Captcoolhand
09-22-2009, 09:16 AM
Everything about the Steelers through two games would point to this team being perhaps the most explosive group in Pittsburgh's storied history.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is completing nearly 72 percent of his passes and has thrown for nearly 600 yards.
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes entered Monday tied for the NFL lead in receiving yards with 214, a pace that would put him over 1,700 for the season.
Fellow receiver Hines Ward isn't far behind Holmes' pace, and tight end Heath Miller has 11 receptions.
Yet all the yards aren't leading to points.
Though the Steelers (1-1) are averaging more than 330 yards, they rank 29th in the league in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Only Cleveland, Washington and St. Louis have scored fewer points.
With a running game that is struggling, the Steelers are taking more chances with their passing game. It has resulted in some gaudy numbers but not many points.
That was very evident in the 17-14 loss Sunday to the Chicago Bears. The Steelers made five trips into Chicago territory but came away with only two touchdowns.
"When you have the opportunities to score points and come away with nothing, it takes a little wind out of the team," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "That crowd got behind (the Bears). They did what they had to do. They kicked the field goal at the end. That's what you got to do when you're playing at home. We let one slip away from us."
Kicker Jeff Reed missed a pair of mid-range field goals in the fourth quarter, but those were not the only opportunities the Steelers had to score points.
After going 92 yards for a touchdown on their first possession, the Steelers were drove from their own 10-yard line to the Chicago 38 on their second possession. But Roethlisberger was intercepted by Charles Tillman on a long pass down the sideline intended for rookie receiver Mike Wallace to end the scoring opportunity. The wobbly pass was thrown too far to the inside and Wallace never had an opportunity to catch the ball.
In the fourth quarter, before the second of Reed's missed field goals, Holmes got behind Tillman in the end zone on a third-and-two from the Chicago 25. Holmes dropped the pass after Tillman deflected the ball.
"I thought that we were good offensively. But, we shot ourselves in the foot too many times," said Roethlisberger. "We made a mistake here or there."
They were mistakes the team must avoid, starting this week at Cincinnati.
"There's no question we left a lot of plays out there," said Ward. "The only thing we can do is learn from it. Review it, watch it, study it. Over the course of 16 games, you're going to have some of those games. You can think you should have won, but we didn't. Regardless what the stats and numbers show, we didn't come in here and walk away with the 'W'. That's all it boils down to."
Odds and end zones
Ward needs 60 yards to become the 32nd player in NFL history and first Steeler to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards. ... Cincinnati defensive end Atwaan Odom leads the NFL with seven sacks. ... Twelve running backs have more yards rushing than the entire Steelers team. :duh:Like alot of here can agree, We need to start converting all these yards into points.
:2cents: It's sad that we are #29 in scoring points with all the Yards that Ben has put up already this Season. (and Ben is not known for putting up alot of 300yds+ games)
Also, I know Odom got 5 sacks against Green Bay but I'm kinda worried about our O-line. You can bet that the Bengals are going to try and bring the rush as much as possible, I just hope Ben walks away with fewer than 5 sacks and 3 turnover. Not to mention, not getting hurt.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is completing nearly 72 percent of his passes and has thrown for nearly 600 yards.
Wide receiver Santonio Holmes entered Monday tied for the NFL lead in receiving yards with 214, a pace that would put him over 1,700 for the season.
Fellow receiver Hines Ward isn't far behind Holmes' pace, and tight end Heath Miller has 11 receptions.
Yet all the yards aren't leading to points.
Though the Steelers (1-1) are averaging more than 330 yards, they rank 29th in the league in scoring at 13.5 points per game. Only Cleveland, Washington and St. Louis have scored fewer points.
With a running game that is struggling, the Steelers are taking more chances with their passing game. It has resulted in some gaudy numbers but not many points.
That was very evident in the 17-14 loss Sunday to the Chicago Bears. The Steelers made five trips into Chicago territory but came away with only two touchdowns.
"When you have the opportunities to score points and come away with nothing, it takes a little wind out of the team," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "That crowd got behind (the Bears). They did what they had to do. They kicked the field goal at the end. That's what you got to do when you're playing at home. We let one slip away from us."
Kicker Jeff Reed missed a pair of mid-range field goals in the fourth quarter, but those were not the only opportunities the Steelers had to score points.
After going 92 yards for a touchdown on their first possession, the Steelers were drove from their own 10-yard line to the Chicago 38 on their second possession. But Roethlisberger was intercepted by Charles Tillman on a long pass down the sideline intended for rookie receiver Mike Wallace to end the scoring opportunity. The wobbly pass was thrown too far to the inside and Wallace never had an opportunity to catch the ball.
In the fourth quarter, before the second of Reed's missed field goals, Holmes got behind Tillman in the end zone on a third-and-two from the Chicago 25. Holmes dropped the pass after Tillman deflected the ball.
"I thought that we were good offensively. But, we shot ourselves in the foot too many times," said Roethlisberger. "We made a mistake here or there."
They were mistakes the team must avoid, starting this week at Cincinnati.
"There's no question we left a lot of plays out there," said Ward. "The only thing we can do is learn from it. Review it, watch it, study it. Over the course of 16 games, you're going to have some of those games. You can think you should have won, but we didn't. Regardless what the stats and numbers show, we didn't come in here and walk away with the 'W'. That's all it boils down to."
Odds and end zones
Ward needs 60 yards to become the 32nd player in NFL history and first Steeler to surpass 10,000 career receiving yards. ... Cincinnati defensive end Atwaan Odom leads the NFL with seven sacks. ... Twelve running backs have more yards rushing than the entire Steelers team. :duh:Like alot of here can agree, We need to start converting all these yards into points.
:2cents: It's sad that we are #29 in scoring points with all the Yards that Ben has put up already this Season. (and Ben is not known for putting up alot of 300yds+ games)
Also, I know Odom got 5 sacks against Green Bay but I'm kinda worried about our O-line. You can bet that the Bengals are going to try and bring the rush as much as possible, I just hope Ben walks away with fewer than 5 sacks and 3 turnover. Not to mention, not getting hurt.