Back on Track: Steelers Win

   0

 24

Before I get rolling with the game recap, I should note that I ran into the Mayor of 606 before the game. Great omen for the season. We did one of our old chants from the Three Rivers days for good luck. Apparently it worked.

Pregame: Tomlin telling Carroll our defense is better than anything he saw in the Pac 10.

REO Speedwagon sang the national anthem. Of the 5 guys in the band, only 1 of them sang. None of them had instruments, but they all had mics. Kind of weird to see the other 4 guys just standing there for the anthem.

The Steelers won the toss and took the ball.

First Quarter

We try to come out firing with a play-action pass, but good coverage downfield forces a dump-off. The Seahawks were keying on Wallace and Ward all game, double covering them pretty much every play. Ben takes advantage of this hitting Sanders wide open over the middle to convert a 3rd down and get things rolling. Two plays later, Ben takes a shot over the top for Wallace, but underthrows him. Wallace does a good job drawing the pass interference call in the end zone. Half of Seattle slits their wrists seeing another pass interference call in the end zone not go their way.

With first and goal from the 1, we try to pound it in but get stuffed. Ben tries play-action on second down but gets sacked by an unblocked corner. On 3rd and goal, we go 5 wide and Ben tries to do it himself but comes up just shy of the goal line. The other half of Seattle gets out their knives on a Ben-at-the-goalline play, but he's ruled short. The Steelers go for it on 4th and inches and instead of a QB sneak, they try to run Mendenhall parallel to the line and he gets hit in the backfield and can't quite stretch the ball across the line.

Tomlin wastes a timeout challenging whether Mendy got over the line. He didn't.

Seattle's offense sucks.

The running game gets rolling as Mendenhall rips off two 9-yard runs to get us into Seattle territory. Arians gets a little cute and runs the Randle El End Around Receiver Pass with Sanders throwing a dart to Hines. Nice pass by Sanders with a guy in his face. With the ball at the 15, Mendenhall takes over. He needs 2 carries to get it down to the 1 then punches it in over the right side for the score.

RAAAAISE SOME MEEEEENDEN-HELLLLL

7-0

Mendy went over the right guard that time. Tried to go left twice at the goal line on the previous series and failed. 

Seattle gets a first down, but a holding penalty pretty much ends their drive.

The Steelers come right back at it, pounding Isaac Redman at the 'Hawks defense. 

Second Quarter

Ben converts a 3rd down with a check-down to Moore. After a nice catch and run by Wallace, Redman gets the rock again and breaks through a hole in the line, puts a move on a safety and rumbles into the end zone for the score.

14-0

The Steelers have taken to playing Born to Run after any rushing touchdown. Great moment after Redman's touchdown when it seemed like most of the lower bowl was doing to "Woah Oh Oh Ohhhhs" together during the end of Born to Run. 

Seattle keeps building and gets 3 first downs and actually moves across midfield for a moment before a false start sends them back.

After two rushing touchdowns, 007 comes out looking to do some gunslinging.  He hits Wallace, Sanders, and Mendenhall on a check-down to move out across midfield. Mendenhall and Redman grind out some yards before Ben hits Heath down the sideline who plows down to the 5. Ben got hit low on the play and it drew a roughing the passer flag.

They didn't show any replays at the game (probably to not incite the crowd), so I can't really say how bad it was. The response on Twitter made it sound rough.

Homestead Charlie came in to hand off twice and we got nowhere. After the two minute warning, Ben came back in and rather than handing off, goes play-action and almost throws a pick while getting clobbered by a blitzer. Not exactly the best way to protect your franchise passer Bruce.

Suisham nails it.

17-0

Seattle does nothing with the ball. (You may be noticing a pattern here. Yes, their offense is that bad.)

Halftime

University of Marshall Band. Solid show.

Third Quarter

The second half starts without much fanfare as the teams trade 3-and-outs. Seattle breaks the streak by getting 1 first down but winds up punting anyways.

The Steelers come back and start to go to work on holes Seattle showed earlier in the game. The first of these was the safeties playing deep and the 'Hawks stacking the low box with linebackers, leaving the middle of the field open. Ben starts working the slant routes and posts. He hits a big one to Antonio Brown on 2nd and 20 after a chipping penalty to almost move the sticks. On 3rd down, Ben scrambles away from pressure and is able to hit Hines who tip-toes on the sidelines to get the ball inside the 5.

