into the game and get your mind back on it because, at the end, where you will be is no playoffs, no nothing, pack your bags and go home."

It remains to be seen how the loss to the Chiefs, who were 11-point underdogs, will impact this season.

Already, it has allowed teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4), who haven't beaten a team with the winning record, and the Denver Broncos (7-4), who had lost four in a row until their Thanksgiving Day victory against the New York Giants, to suddenly become involved in a playoff race with the Steelers.

But it will also present Tomlin a challenge he has yet to encounter during his 21/2-year tenure as Steelers coach: Getting

Data


When: 8:20 p.m.


TV: WPXI.




his team righted after a disturbing loss and putting them back on course for the postseason.

His ability to do so -- or not -- will further define what has been, to this point, an impeccable shine on his resume. To date, his biggest obstacle occurred his rookie season when, after the Steelers lost three of their final four regular-season games, they lost a wild-card playoff game at home against Jacksonville.

That Tomlin's first step on the therapeutic road back is against the Ravens, the team's most bitter rival, only adds to the intrigue. In his brief career Tomlin is 4-1 against the Ravens.

"When you look at that game, I still can't believe it," said right tackle Willie Colon, who got beat by Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali on the play when Ben Roethlisberger was hit and intercepted in the end zone. "I sat there and I was like, I could not even believe we lost. You got to finish games. That's been the story lately -- we're not finishing games and it's coming back to bite us. If Sunday doesn't teach us a lesson, I don't know what will."

History, it appears, has not always been a valuable teaching tool.






Week 12: Steelers Key Matchup

By The Tribune-Review Sunday, November 29, 2009

STEELERS LB JAMES FARRIOR VS. RAVENS RB RAY RICE

STEELERS — LB JAMES FARRIOR

James Farrior leads the team with 80 tackles this season and has added two sacks and a fumble recovery. Farrior had led the Steelers in tackles in each of the past three years. The two-time Pro-Bowler, who will turn 35 in January, hasn't lost a step when it comes to stopping the run as he is the main reason why the Steelers lead the league in run defense. However, he has had some troubles covering running backs out of the backfield. Cincinnati's Brian Leonard caught a critical pass in a Week 3 game against Farrior that led to the game-winning score. The Steelers have allowed running backs to catch 39 passes this year.

RAVENS — RB RAY RICE

Ray Rice has turned into one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the NFL in his first year as a starter. Rice is 11th in the league in rushing with 733 yards and eighth in the league with 56 receptions for 515 yards. His 1,248 all-purpose yards from scrimmage rank third in the league only behind Tennessee's Chris Johnson and St. Louis' Steven Jackson. Rice has accounted for 25 percent of Baltimore's first downs this year, only Reggie Wayne's 58 and Maurice Jones-Drew's 53 are more than Rice's 51. Last week against the Colts, Rice produced his seventh consecutive game with at least 100 total net yards from scrimmage. He caught 7 passes for 64 yards.

ADVANTAGE: RAY RICE

Nobody has stopped, or even slowed Rice this year, so there is no reason to believe the Steelers will have any luck. Rice, who is small in stature, has been a pleasant surprise in the run game, but has done most of his damage in the pass game as quarterback Joe Flacco's checkdown receiver. Rice had a monster game against the Vikings earlier in the season, when he caught 10 passes for 117 yards. The Steelers have to find a way to control Rice, and Farrior will get the challenge for most of the game to try to locate and then defend against him out of the backfield. Rice will also be matched up at times against the other three linebackers in James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley.

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Page 1 of 1Week 12: Steelers Key Matchup - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

11/30/2009http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/print_655362.html

NFL players often prone to financial fumbles

By The Associated Press Sunday, November 29, 2009

Danan Hughes endured a lot of crushing hits during six years in the NFL. The hardest blow of all, though, came at the end — when he went from mega-paycheck to no paycheck.

Hughes grossed over $1 million as a wide receiver and special teams player for the Kansas City Chiefs, including close to $400,000 in each of his final two seasons. But when he retired in 1999, he took a three-month internship at a local bank that paid nothing.

Talk about not being game-ready — he had just $70,000 savings from his entire career to fall back on.

"Athletes tend to think they are invincible, and that's the way they handle their finances," says Hughes, 38. "But players often crash and burn with their money."

Despite salaries averaging $1.1 million a year, financial success stories are rare after players step off the field for good. Whispers circulating around the league for years hold that many players end up in financial difficulties or bankruptcy soon after retirement, although player groups know of no formal data to back that up.

Hughes bounced back quickly from his rocky transition to the real world. He has been a mortgage loan officer working with professional athletes for the past nine years and lives comfortably outside Kansas City with his wife and five children.

But he and others are troubled by the fact that so many NFL players can't seem to break free of the pattern of rags to riches to rags again, especially with a potential lockout looming ahead that could force players to be self-reliant.

Years of soaring salaries could come to a halt when the players' collective bargaining agreement ends after next season. If a lengthy work stoppage wipes out the 2011 season, as union representatives have warned it could, players will have to get by on no income in the middle of careers that last an average of just 3.5 years.

Their plight may not elicit much sympathy at a time when unemployment tops 10 percent and running backs and linebackers can make more in a year than teachers or firefighters make in a lifetime. Their money woes, though, often are

Page 1 of 3NFL players often prone to financial fumbles - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review


as much about joining the league with no background in managing money and being generous with friends and family as they are about greed and excessive spending.

"Coming into big money so young is like hitting the lottery," says New York Jets guard Brandon Moore, an eight-year veteran. "A lot of guys just aren't ready for it."

The players association is stepping up efforts to help prepare them now that a lockout may be nearing.

The union has launched a "50/50" financial preparedness campaign, encouraging players to save at least 50 percent of their 2009 and 2010 salaries so they have a nest egg to rely on if the checks and benefits disappear.

It also teamed earlier this year with a financial education company to provide an on-line platform that gives players access to guidance as well as qualified, screened advisers. Gary Smola, a certified financial planner with Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Financial Finesse Inc., says the on-line tool teaches NFL players how to protect their income, buy a home, avoid fraud and draw up their after-football financial plans.

Such advice may be too late for those who have already gone overboard with their spending.

