I'd like to say that this is just another game. That we've only played four games and that starting out 1-4 won't be the end of the world. Okay, so it's not like Marvin the Martian's going to destroy the planet just because the Steelers lost four of their first five. But it'll pretty much be the end of the season. Scratch that: It will be the end of the season.
I have no stats to back this up. No precedence. Nothing. All I'm saying is that the hated Ravens are 4-1 (possibly 5-1 after this week) and so are the Bungles. This means that we'll be tied for last place with the freakin' Browns (unless, ya know, they win this weekend), and we'll be, at best, three games out of first place with 11 to play. And those are really, really bad odds.
When the Steelers Have the Ball:
The Chiefs have gotten a lot better on defense the past couple of years, but they're still the Chiefs. Put it this way: I can name three guys on their front seven off the top of my head. Two of those were 1st round draft picks from the last two years (Talimba Hali and Derrick Johnson) and one used to play for the Steelers (Kendrell Bell).
I think we can run on these guys. And we don't need to do anything cute, either. Just line up and come at them. If we have early success running the ball, we're golden. If, for whatever reason, Fast Willie starts out with 8 carries for 7 yards, we're doomed. Whisenhunt and Cowher will burn the game plan in effigy and they'll have Mongo, the Half-Witted Donkey call the plays for the rest of the game. Big Ben will wilt, the protection will start to fade, and everyone will once again become cognizant of the fact that we have a gimpy Hines Ward and a bunch of #4 receivers in our corps.
Since we should be able to run on the Chiefs, I'm not going to say that's the key to the game. That's something that's assumed it will happen (and Davenport looked pretty good against the Chargers). Biggest thing we need to do? Get Ben going early. Give him some easy passes and some completions early on. Screen passes, crossing patterns, roll-outs where he throws to Heath. Later in the game, we can take some shots.
But, considering that in the last 4 months he almost died, had an appendectomy, and, most importantly, has been sucking huge balls, maybe it's time to party like it's 2004 and just have him manage the game.
Remember the stretch of games in 2004 when Ben attempted 15-17 passes, we ran the hell out of the ball, and we drove Vegas crazy because we were narrowly beating crappy teams? Well, we still have mostly the same personnel and, even though they beat the 49ers 41-0, the Chiefs are still a crappy team. Ben needs to go back to the game manager role, if only until he gets his freakin' sea legs back.
If he doesn't, we gotta think about Batch. I know I sound like every yinzer in the tri-state after three beers. But, here are the facts as I see them. Every time Ben has struggled and thrown way too many interceptions and looked like he had absolutely no idea what to do in the pocket, he's been worn out.
End of the 2004 season, 2004 playoffs, Super Bowl. He's was used to playing 12 games a year and now he's suddenly thrust into a situation where he has to play 24 (4 pre, 16 regular, 4 post). In the Super Bowl, he was tired. Towards the end of the 2004 season and especially the 2004 playoffs, the man was freakin' worn out. This offseason, he didn't get a chance to rest. He nearly died, lost 20 pounds, the pre-season immediately started, and then he had surgery. He came back too soon.
I refuse to believe that he suddenly forgot how to play the game of football after doing so well when he was rested and ready to play. And, the "teams have figured him out" angle is a bunch of shit. It just is. Why then, have teams not "figured out" how to stop Mark Brunell on a consistent basis? Why couldn't they stop John Elway? Or Randall Cunningham? These guys played for 135 seasons combined. There was film. There was precendence. Some days they have it, some days they don't. And Ben's tired. Give him some rest. He's got a $40 million contract. We're not going to bench him all year. But if Batch is ready, that's why you have a back-up quarterback.
When the Chiefs Have the Ball:
Speaking of back-up quarterbacks, Damon Huard has been playing really well in relief of Trent Green. Well, he's been playing really well against crappy defenses and in garbage time.
We need to put eleven guys in the box, stop Larry Johnson, and make Huard beat us. The Chiefs have pass protection issues, which is why it sucks that Joey Porter is going to miss this game. Their regular left tackle, Willie Roaf, retired before the season and left the Chiefs in a bad spot. They replaced Roaf with Kyle Turley.
Interesting story about Kyle Turley. Three years ago, he got cut by the New Orleans Saints. He was a pretty good right tackle at the time, so the Rams signed him. He tried to play for the Rams, but ended up retiring because he had no ligaments left in his back. After taking some time off, he lost 60 pounds and tried to catch on somewhere as a tight end. At some point, he put the weight back on and the Chiefs signed him, making him their starting left tackle. To review: Two years ago, he was retired with an inoperable spine. One year ago, he was 60 pounds lighter and trying out for NFL teams as a tight end. Suddenly, he's good enough to start at left tackle, the single most important position on the offensive line?
Well, he's out with an injury. That means that Kansas City's starting left tackle for this game is a guy that couldn't beat out a retired right tackle with a bad back. Yeah. Porter would've had fun with that. AND, the Chiefs had to move their starting right tackle to left tackle, so their current starting right tackle is the back-up. We need to bring lots and lots of pressure from the edges.
The biggest thing we have to worry about, since KC's receivers blow, is Larry Johnson as a pass receiver. Thus far this season, LJ has about 600 carries and about 430 pass receptions. He's their whole offense. We need to put James Farrior, the team's best tackler, on LJ all game. We need to put an LJ mix in his iPod. Need to put pictures of LJ all over his locker, his stall in the shower, on both sides of the practice field. He should wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and say, "Where's LJ? He's my man! Where's he at?"
If we take out LJ as a runner and a receiver, we win the game. And this is a big key for me in Fantasty Football for me as well. I'm in two leagues this week where LJ plays a factor. In one game, I have him. In the other game, the other guy has him. In the game I have him, I'm in a better position and it won't matter too much if LJ lays an egg. In the other game, I kinda need him to have a bad game, because the other guy has a better team and he has Fast Willie, who I think is going to go off. So... for the love of God, please stop Larry Johnson.
Prediction:
I think we're going to crush them. This could be a low scoring game, with two offenses that are hobbling, two questionable quarterbacks, some sub-standard receiving corps, and two offenses where the defense's game plan is, "Stop the running back and make the quarterback beat you." And, KC has a pretty decent defense. But, they're still the Kansas City Chiefs.
This is where we find out what the 2006 Steelers are made of. They've stumbled out of the gate, but the season isn't lost yet. If we lose today (sorry this got posted late), the season's over. If we crush the Chiefs like I think we will, we've got a chance.
Steelers 38, Chiefs 20
No comments:
Post a Comment