Revisiting the Steelers

Well, one preseason game in the can and I'm already starting to feel optimistic. I'm not even cautiously optimistic at this point. I really think that they have something going here despite the fact that everyone on the defense is older than Dick LeBeau and our (alleged) rapist quarterback is suspended for the first four games.

I understand that the offensive line sucks. I know this. I know that the loss of Willie Colon weakened an already weak unit. But, the offensive line sucked in 2008 and we won a championship (I haven't mentioned that we won Super Bowl XLIII in a while since I haven't written anything in a while, so forgive me). In this day and age, you can't avoid having a weakness. The Steelers weakness is their offensive line. And their philandering quarterback. And we're not sure about the secondary. And we traded away Santonio Holmes.

Wait. Why am I optimistic again?

1. Mike Wallace is going to be awesome. Book it. If that dude doesn't get hurt -- I know, I know, but I have a feeling this is a reverse jinx, like if I write about it it won't happen -- he's going to have a big year. He's good after the catch, he has a year in the system, and he's crazy fast. Huge upside on that guy. Unfortunately, I live in Pittsburgh and someone's going to draft him in my Fantasy leagues before I do. But, he's going to be awesome. If he doesn't get hurt.
2. Hines Ward still has something left in the tank. I think he struggles out of the gate, then turns it on so that he can recapture his "No One Believed in Me" mojo.
3. Randle-El and Battle are solid.
4. I like the rookies.
5. Heath Miller will do well... provided they throw to him.
6. LaMarr Woodley and Lawrence Timmons will atone for disappointing 2009 seasons. James Harrison looks like a man possessed, so maybe he's no longer assuming that people will fear him because he was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. If James Farrior continues his decline, we have Larry Foote. I also like Keyaron Fox.
7. Ziggy Hood is no longer a rookie, so he will see the field.
8. Rashard Mendenhall no longer has Willie Parker breathing down his neck. He seems like he will be more comfortable as "the guy." He was more comfortable in that role at Illinois.
9. Issac Redman needs to learn how to play special teams so he can secure a roster spot. Otherwise, he's just the guy that had a great camp and preseason and ends up getting cut.
10. Speaking of special teams, we can kiss the Stefan Logan Era goodbye. We have enough guys on the team that can return kicks. We don't need him. That helps because we hopefully won't suffer a letdown in the kicking game when he ends up sucking instead of becoming the savior of the team.
    
11. The defensive line will be better, the linebackers will be better, and that will make the secondary better. Troy will be back. Burnett and Lewis look fairly good. McFadden is back and Gay doesn't need to rise too far above his name.
12. We'll still have a lot of high scoring games and fourth quarter meltdowns. But, there's only so many of those games you can lose, right? Right?

So, there's the small matter of the fact that two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Ben Roethlisberger -- yes, we won Super Bowl XL and XLIII, that's two -- is suspended for six games. Though it'll probably get reduced to four. And possibly less. Kaiser Goodell is super cagey.

Well, the first four games before the bye are: home against Atlanta, at Tennessee, at Tampa, and at home against the hated Ravens. I've heard that it would be a miracle if we come out of that 2-2 without Ben. I'm not in miracle territory. I'm at, "That seems very doable," at the moment. If they split those first four and Ben comes back after the bye, then we've survived it and have some momentum. In the first preseason game, fans were chanting, "We want Ben!" They apparently don't care about allegations. They'll welcome Roethlisberger when he comes back if he wins games.

Now, I was hoping that we'd either cut or trade Roethlisberger because of things I've already said in this blog. But, the fact remains that he gives this team the best chance to win. He's suspended for the first four games of the season, not the last four. That gives us the best chance to advance in the postseason.

That's where we are right now. I've urged the Steelers to make decisions in the past, but they've only responded to my suggestions with restraining orders, so I guess they won't listen to me. He's our guy. For better or worse. Or until he gets caught again.

Following up on that, many fans feel as though Dennis Dixon gives the team the best chance to win at this point. I happen to agree. The issue is that Byron Leftwich gives the team the best chance not to lose. That's where we are right now.

I'd like to be 40 pounds lighter, have more hair, and be an internationally famous sports blogger. It's good to want things. It gives you motivation to achieve. It's bad to want Dennis Dixon to start over Byron Leftwich. That gives you something to complain about at the water cooler and unrealized expectations.

Leftwich is the starter. That's it and that's all. I give him better odds at going 2-2 in those first four games, but I still don't like the decision. That's OK. But pining for Dixon under center will only lead to heartache.