Jets' kicker Jay Feely says the first thing new players tend to do when they get into the league is spend at least $50,000 to $60,000 on a new car, even without a guaranteed playing contract in hand. He recalls seeing a late-round pick go out and buy a Hummer and then get cut before the end of training camp.

Many also admit to him that they are not contributing to their 401(k) plan, to which the NFL kicks in a generous $2 match for every dollar they sock away.

"You can't hold a guy's hand and make him learn things," says the 33-year-old Feely, a licensed stockbroker. "But hopefully we can help them get a better baseline of knowledge through these programs."

His teammate Tony Richardson, a fullback who's in his 16th NFL season, still hears stories all the time about players investing with dubious financial advisers and getting taken for millions of dollars. Often it's through bad investments in restaurants, nightclubs and strip clubs — the three types of deals he was told in business school that you should always avoid.

Richardson has learned to fend off acquaintances trying to take his money the way he might stiff-arm a would-be tackler. Twice in the past year, different college pals have called and urged him to get in on the ground level of a business that is "moving fast" but which they couldn't tell him much about. They promised returns of about 30 percent; he didn't return their calls.

"I think financial responsibility comes with age and maturity," the 37-year-old



Richardson says. "Some young guys just don't care financially. It really scares me to see them having all these kids with different women and not building a secure base. There's all kinds of things that can come about."

Hughes, who works for U.S. Bank Home Mortgage in Kansas City, has an arsenal of his own money mistakes to point to when he works with players as clients.

He bought a new Jeep Cherokee and a house before reporting to training camp as a seventh-round draft pick. He ordered the vehicle by phone with no clue about the lease terms. Like most of his teammates, he didn't pay much attention — or didn't understand — when speakers came in to talk to them about how to handle their finances.

Now he's on the other end of those talks, hoping his words will serve as a wakeup call but realizing most will not heed them.

"These guys will be going from high income to no income and child support and alimony in many cases," he says. "They have to learn that when they get off the football field they'll be starting over from scratch, maybe just a little bit of money in their pockets."

The Associated Press can be reached at or .





Former Steelers among Canton semifinalists

From staff and wire reports Sunday, November 29, 2009

CANTON, Ohio — Former Steelers center Dermontti Dawson and linebacker Kevin Greene were among the 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Also included was Russ Grimm, currently the Arizona Cardinals' assistant head coach, who played for Southmoreland High School and Pitt. He also worked as a coach for the Steelers from 2000-06.

Dawson played from 1988-2000 for the Steelers, while Greene's tenure with the team ran from 1993-95.

There were four players selected in their first year of eligibility — 49ers receiver Jerry Rice, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, Raiders receiver Tim Brown and Cardinals and Rams defensive back Aeneas Williams.

Rice and Smith hold some of the NFL's biggest records. Smith is the league's all-time leading rusher with 18,355 yards for the Cowboys and Cardinals from 1990-2004. Rice is the all-time leading receiver with 1,549 catches for 22,895 yards with the 49ers, Raiders and Seahawks from 1985-2004.

The semifinalists include a coach, Don Coryell, and two contributors, Art Modell and former commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

The list will be reduced to 15 by Jan. 7. Steelers defensive coordinator and Dick LeBeau and Floyd Little have already been selected as finalists by the Seniors Committee.



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Motivated Dixon set for big shot with Steelers

By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, November 29, 2009

Dennis Dixon's right arm offers a glimpse into why he likely won't get stage fright tonight at Baltimore when he throws his first meaningful pass in two years.

Etched on it is an image of his mother's face along with the words, "I'll holla," which is what Jueretta Dixon would often tell Dennis before they parted.

The tattoo — and the woman who showed him how to battle through adversity until cancer claimed her life while she was on the phone with her only son — will serve as a source of strength tonight when Dixon makes his first career NFL start, against the Ravens.

Starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will sit out the game as a precaution after sustaining his third football-related concussion last Sunday. Roethlisberger told Dixon Saturday morning that the latter would lead the Steelers' offense in today's key AFC North game.

What Dixon endured before and after his mother died almost six years ago is why playing in a stadium where fans are particularly hostile to the Steelers will be nothing to fret about.

What the Steelers and Dixon can't know is whether he is ready to make the jump from No. 3 quarterback to starter with Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch, who had surgery on his left wrist last Wednesday, out with injuries.

The second-year man, while talented, has thrown just one NFL pass. Dixon, 24, hasn't started a game since his senior year at the University of Oregon, and that came before a major knee injury ended his season and his Heisman Trophy candidacy.

"The nice thing about Dennis is he's usually pretty cool," Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. "He's been in big games. He kind of likes the stage, and that's what you want in a quarterback."

LESSONS FROM A MOTHER

Of the many qualities Dixon inherited from his mother, his father said two, along with her easy smile, stand out: "Quiet and focused on the task at hand," said Dennis Dixon Sr.

Jueretta Dixon exhibited both attributes and tapped into a deep reservoir of

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strength during her three-year battle with breast cancer.

She initially tried hiding her illness from her son and younger daughter so they wouldn't lose focus at school. She refused to take off work as a computer technician at the Naval Supply Center in Oakland, Calif., even as the cancer ravaged her body and a stroke left her paralyzed on her left side.

Just as she and her husband had been Dixon's biggest supporters growing up — they rarely missed one of his games or practices — she is still with him in spirit.

Dixon's ritual includes reciting the prayer his mother would say to him before games. To him, the "I'll holla" inscription on his arm serves as a reminder that the goodbye they shared on Feb. 3, 2004 is only temporary.

Indeed, their bond is so strong that not even death could break it.

"I know she's always participating with me," Dixon said.

Dixon, or Dennis Jr. as his parents always called him, last saw his mother shortly after he left for Oregon as a freshman.

One weekend he went home to visit, and as he made the eight-hour drive back to Eugene, he stopped every two hours to check in with his parents.

A couple of days later, he called home before one of his mother's chemotherapy appointments. With Jueretta in a wheelchair and unable to hold the phone, Dennis Dixon Sr. put the receiver by her ear.

As soon as she heard her son's voice, he said, she passed away.

She was 46 at the time of her death.

"I really believe she was holding on just for that moment," the elder Dixon said.

