Steelers close to getting back on track

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 10-06-2006, 12:18 AM

http://news.steelers.com/article/69749/

By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will get one of the biggest tests of his young career when he faces the Steelers defense. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau can throw a lot of things out there to confuse a young quarterback and it's likely he will do just that on Sunday night.

"They're a solid group," said Rivers. "They're always where they're supposed to be. They're fundamentally sound. They don't miss many tackles. They're a pressure defense. They like to apply pressure to the quarterback.

"That helps also with the run, which they are very stout against. It's just another challenge this week. Coming off a disappointing loss last week in a game I felt that we controlled for 55-plus minutes. We're regrouping and all our focus is on Pittsburgh and Sunday night. We're getting geared up for it."

If there is someone who knows first-hand what the Steelers defense brings, it's Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger faces the defense on a daily basis and knows that Rivers will have a lot coming at him.

"I face them every day in practice and it's not fun as a third-year guy, let alone a first-year guy," said Roethlisberger. "They're a fun defense to watch. I love watching those guys, the way they fly around, the way they make plays and you never know whose blitzing. You don't know if Troy's (Polamalu) going to do a summersault before he blitzes or what's going on out there."

* * *
Roethlisberger isn't looking at the Steelers 1-2 record and worrying. He knows that the team is better than that and feels that they are close to proving it.

"As much as people may not believe this, I think we've been playing pretty well offensively," said Roethlisberger. "There were a couple of mistakes that were made that really hurt, but overall we are just about a hair off on offense. We're almost clicking and when we do start to click and those wheels start turning out there, I think we can be pretty good, pretty dangerous. But I don't think we're as far off as people think."

He's definately an optimist, is Ben...if he sees it that way then let's hope he's right !

**Steelersfan** · 10-06-2006, 01:14 AM

I sure hope he is right but I haven't seen where he sees them as being close? The Bengals game would have been pretty good for the offense if not for the tunrovers though and we did play decent against the Dolphins so maybe he is right. The Jags game was pathetic though.

**AZ_Steeler** · 10-06-2006, 02:58 AM

I sure hope he is right because I haven't see anything clicking!

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 10-06-2006, 11:39 AM

LIke I said, he's the eternal opitmist so he's seeing something that we aren't. The RB isn't bad so that's real close, Willie is doing fine but when you can't throw they just stack the run and force us to pass and to date we haven't done that so we'll see.

**Black@Gold Forever32** · 10-06-2006, 01:48 PM

Well let me say a few things here. Hey, Ben talk is cheap. I think the passing game has alot of work to do. The running game and the run blocking have been fine. True the running game and run blocking sucked against the Jags. But the Jags are a very good defense and always gives the Steelers fits. But the passing has flatout stunk since Ben's return. Yea they racked up yards at the end of the Bengal's game. But they have to be alot more consistent and not turn the ball over.

One final thing again Philip Rivers isn't a first year QB. He is in his third year like Ben. I agree that he has to learn the speed of the NFL game. But he does now the Chargers system since he has been in the NFL for three years. So its like facing your typical rookie QB. Do I expect Rivers to struggle some against the Steelers defense. I sure do since the Steelers defense has given some of the best QB's in the NFL the fits at times. But I also don't expect Rivers to have a typical sorry rookie QB game like Alex Smith did last year with the 49ers.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 10-06-2006, 07:43 PM

Rivers has the luxury of being able to be brought along slowly so he has that working for him, but there's no substitute for real game experience so he'll take his lumps as he's learning.