That's more impressive than anything you'll see on Dancing with the Stars.

Two plays later, Ben lobs a fade up for Wallace for their first touchdown of the season.

Perfectly thrown ball.

24-0

Another 3-and-out from the Seahawks gives the Steelers a chance to add to their lead. The drive looks like it's going to stall, but on 3rd and long Ben fires a bomb downfield and Mike Wallace makes a shoe-string catch with his fingers closing on the back half of the ball for a big 54-yarder.

Not sure these pictures even really do the catch justice. What a grab.

A holding penalty and a sack puts us in 3rd and forever. 

Fourth Quarter

Brown gets us back into field goal range, but Suisham misses it to the right.

Another 3-and-out from Seattle and another punt.

Arians goes to the motif offense with just under 13 minutes to go in the game to run some clock.

Larry Foote throws down T-Jax at the start of the next drive.

But the Hawks overcome the sack and pick up a first down. Utilizing short passes, the Hawks are able to get the ball across midfield but Steve McLendon gets some pressure for his first sack of the season.

Woodley picks up half a sack, giving him 1.5 through 2 games. 

Seattle works their way back to a 4th and 4 at the Steelers 26, but Jackson tries to roll out and James Harrison is home, racking up his first sack of the season.

What a picture.

Not shown: the giant brown stain on the bottom of Jackson's pants after getting decked by Harrison.

Interesting that the Seahawks best drive was the one on which the Steelers had 3 sacks.

Motif offense city. Run-run-pass. Punt.

Seattle starts moving again, but Potsie comes up with a huge 3rd down sack where Jackson just lays down Manning-style, forcing another punt.

The motif offense finally is able to move the sticks when Ben hits Brown on 3rd down. With just a few too many ticks on the clock, the Steelers still aren't able to kill it, but Redman seals the deal with two solid carries to move the sticks once again and end it.

Victory formation.

Game.

Players of the Game

Offensive Game Ball: Mike Wallace

Defensive Game Ball: Troy Polamalu

Honorable Mentions:

Ben Roethlisberger

Rashard Mendenhall

Isaac Redman

Emmanuel Sanders

LaMarr Woodley

Steve McLendon

Larry Foote

James Harrison

James Farrior

Ike Taylor

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game

Coming up empty after 1st and goal from the 1

Besides the result of the first drive, there wasn't a whole lot to complain about from this game. However, to get turned away at the goal line after having first and goal stings a little. Ben got close, but the real question comes from the 4th down play call. I don't mind the decision to go for it on 4th down, but why give it to Mendenhall? When you only need an inch, QB sneak seems like the best call. If you are going to run, run it straight ahead, don't run a play that requires the back to run parallel to the line of scrimmage for part of the play.

Final Thoughts

• This was a good way to get back on track, but let's not kid ourselves, Seattle was a really bad team.
• Seattle hasn't scored a point against Pittsburgh since Super Bowl XL. They haven't scored in Pittsburgh since 1999 which means they might be the only team in the league to never score a point at Heinz Field.
• Seattle beat the Steelers 29-10 in 1999, but their two touchdowns were on an interception return and a punt return, both of which occurred in the first quarter of that game. This means Seattle hasn't been in the end zone in Pittsburgh in over 11 quarters.
• Seattle's offense hasn't scored a touchdown in Pittsburgh since September 27, 1998 when Warren Moon threw a TD pass to Christian Fauria in the second quarter, meaning their offense hasn't reached the end zone in Pittsburgh in over 14 quarters.
• Seattle didn't get closer to the end zone than the 26. Only two drives made it across midfield and on one of those a false start pushed them back on the other side so they didn't even get a play off on the Steelers side of the field.
• Mike Wallace said he wanted 2,000 yards this year, which would mean he needs to average 125 per game. He has 233 through two games, so he's keeping close pace with where he needs to be.
• After what seemed like a scary hit on Ben, he bounced back for a great second half. Let's hope there aren't any lingering problems after the adrenaline wears off.
• Great to see the Steelers utilizing both Mendenhall and Redman to keep them both fresh. 113 yards rushing between the two of them today.
• Manny Sanders and Antonio Brown. Man, I just can't say enough good stuff about these guys. Mike Wallace is a bona fide star in the league, but these guys are going to be great in their own rights. The whole Young Money crew is going to be great to watch this year.
• Didn't talk about him in the recap, but Troy played a great game. Had a sack, almost had a pick-6, and was great in run support. Great bounce-back game after getting picked on a little last week.
• The offensive line is still shaky at best. Foster played well at LG filling in for Kemoeatu. Jonathan Scott wasn't very impressive. Marcus Gilbert missed some blocks, but had an okay game.
• William Gay had a decent outing starting for B-Mac. 
• How good is Ike Taylor? I think there was only 1 pass even thrown in his direction today. He pretty much nullified Mike Williams. Rack that up was the second WR he has pretty much shut out.
• I'm critical of Arians when he makes bad decisions, so I should praise him when he does something good. He made a good halftime adjustment to start working the quick slants and posts to Wallace and Brown to take advantage of the LBs playing up and the safeties sitting deep.
• Gotta keep this momentum rolling next week in Indy. Can't take anything for granted right now.
• Baltimore lost today, so the window is open for us to take the division lead next week.