Dixon, who had enrolled at Oregon in January of 2004, struggled with the loss enough that he thought about going home for good.

A strong support system and the knowledge that quitting school is the last thing his mom would have wanted kept him at Oregon.

He eventually blossomed into one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He had thrown or rushed for 29 touchdowns and over 2,700 yards through 10 games in 2007 before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee.

The season-ending injury caused Dixon to fall to the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft, and the Steelers were elated to get him.

Long and lean as a goal post, Dixon is arguably as good an athlete as anybody



on the Steelers.

The 6-3, 209-pounder excelled in four sports (football, basketball, baseball and soccer) while growing up. He was drafted twice by Major League Baseball, and he spent a summer playing outfielder in the Atlanta Braves' minor-league system prior to his senior season at Oregon.

A fifth-round pick of the Braves in 2007, Dixon might have pursued a career in baseball had the sweeping curveballs he saw been easier to hit.

FOCUSING ON THE TASK AT HAND

Because he played in a spread option offense at Oregon, Dixon's learning curve in the NFL has been steeper than most.

But the Steelers were enamored with the ability Dixon showed as a pocket passer at Oregon.

"In college you think: 'Oh, he's just a running quarterback', but Dennis can really throw the ball, and he's very accurate," said safety Ryan Mundy, one of Dixon's closest friends on the Steelers. "I broke up a few of his balls (in practice), and I'm like: 'Dang, my fingers hurt.'

"He's always been focused and always wants to get better."

Arians agreed.

"He has worked his tail off to learn to get through a progression, stay in the pocket and then run if it's necessary," Arians said.

If it is necessary for Dixon to play tonight or in the coming weeks, he said he won't have trouble projecting confidence to those around him in the Steelers' huddle.

"You've got to show the team you're ready to go," Dixon said.

Hs father father has no doubts. Dennis Dixon Sr. and his son have become even closer since each lost the most important woman in their lives. Dixon Sr. rarely misses a Steelers' game even though he still lives and works in Oakland.

He piled up more frequent-flier miles this weekend as he traveled to Baltimore, and he will be in the stands tonight at M&T Bank Stadium.

Asked what Jueretta Dixon would be thinking with Dennis Jr. poised to take another step in a journey that has been a testament to perseverance, Dixon Sr. said: "Words couldn't say how proud she is right now."

GETTING TO KNOW DENNIS DIXON



Here is the skinny on Steelers backup quarterback Dennis Dixon.

Ht.: 6-3

Weight: 209

Birthplace: San Leandro, Calif.

College: Oregon

Notable: Sixth on school's all-time list for total offense with 6,337 career yards.

Drafted: fifth round in 2008, 156th overall pick

Favorite TV show: "Prison Break"

Who is on your Ipod: Jay Z, Lil Wayne, U40

Favorite movie: "Deja Vu"

Favorite meal: Seafood. "I love crabs."

Favorite athlete growing up: Randall Cunningham

Favorite sports team growing up: Oakland Raiders

Something people don't know about you: "I can dance."

Funniest teammate: "(cornerback) Will Gay. That Florida slang that he's got, it's different than where I'm from. It's funny."

What three things you would have on a deserted island: Water, first-aid kit and food.

Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.





QB Roethlisberger won't play against Ravens

By Scott Brown TRIBUNE-REVIEW Sunday, November 29, 2009

Despite practicing all week and saying that he planned to play against the Ravens, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will sit out a key game in Baltimore as a precaution.

That means that Dennis Dixon, who was the Steelers' No. 3 quarterback at this time last week, will make his first NFL start tonight at M&T Bank Stadium.

Roethlisberger sustained his third football-related concussion last Sunday in a 27-24 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

He pulled Dixon aside Saturday morning at the team's practice facility and told the second-year man that he would get the call against the Ravens, whom the Steelers need to beat to avoid their first three-game losing streak under coach Mike Tomlin.

Roethlisberger, who said last Thursday that he had passed "thousands" of neurological tests, will dress for tonight's game and serve as the Steelers' No. 3 quarterback.

Tyler Palko, whom the Steelers signed to their 53-man roster yesterday, will back up Dixon.

As the No. 3 quarterback, Roethlisberger will not be eligible to play unless both Dixon and Palko get hurt.

The Steelers had signed Palko, the former West Allegheny High and Pitt star, to their practice squad on Wednesday.

With backup quarterback Charlie Batch out because of a broken bone in his left wrist, the Steelers also met with veteran QBs Patrick Ramsey and Todd Bouman last week.

They added Palko to their active roster — they released wide receiver Shaun McDonald to make room for him — because he has at least some knowledge of the offense, having practiced with the Steelers on Thursday and Friday.

But Palko, who was on the New Orleans Saints' active roster for four games in 2007, has never thrown a pass in the NFL.

Dixon has thrown just one pass since joining the Steelers as a fifth-round draft

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pick in 2008.

That pass occurred in the regular-season finale in December when he played at the end of the Steelers' 31-0 win over the Browns.

Despite Dixon's inexperience, Bruce Arians said last week that the Steelers wouldn't drastically alter the offense if the 6-3, 209-pounder is under center.

"If he's in there, we're not going to pull back and do anything different, run the ball, run the ball and punt, that kind of stuff," said Arians, the Steelers' offensive coordinator. "We're going to let him play."

In addition to Roethlisberger, the Steelers will be without one of their top defensive players against the Ravens.

Strong safety Troy Polamalu will miss his second consecutive game because of a strained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.



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Sunday November 29, 2009

Inside the Game: at Ravens By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

ON THE AIR

TV NBC (Ch. 11); Al Michaels, play-by-play; Cris Colinsworth, analysis; Andrea Kremer, sideline reporter.

RADIO WDVE-FM (102.5), WBGG-AM (970), WBVP-AM (1230), WMBA-AM (1460); Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play; Tunch Ilkin, analysis; Craig Wolfley, sideline reporter

SERIES HISTORY

A series that began in 1996 when the Ravens were founded, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh has developed into one of the NFL’s fiercest rivalries. The Steelers lead the series, 18-10, including two playoff wins. They’re 11-4 in games played in Pittsburgh and 7-6 in Baltimore. Last year, the Steelers swept the Ravens, 3-0, including a 23-14 win in the AFC Championship.

THE STORYLINE

This is a crucial division game for two teams headed in the wrong direction in recent weeks. After a 3-0 start, the Ravens (5-5) have lost five of their last seven. The Steelers (6-4), the reigning champs, have lost two straight, including last week’s embarrassing debacle in Kansas City, 27-24 in overtime. If the Ravens lose tonight, their chances of making the playoffs will be slim and none.

INJURY REPORT

STEELERS Officially, QB Ben Roethlisberger (concussion) is listed as questionable. While questionable means a player has a 50/50 chance of playing, don’t expect to see him. After missing three games, DE Travis Kirschke (torn calf muscle) expects to play and is listed as questionable. Nick Eason will probably make his fourth straight start at left D-end with Kirschke back in the rotation. LG Chris Kemoeatu and SS Troy Polamalu (sprained knee ligaments) are both out as is backup QB Charlie Batch (broken wrist). RB Willie Parker is probable. Due to a sore hip, Parker was limited at practice Thursday. But he returned Friday as a full participant.

RAVENS Due to a knee injury, it appears that star LB Terrell Suggs will miss his second straight game. He’s listed as doubtful. Two other standout defenders — LB Ray Lewis (foot) and SS Ed Reed (foot) —are questionable but expected to play.

QUOTING THEM

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“We feel good, and what better game to do it than against these guys? We feel confident that we’re going to go out there and score touchdowns.”

Joe Flacco

Ravens QB feeling confident heading into tonight’s game

THE LINE

Ravens by 7.5 points

THE PREDICTION

Ravens 17, Steelers 10

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Five Questions: at Ravens By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

Why did Joe Flacco transfer out of Pitt?

Flacco left Pitt after the 2004 season because he sensed he would not start until his senior season in ’07. The Panthers were committed to Tyler Palko, who became a starter as a redshirt sophomore in ’04. Palko was second-team All-Big East in ’04 and ’05. So, Flacco transferred to the University of Delaware where he became an All-American in the Football Championship Subdivision. In 2008, the Ravens picked Flacco in the first round of the draft and he has started every game since.

Is the movie “The Blind Side” worth seeing?

“The Blind Side,” which depicts the remarkable story of Ravens tackle Michael Oher, is one of the best sports movies produced in years. It’s the true story of Oher, a gigantic homeless African-American boy who came from a broken home. During his senior year of high school, Oher was taken in by a prominent family from Memphis, Tenn. He then developed into a highly recruited tackle who eventually went on to earn All-American honors at Ole Miss. This past spring, he was drafted in the first round by the Ravens. “Michael’s my main man,” said Steelers rookie wide receiver Mike Wallace, who played with Oher at Ole Miss. “I’ve already checked the movie out. It’s a good movie. Go see it.”

What is Mike Tomlin’s record on prime-time TV?

Since Tomlin was hired in 2007, the Steelers are 12-1 in prime-time regular-season games. Tomlin lost his first game on prime time but has since won 12 straight. Included in that streak are two wins over Baltimore the last two seasons. So far this year, the Steelers are 3-0 in prime time with wins over Tennessee, San Diego and Denver.

Should the Steelers be worried about Ramon Foster starting at left guard?

Yes, for two reasons. First and foremost, there’s a huge drop off in talent and experience with Chris Kemoeatu out with a sprained knee. Kemoeatu, who has started every game since the start of the 2008 season, has developed nicely since taking over for perennial All-Pro Alan Faneca. Foster, an undrafted rookie, is making his first pro start. Secondly, history hasn’t been kind to current Steelers offensive

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linemen getting their first starts against Baltimore. Right guard Trai Essex made his first start inBaltimore on Nov. 20, 2005 in a 16-13 overtime loss. Right tackle Willie Colon made his first start on Dec. 24, 2006 in a 31-7 loss to the Ravens at Heinz Field.

What is the AFC playoff picture as it stands today?

Based on current NFL standings, the Steelers would be out. The Colts (10-0), Bengals (7-3), Patriots (7-3) and Chargers (7-3) would be the first four seeds as division winners. The Broncos (7-4) and Jaguars (6-4) would be the two wild-card qualifiers. The Steelers (6-4) would be nosed out by the Jaguars based on a better record in AFC games. Of course, if the Steelers win today, they would move ahead of the Broncos based on their 28-10 win in Denver on Nov. 9. The bottom line is that the Steelers, the reigning Super Bowl champs, are in a battle for their playoff lives.

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Redemption Day nears By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

BALTIMORE — According to the gospel of Mike Tomlin, today is “Redemption Sunday.”

This evening when the Steelers take on their fiercest rivals, they can deliver themselves up from the throes of a two-game losing streak that has jeopardized their chances of winning the AFC North for the third year in a row.

Tomlin, now in his third year as coach, takes blame for the recent slide which has skeptics claiming the team is suffering a Super Bowl hangover.

To a man, the Steelers deny those claims. Teams with hangovers, they say, don’t reach the halfway point of the NFL season at 6-2 with impressive wins over San Diego (7-3), Minnesota (9-1) and Denver (7-4).

And as the Steelers (6-4) face the Baltimore Ravens (5-5) tonight at M&T Bank Stadium, they’re determined to pull themselves out of a two-week funk in which they have failed to produce enough game-winning plays.

Even without star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who’s not fully recovered from a concussion suffered last week, the Steelers say they’re ready for the challenge.

“This is it right here,’’ inside linebacker James Farrior said. “This is our playoff time right now. We need to go into the rest of these games and treat them like playoff games because we’ve got to win them all in order to do what we want to do.”

If the Steelers want to overtake first-place Cincinnati (7-3) in the division, they have to start acting like achampionship team. Championship teams routinely make plays that result in victories.

In three of their four losses, the Steelers made a host of plays that led to defeat. That was especially true in last week’s 27-24 overtime loss in Kansas City, a loss that started off with the Steelers allowing yet another kickoff to be returned for a touchdown.

Immediately after the game, Tomlin blamed the loss on himself and his coaches.

But according to the Steelers, the blame falls on them.