Gameday: Seattle Seahawks

1:00pm

Heinz Field

TV: FOX

Radio: 102.5 WDVE and other affiliates

What To Watch For

1. Pistachio Theory

If you listen to the Hines Ward show or In the Locker Room with Tunch and Wolf or pretty much any show involving Tunch and/or Wolf, you'll know the pistachio theory. It basically says: when you eat a bad pistachio nut, the only thing that can get the bad flavor out of your mouth is another pistachio nut. Similarly, the only way to really get over a bad game is to play another game. This is the Steelers chance to get that bad taste out of their mouth, and against a relatively weak Seattle team, this game could turn into a feeding frenzy.

2. Pass Rush

On paper, this matchup sets up great for the Steelers. They didn't get much in terms of a pass rush against Baltimore. Meanwhile, Seattle is fielding only one guy (Robert Gallery) on their O-line who they haven't drafted in the last few years. Woodley and Harrison should be licking their chops at the opportunity to pin their ears back and get after Tavaris Jackson. The other thing working in our favor is that Jackson can be indecisive in the pocket and likes to hang on to the ball. If you think Roethlisberger holds on to the ball for too long, just wait until you see Jackson.

3. Marcus Gilbert

The Steelers picked Gilbert in the second round of the draft this year. When Willie Colon went down with a season-ending injury, Gilbert was next in line on the depth chart. Now, in his second NFL game, he finds himself in the starting lineup. After a poor start to camp the kid has turned it around and looked impressive in the later part of the preseason. Personally, I think it's a great move to let him play and get him reps in game play. At 6'6" 330, he has the frame to be a left tackle and might be the future answer at the position (because Jonathan Scott surely isn't it). Of the two entrenched left tackles the Steelers fielded over the last decade (Marvel Smith and Max Starks), both of them started their careers at right tackle. This could be the beginning of the Marcus Gilbert era on the line.

4. Pass defense

While the pass rush in a good situation, the secondary could be in prime position to make some big plays. Bryant McFadden is questionable with an injury, and if he doesn't play we'll probably see William Gay start. This means that Keenan Lewis will probably be the nickel back with either Curtis Brown or Cortez Allen (we'll bet on Brown) as the dime back. Hopefully B-Mac can play, but if not, we'd like to see Curtis Brown get some reps at nickel back.

5. Run. The. Ball.

Seattle had the 21st ranked run defense last year and lost two of their leading tacklers (Lofa Tatupu and Lawyer Milloy) in free agency. The Steelers were able to create some holes against the Ravens last week, but abandoned the running game after getting behind by multiple scores. Hopefully we see some good old smash-mouth football with Mendenhall and Redman both getting a strong workload. A strong performance on the ground will take some of the pressure off Ben as well. We know he's a great QB, but we'd rather see him throwing the ball 25 times than 45.

Behind Enemy Lines

This week's Behind Enemy Lines guest is our buddy from the great northwest Chris from Thirty Acre Fortress. Even if you're not a Seahawks fan, he's worth following on Twitter @30AcreFortress for some good football talk in general.