“That’s a coach’s thing to say. That’s what he’s supposed to say,” free safety Ryan Clark said. “But we didn’t do anything different (at practice) before the last two games than we’ve done the whole season. Guys worked hard. Guys wanted to win. I watched the same amount of films I always watch.

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“We just have to go out there and produce. The coach takes the blame but that’s what a good coach does. But when we win a game, he says players win. So when it goes the other way also, you have to putthe blame on us. We have to go out there and execute what Coach Tomlin and the other coaches prepare for us.”

“It’s up to us to go out there and execute,” Farrior added. “It’s up to us to make the right plays.”

In many respects, the Steelers are making plenty of right plays. They rank sixth in the league in total offense and first in total defense.

But other than allowing four TDs on kickoff returns the past five games, the Steelers’ most disappointing statistic is their turnover ratio. With 14 takeaways and 19 giveaways, they’re tied for 25th in the league at minus-5. Last year when they won the Super Bowl, they tied for 11th at plus-4.

“Nineteen giveaways? Too much,” Tomlin said, “And 14 takeaways? Not enough.”

Last year, the Steelers tied for eighth in the league with 29 takeaways.

“We’ve had our hands on balls. We’ve had balls on the ground that we didn’t come up with. We’ve have had tipped passes that just fall harmlessly on the ground,” Tomlin said. “That’s part of football, I understand, but we’ve got to work with those things in mind as we prepare to play this game and others to turn the tide in regards to that. If we do that and stop getting kicks returned on us, we’ve got a chance to be a good football team.

“We’re an accountable group,” Tomlin said.

Tonight against the Ravens, even with Dennis Dixon starting at quarterback, the Steelers get the chance to prove their coach right.

“Redemption Sunday is coming for us in the form of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football,” Tomlin said. “That medicine is just what the doctor ordered when you look at where we are, having the opportunity to play our rival at their place on prime time television. We have to get back to winning ways.”

The only way the Steelers will redeem themselves is by making more game-winning plays than they have the last two weeks.

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Key Matchups: At Ravens By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

Mendenhall vs. Lewis

Rashard Mendenhall says he has no fear of facing Ray Lewis. The Steelers’ second-year running back says he won’t be intimidated by one of the most feared defenders in NFL history. Even though it was Lewis who ended his rookie season last year, Mendenhall says he’s ready to run against Lewis’ Ravens. Last year, in his first pro start, Mendenhall’s season came to a violent end when he suffered a broken shoulder when tackled by Lewis. “I’m not even thinking about it,” Mendenhall said. “That’s in the past.” Lewis, one of the game’s best trash talkers, will surely be jawing at Mendenhall tonight. With Dennis Dixon making his first start at quarterback, Mendenhall might be the key to the Steelers winning tonight.

Farrior & Timmons vs. Rice

For opposing defenses, Ray Rice is double trouble. The Ravens’ versatile running back ranks third in the NFL with an average of 124.8 yards from scrimmage per game. He’s 10th in the league with 733 rushing yards and 11th with 56 receptions, good for 515 more yards. Rice, a former Rutgers star, is the only running back in the league to lead his team in both rushing yards and pass receptions. “He’s doing a lot of things well for them, and he’s a security blanket for Joe Flacco in the passing game,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “This guy has caught a bunch of check-downs and they do a nice job of understanding where this guy is in the passing game.” For James Farrior and Lawrence Timnmons, the Steelers’ inside linebackers, stopping the run is always their top priority. But tonight, they also must beware of Rice on passing downs.

Kickoff coverage vs. Webb

Until the Steelers prove they can routinely stop a returner from taking one to the house, there’s going to be anxiety throughout Steeler Nation whenever Jeff Reed kicks off. Last week when the Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles returned the opening kick 97 yards, it marked the fourth time in five weeks that the Steelers have allowed a touchdown on a kickoff return. This week, the Steelers made two roster moves in an attempt to solve that problem. Signed were LB Rocky Boiman and CB Corey Ivy, and cut were LB Donovan Woods and CB Keiwan Ratliff. There may be other personnel changes, such as allowing starter linebackers James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons to cover kicks. No doubt, the Steelers’ propensity for getting burnt by kickoff return specialists is one of the great mysteries this season. And tonight, they face Baltimore’s Lardarius Webb, whose nifty 28.0 yards per return average is enhanced by a 95-yard TD return earlier this year.

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Steelers' Dixon: 'I accept the challenge' By: Mike Bires Beaver County Times

BALTIMORE ‐ Dennis Dixon is about to be baptized by fire.

With Ben Roethlisberger ruled out of tonight’s game due to complications from his latest concussion, it will be Dixon who starts at quarterback for the Steelers.

Talk about a demanding debut.

A third stringer just a week ago, Dixon steps into a starting role for a crucial AFC North showdown against the hated Ravens, in Baltimore and on prime-time national TV.

“If my time is now, I accept the challenge,” said Dixon, a second-year pro who has not played a down this year.

Dixon will start because of injuries suffered by Roethlisberger and back-up Charlie Batch, who were both hurt in overtime last week in a 27-24 loss in Kansas City. Roethlisberger went down first with a concussion, his fourth in less than four years . A few plays later, Batch suffered a broken wrist that will sideline him two-to-four weeks.

All week long, the Steelers (6-4) sounded as if Roethlisberger would start against the Ravens (5-5).

But this week at practice, Roethlisberger experienced exercise-induced headaches. So a decision was reached that Roethlisberger will not start in Baltimore. There’s a remote chance he may dress and be designated the third-team QB.

The backup will likely be Tyler Palko, who was promoted Saturday from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Palko, a former star at West Allegheny High School and the University of Pittsburgh, was signed to the practice squad Wednesday.

On Thursday when asked if he’d play in Baltimore, Roethlisberger said “I’m planning on it.”

But now, Dixon gets the call.

“I’ve been very pleased with Dennis’ progress as a third quarterback,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “In terms of where Dennis is as a second-year player, the arrow is pointed up with him. We’re extremely excited about where he is as a young quarterback.

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“That’s different, of course, than playing against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night television,” Tomlin added. “No question that we would have to do some things to help him if he plays in this game and plays extensively in this game. We have to do some things schematically, his teammates know to put their head in the pile and get in the huddle with him. (They) would have to be at their absolute best to assist him.”