1. Both teams got off to a slow start in defending their division titles from last season. Besides winning the game, what do you want to see from the Seahawks for this game to be considered a "success"?

The Seahawks are, er, not great. I'll give you a second to take in that paradigm-shifting piece of news. Okay, moving on. So yeah, we kinda stink, mostly because of our young offensive line and cadre of backup quarterbacks. Despite the offensive troubles, we didn't lose because of our offense last week. We didn't lose because of our defense, either. The Seahawks were the third best special teams unit in the NFL last year based on Football Outsiders' DVOA rankings. We're deservedly 32nd after week one after giving up consecutive kick returns to Ted "I was a First Round Pick?" Ginn. To be considered a success, the Seahawks need to button up that special teams unit. Injuries to our two best coverage players (I'd name them, but no one cares) will be tough to overcome, but oh well. Another thing that would hearten the 12th Man would be more solid play from our safeties. Last week both 1st round pick Earl Thomas (who Carroll has likened to Polamalu based on speed, meanness, and nose for the ball) and 5th rounder Kam Chancellor (who is enormous and scary) played out of their minds. They did so against the 49ers, though, the NFL's answer to Eastern South Idaho State Technical College for the Deaf. If those two can continue playing well, we'll be pretty satisfied. 

2. The Seahawks have invested heavily in their offensive line over the last few years with a lot of young talent. We're looking forward to watching the Steelers pass rushers go to town on these guys after a week against Baltimore when they really got no pressure. Are there any matchups you're looking forward to watching?

 It's going to be ugly. The front office has been raked through the coals for taking James Carpenter at #25, and that's understandable because the draftniks didn't have him up that high (well, other than Rob Rang). Had the Seahawks not taken Carpenter, both the Steelers and the Packers were interested in him, which is why the Seahawks grabbed him there. Carpenter has looked awful so far, but to his credit, he has been active. Danny Watkins (PHI) and Derek Sherrod (Green Bay) weren't. As for matchups from our side, Seahawks fans are really hyped about CFL import Brandon Browner. He's the tallest cornerback in the NFL at 6'4" and unexpectedly won the starting job this season after 2010 4th round pick Walter Thurmond spent most of training camp on the sidelines with an ankle sprain. Browner is big, physical, and surprisingly fast. I look forward to seeing him go up against a physical a-hole (that's a compliment) like Hines Ward, and up against a sick speedster like Mike Wallace. One more, for good measure, will be our rush defense going against Rashard Mendenhall (who I totally have a fantasy football crush on). In Red Bryant 's(5-tech defensive end) seven starts in the last two years (tore his MCL in week six last year), the Seahawks have held feature backs to 2.8 yards per carry. We were second in rush defense (behind the Steelers, if memory serves) for the first six weeks of last season with Bryant healthy. It will be interesting to we can keep Mendenhall + Co in check as well as the Ravens did last week. 

 3. The Seahawks plundered the Vikings roster this offseason, picking up Tavaris Jackson and Sidney Rice to add to their offense. Who are you looking for to step up and have a big game for Seattle?

 Well, not Tarvaris Jackson or Sidney Rice. Rice is injured (shoulder) and they have no intention of rushing him back, especially to face the Steelers. Tarvaris has been unpleasant to watch. If they can't fix his gun shy nature, I expect Charlie Whitehurst could take over the reins after the bye week. As a quarterback, it's generally important to throw the ball on passing plays. (That said, with only three fumbles, he looks like a high-octane passing machine compared to Big Ben last week!) As I mentioned earlier, I think Earl Thomas can have a big game this week. He is only 22 years old, but has stepped up to become the leader on this defense. He's among the fastest safeties in the game, has good ball skills, and is a surprisingly punishing presence -- last week, he made us swoon when he basically picked up TE Vernon Davis (who has five inches and 50 pounds on him) and slammed him into the ground behind the line of scrimmage. Offensively, I'd love to see free agent acquisition Zach Miller get into the fold more. He had a good game blocking last week, but we need Jackson to have some sort of outlet past the line of scrimmage, and Miller should be able to provide that for him. 