As Tomlin suggested, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians will scale back the playbook for Dixon. The Steelers might want to try running the ball more than they have in recent games.

While he says he’d be comfortable with running a no-huddle offense that Roethlisberger has excelled at when called, Dixon admits that he wouldn’t be comfortable running every play in the Steelers’ offensive repertoire.

“Things aren’t going to be exactly the same,” Dixon said. “I’m not like seven (Roethlisberger), who’s been in this system for awhile now.

“I wouldn’t say the game plan would drastically change, but there will be little things we do differently that will go a long way in helping me. That’s good. I don’t have to do everything. I have a lot of leadership on the offense, from the O-line, to the receivers, to the running backs as well. They’ve been here, done that. So I trust in them.”

A fifth-round pick in last year’s draft, Dixon is a former Oregon star who was a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate before suffering a serious knee injury late in his senior year.

Last year with the Steelers, he played in just one game, making a brief appearance in the regular-season finale, a 31-0 rout of the Cleveland Browns.

“I like where I’m at,” Dixon said of his progress as a pro quarterback. “If need be, if it’s possible for me to go in there in that game (in Baltimore) and try to make a couple of plays, I’m ready.

“It’s a big game, but every week, it’s a big game. I’m excited about the challenge. I look at it like I look at life. It’s a test. You have to always be ready for everything life throws at you. So if someone wants to make me to take that test Sunday night, I’m willing to answer the questions.”

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Steelers overlook a Batch of problems at backup quarterback 11/29/2009 3:32 AM Get used to it.

If the Steelers are going to be a pass-happy team - and it's pretty obvious that they are - nobody should be surprised if the backup quarterback position becomes a lot more important.

It's one thing for someone like Peyton Manning to throw 40 passes in a game. All but one or two of them are going to come from the pocket. If Ben Roethlisberger throws 44 passes in a game, chances are that on at least 25 of them, he's going to be looking for his second and third read while scrambling.

His odds of ending up with a kick in the head come way down.

The odds for any quarterback, including Manning, winning when throwing more than 40 times in a game are not good. It's one thing to throw the ball more than 40 times when you're playing from behind all day, but that wasn't the case last week in Kansas City.

You've heard the expression, "Three things can happen when you pass and two of them are bad." That only applies when the pass is actually thrown, but when you try to pass, at least five things can go wrong:

1. Incomplete.

2. Interception.

3. Sack.

4. Clock stops.

5. Quarterback gets kneed in the head.

Remember before the season, when you kept hearing the Steelers have the best backup quarterback in the AFC? That might have been true, but Charlie Batch can no longer be considered a good backup because he gets hurt too much. He missed last season because of an injury and he might not play again this season.

Batch is better than a lot of quarterbacks who are starting in the NFL, but he doesn't do much good if he has one of his extremities in a cast. When the Steelers made the decision to become a pass-first team, they should have taken Batch's apparent brittleness into account and had someone more prepared than Dennis Dixon as their third quarterback.

• Did you happen to catch the latest news on Don Barden?

You remember Barden. He's the guy who was awarded the slots license for Pittsburgh's North Side then, about an hour and a half later, proved that of the three applicants for the license, he was by far the worst

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choice. His company, Majestic Star Casinos, filed for bankruptcy last week.

It should make you feel good to know that your state taxes, the ones collected by a state that didn't have enough money to pay its employees a few weeks ago, could be used to hire several people, paying them each salaries that were well into six figures. Their job was to award the license to the most deserving applicant.

They picked Barden instead of the group that was most politically connected, Forest Cities, because everybody would have justifiably claimed the fix was in for Isle of Capris, which had promised to build a $300 million arena and give it to the city.

Keep that in mind when you ride by the Consol Energy Arena as it's going up across the street from Mellon Arena. You're paying for it because the people you paid a large chunk of money were totally inept and made a choice that was no better than what could have been made by the first six people in the Harrisburg phone book.

• A recent Internet report apparently has the 200 or 300 real Pirates fans left in Western Pennsylvania pretty riled up. Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reported that small market teams such as the Pirates get about $80 million in revenue before they sell a ticket, which might make fans wonder what Pirates' owner Bob Nutting is doing with all the money that must be left over after he funded what ended up being a $30-something million payroll.

The talk shows and some columnists got a lot of mileage out of it and there were lots of angry e-mails.

Again, they all missed the point.

So what if Nutting is making a profit? Isn't that what businesses are supposed to do? Most of the outrage seems to be over the fact Nutting might be putting money into his pocket instead of the payroll. Stark should know better than anybody that in order to finish in Major League Baseball's final eight, a team probably needs a payroll close to $100 million.

Stark pointed out that every team in the big leagues gets $30 million from the Central Fund, which is national TV and licensing, and small-market teams get somewhere between $10 and $15 million for local TV. Add $35 million in revenue sharing and they each start with around $80 million.

The Yankees receive about $200 million in local TV revenue. The other large market teams get between $50 and $100 million. It's local television revenue that makes the Yankees the Yankees and the Pirates the Pirates.

Nutting is smart enough to know that spending $75 million on payroll still would require a miracle for a division championship. He's smart enough to know that finishing a few games over .500 and in third place isn't going to have any measurable impact on his attendance.

Most important, he's smart enough to know enough fans are dumb enough to buy tickets to see his pathetic excuse for a baseball team and that he can turn a nice profit with a really bad team with a payroll of under $50 million.

John Steigerwald writes a Sunday column for the Observer-Reporter.

Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

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Big Ben won't play against Baltimore 11/29/2009 3:32 AM BALTIMORE - When training camp opened for the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker Terrell Suggs wore a T-shirt that read, "You bet your sweet (expletive) I don't like the Steelers."

Losing to a team three times in one season, including in the conference championship game, will have that effect.

Losing three to your bitter rival, well, that tends to raise the level of dislike to a new level.

The Steelers and ravens will meet tonight at M&T Stadium for the first time since last season's AFC Championship game.

And with the Steelers (6-4) and Ravens (5-5) both trying to stay relevant in the AFC playoff race, there's plenty at stake again.

The Steelers, however, will be without their most important offensive player. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who suffered a concussion in last week's loss to Kansas City, will not play after experiencing headaches throughout the week.

Roethlisberger practiced all week and said that he planned to play, but Saturday morning it was decided the quarterback will miss the game. Second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon will make his first career start.

Former Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, signed to the practice squad earlier less than a week ago, will be signed to the active roster and wide receiver Shaun McDonald will be released.

Roethlisberger's injury adds another twist to an all-important game for both teams.

"It's definitely important," said Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall. "And just that it's a tough opponent and a division opponent means it's a tough game. We feel like we need to win."

It's perhaps the most intense rivalry going in the NFL.

If he had any doubts, Mendenhall, the Steelers' second-year running back, got a first-hand look at it last season. Making his first career start, Mendenhall had his season end after just three games by Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who fractured the running back's shoulder and then taunted him as he lay on the turf at Heinz Field.

The Ravens were upset over a text message that Baltimore rookie running back Ray Rice reportedly received from Mendenhall saying he was going to have a big game against the Ravens. Mendenhall has denied sending any such message.

"Anybody that knows me knows that's not something I would do," Mendenhall said.

But such is the heat of the rivalry.

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Defensive back Corey Ivy, signed by the Steelers this week to help their struggling special teams, spent the previous three seasons with the Ravens.

"It's definitely circled on everybody's calendar when you play Pittsburgh," said Ivy.

Roethlisberger is not be the only key player missing the game. For Pittsburgh, strong safety Troy Polamalu and left guard Chris Kemoeatu are out. Veteran Tyrone Carter will make his sixth start this season in place of Polamalu, while rookie Ramon Foster will make his first career start in place of Kemoeatu.

Baltimore will be without cornerback Fabian Washington, while Suggs is doubtful with a sprained knee. Rookie Lardarius Webb will replace Washington. Suggs had four sacks against the Steelers last season. Jameel McClain would replace Suggs if he can't play.

Both teams are in a slump.

After winning five straight, the Steelers have lost their last two, including a stunning 27-24 overtime defeat at Kansas City last week. Baltimore, meanwhile, has stumbled after a 3-0 start.

Both teams are chasing Cincinnati (7-3) in the AFC North.

"This game is important for one reason, because it's the next one, and also because we are coming off two losses," Clark said. "To come off a week when you lose to Kansas City, a team you expect to beat, while everybody in your division loses ... it's disappointing."

Copyright Observer Publishing Co.

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No Roethlisberger means no chance for Steelers in key AFC North game 11/29/2009 3:34 AM The Steelers have allowed a touchdown on a return in an NFL-record eight consecutive games. That's a pretty deep hole Pittsburgh is digging itself out of on a weekly basis.

Pittsburgh again has the NFL's top-rated defense, yet the Steelers keep giving opponents an extra boost -both on the scoreboard and emotionally - by finding a way to give up seven points without their defense being on the field.

It's akin to starting each game down 7-0.

Last week against Kansas City, they gave up a kickoff return for a touchdown on the opening play of the game.

Obviously, it can't continue if the Steelers have any hope of making the playoffs.

That starts today against Baltimore.

The Ravens, however, are having some problems of their own. In their last seven games, the Ravens have scored only 35 first-half points.

But the Steelers will be without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, their most important offensive player. Roethlisberger informed head coach Mike Tomlin that he's still experiencing headaches, the result of a concussion suffered in the loss to Kansas City. That leaves the Steelers with second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon starting against the Ravens. That's not a good combination.

The Steelers will add some things to their offense that are specific to Dixon's scrambling talents, but it likely won't be enough to beat the Ravens.

The game will have no line because of Roethlisberger's status, but without him the Steelers would be seven- or eight-point underdogs.

This is going to be a typical knock-down, drag-out Steelers-Ravens battle, but the Baltimore will likely force Dixon into mistakes.

Take Baltimore to win, 20-10.

New England (plus 3) at New Orleans

A possible Super Bowl preview? New England is starting to hit its stride - until head coach Bill Belichick makes a boneheaded decisions on fourth down.

Take New England, 31-28

Indianapolis (minus 3) at Houston

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The Colts have owned the Texans since they joined the league, beating them 16 of 17 times. However, nearly half of the Colts' roster is on the injury list. It won't matter.

Take Indianapolis, 27-21

Chicago (plus 9 1/2) at Minnesota

Jay Cutler is melting down in Chicago. Brett Favre is peaking at the right time.

Take Minnesota, 27-17

Cleveland (plus 14) at Cincinnati

The Bengals laid an egg last week in Oakland after winning their Super Bowl the previous week. That should have been a dose of reality.

Take Cincinnati, 24-7 as the Pick of the Week

Washington (plus 9) at Philadelphia

Rock Cartwright will be carrying the ball this week for the injury-riddled Redskins.

I guess Little Joe or Hoss weren't available.

Take Philadelphia, 26-13

Miami (minus 3) at Buffalo

It was a new coach and the same results for Buffalo. Ricky Williams will run wild against the Bills.

Take Miami, 20-9

Arizona (no line) at Tennessee

There's no line because of Kurt Warner's status. Arizona's been tough on the road and Warner will play. Vince Young is unbeaten since returning as Tennessee's starter, but that can't last.

Take Arizona, 27-20

Seattle (minus 2 1/2) at St. Louis

Marc Bulger won't play for St. Louis. Considering how he's played, that might not be a bad thing. I had St. Louis winning this one until running back Stephen Jackson sat out practice all week.

Take Seattle, 24-10

Tampa Bay (plus 11) at Atlanta

Michael Turner could be back this week for Atlanta. That's good because the Falcons need him badly.



Take Atlanta, 31-14

Carolina (plus 3) at N.Y. Jets

The Jets have fallen apart while the Panthers have pulled themselves back into playoff contention.

Take Carolina, 20-14

Jacksonville (plus 3) at San Francisco

Jacksonville has played its way into the AFC playoff race, but a West Coast trip might be too much for the Jaguars to handle.

Take San Francisco, 23-17

Kansas City (plus 13 1/2) at San Diego

San Diego is playing too well to take the Chiefs lightly. Had they been able, the Chiefs would have pulled the goal posts down last week after beating the Steelers.

Take San Diego, 30-13

Last week: 8-7, missed Pick of the Week.

Overall: 86-70, 4-7 in Pick of the Week.

F. Dale Lolley is the NFL sports writer for the Observer-Reporter. [email protected] Copyright Observer Publishing Co.



Dixon will start for Roethlisberger By: JIM WEXELL Herald Standard

PITTSBURGH - Time to get out the abacus and the NFL tiebreaker formulas, because it appears the Pittsburgh Steelers will need to make the playoffs the hard way, particularly with an expected loss tonight to the Baltimore Ravens.

A loss is expected because the Steelers will play without their best playmakers on each side of the ball.

Safety Troy Polamalu was declared out earlier in the week, and the Steelers will also sit quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who'll miss tonight's game due to "exercise-induced headaches as the week progressed," according to Fox Sports' NFL reporter Jay Glazer.

The Steelers wouldn't confirm the report - in the hope it might keep the Ravens off-balance - but other sources have confirmed that the Steelers' plan to sit Roethlisberger, who suffered what coach Mike Tomlin turned "a mild concussion" last Sunday in Kansas City..

With backup Charlie Batch also sidelined, the Steelers will give second-year quarterback Dennis Dixon his first start.

Dixon was the Steelers' fifth-round draft pick in 2008 after guiding the University of Oregon to an 8-1 record before injuring his knee. He was the unanimous choice as the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year for his throwing and running skills in the Ducks' spread offense.

Dixon saw action in only one NFL game his rookie season. In the 2008 regular-season finale, Dixon was the second replacement for a concussed Roethlisberger and directed the Steelers' final two series against the Cleveland Browns. He completed his only pass for three yards.

This preseason, Dixon completed 18-of-35 passes for 180 yards without an interception or touchdown. His passer rating of 66.4 was up slightly from the 64.1 rating of his rookie preseason.

Dixon took the majority of the practice reps this week, and was asked what the offense might look like with him at the controls.

"I don't think it'll be exactly the same," he said. "But (number) seven has been in this offense for a while now, so I wouldn't think the game plan is going to dramatically change. It would be little things to where it would help me."

Dixon's backup will be former Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko, who was signed to the practice squad late Wednesday and will be activated today.

Of course, these late-week developments make the 6-4 Steelers heavy underdogs against the Ravens, their 5-5 rivals who are looking to avenge three losses to the Steelers last season, including the AFC Championship Game.

However, if the Steelers fall to 6-5 as expected, a successful run through their remaining five games (Oakland, at Cleveland, Green Bay, Baltimore, at Miami) would give them an 11-5 record, and only two out of 71 11-5 teams did not make the NFL playoffs.

One of those two teams was New England last season. The Patriots fell third in line behind the 12-4 Indianapolis Colts and the 11-5 Ravens as playoff wildcards. The Patriots lost their tiebreaker to the Ravens because of a 7-5 conference record.

The Steelers (4-3 in conference) wouldn't have to compete with such powerful records for a wild card this season. Only Denver (7-4), Jacksonville (6-4) and Houston (5-5) would be considered threats should the Steelers win their final five games. And the Steelers have beaten Denver, while Jacksonville and Houston play each other and must each play New England and Indianapolis.

Of course, the Steelers could win tonight behind their top-ranked defense and underutilized-but-talented run game.

The Steelers are in position to join the 1984-86 Chicago Bears as the only teams in NFL history to lead the league in total defense three consecutive seasons. Tonight, that Steelers defense will go up against a Ravens offense that's scored only four touchdowns in the last four games, or since quarterback Joe Flacco twisted his ankle.

In the last four games, Flacco has a combined passer rating of 67.2.

The Steelers' running game might get help in the form of another injured ankle as the Ravens' best run-stuffer, Haloti Ngata, has also been playing on an injured ankle.

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Ravens pass-rusher Terrell Suggs has been listed as doubtful with an injured knee, while linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed are both questionable with foot injuries.

The Steelers will also need help from their special teams, which have allowed an NFL record four touchdown returns on kickoffs this season. To shore up the kickoff unit, the Steelers signed Corey Ivy to play the critical "L1" position.

Ivy last played for the Ravens when both teams were the class of the AFC. Now they're fighting for a wild-card berth and of the dramatic change in both teams' fortunes, Ivy said: "This is the NFL and anything can happen."

Even 6-5 teams can end up in the playoffs.

November 29, 2009

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The Huddle: The latest word on NFL news, notes and buzz

Joe Flacco: Michael Oher's mother lectured him on his technique

Nov 30, 2009

Hines Ward: Steelers locker room split '50-50' on whether Ben Roethlisberger should have played 12:08 AM

Comment Recommend

Steelers WR Hines Ward said the team's locker room was divided over whether Ben Roethlisberger should have fought through the effects of a

concussion to play on Sunday against the Ravens.

In an interview with NBC's Bob Costas, Ward said:

"I could see some players or teammates questioning, like 'it's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before.' It's almost like a

50-50 toss up in the locker room. Should he play? Shouldn't he play? It's really hard to say."

The Steelers started Dennis Dixon (who was a third-stringer last week) in Roethlisberger's place; Dixon threw an interception that set up the winning

score in OT of a 20-17 loss to the Ravens on Sunday. Roethlisberger practiced last week, but the team benched him after he had experienced negative

effects from the concussion he suffered last Sunday.

Ward said he's lied to doctors at times in order to get clearance to be back on the field.

"I've lied to a couple of doctors saying I'm straight, I feel good when I know that I'm not really straight," he told NBC. "I don't think guys really worry about

the future while they're playing currently in the NFL."

NBC's Andrea Kremer reported that Roethlisberger made a last-ditch effort on Saturday night to convince the Steelers to let him play. Coach Mike

Tomlin refused his plea, she said.

The Steelers made Roethlisberger their third/emergency QB on Sunday. Tomlin said if he was forced to play Roethlisberger, he would only allow the

quarterback to hand off.

Asked about Ward's comments, Tomlin said, "I'm not worried about a problem in our locker room."

Tomlin said he would inform his team that the decision to hold out Roethlisberger was his and based on medical guidance. -- Sean Leahy

Tags:NFL Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger Mike Tomlin Hines Ward PreviousJoe Flacco: Michael Oher's mother lectured him on his technique

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