 4. When we heard that Bill Leavy was chosen to be the official for this game, we figured it was mostly a publicity stunt by the NFL to generate a storyline for this game. Obviously, people in the great northwest are still a little bitter about some of the calls Leavy's crew made in Super Bowl XL. Do you expect Leavy to try to overcompensate for the calls made in Super Bowl XL in this game?

 I honestly don't understand why the NFL would do this. Super Bowl XL -- regardless of opinion -- is clearly a black mark on the NFL for the controversy and the subsequent Leavy apology for "kicking calls." Why would they stir up that pot? No press is bad press, I suppose. At any rate, ultimately this will be a non-factor. Leavy is going to call the most by-the-rules game of his career, and will do everything in his power to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. I will say that Seahawks fans care infinitely more about this than the Seahawks themselves do -- only two members of the squad were on that 2005/06 team. For what its worth, the 15-yard "chop block" penalty on Matt Hasselbeck (for tackling a ball carrier) is the worst penalty ever called in the history of the universe. All the other ones have arguments for and against, but you can't have an illegal block on the ball carrier. Other than that call, I'm over it. Really, I am. Hold me? 

 5. Any other final thoughts?

 Nothing printworthy. But if you wanted to just pimp the twitter (@30AcreFortress), that would be great.

First home game of the season.

Don't forget, it's on FOX because Seattle is the visiting team.

Bring the noise.

GO STEELERS!!

The Baltimassacre: Steelers Lose

  7

35

 
Yikes. Well, let's put it this way: I honestly can't remember the last time the Steelers had 7 turnovers in a game. And you're never, ever, going to win when you turn the ball over 7 times.

This looks suspicious.....

This isn't going to be fun, but let's get through this thing. Honestly wouldn't blame you if you just scroll to the "Final Thoughts" section.

Game Recap

The Steelers win the toss and defer, giving the Ravens the ball.

They come right out on the ground and Ray Rice rips off a huge gain behind Vonte Leach. Two plays later, Flacco goes to the air and goes right after B-Mac, dropping the ball in to Boldin just out of B-Mac's reach. Really good throw by Flacco, B-Mac had decent coverage. Either way, it's a touchdown.

0-7

The Steelers come out running and Mendenhall gets 11 yards on two carries, but then the Steelers go to the air and the drive stalls out.

Baltimore comes back picking on B-Mac again, but two holding penalties (one which wipes out a big gain down the middle which was an obvious hold on Harrison) end their drive. 

Kinda surprised that penalty actually got called. Harrison usually never gets those.

The offense starts moving the ball with two WR screens. I hate that play, but it worked with Wallace to move the sticks. Ben keeps working it to Wallace to move the chains again before the wheels fall off. Suggs runs a stunt from the right side and blows up the middle and annihilates Ben, knocking the ball out.

The Ravens almost score two plays later on a Ray Rice run but it's ruled he was down at the 1. Rice plows in behind Leach two plays later.

0-14

Down by 14, the Steelers keep it on the ground, and Mendenhall rips off a 23-yarder. The offense keeps rolling behind a pass to Heath and a Redman rumble.

Second Quarter

With the ball in the red zone, it's Mendenhall time and he gets 3 straight carries to move the chains. Manny Sanders makes a 3rd down grab to get us into goal-to-go then steps up on a scramble play and pulls down a touchdown in the back of the end zone.

7-14

The defense comes back out and comes up with a big stop, giving the offense a chance to tie the game. However, after we had picked up 37 of the 68 yards on the ground on the last drive, we go to the air 3 straight times and fail to move the chains. Terrible way to respond after a touchdown drive and a stop. In retrospect, I really wish they would have gone to the ground there.

The Ravens turn around and march right back down the field, mostly on the back of Ray Rice, converting 3 third downs before getting into 3rd and 6 in the red zone when Flacco hits Rice down the sideline and he dives in over the pylon.

Well, shit.

7-21

The Steelers crap on themselves in the 2-minute drill. The Ravens move the ball a little, but run out of time.

Third Quarter

The Steelers get the ball to start but right off the bat it all goes to hell. Ben bobbles a snap then barely gets the ball into Mendenhall's hands right before he gets utterly destroyed by Ngata, knocking the ball out. The Ravens go right after us, with Flacco going play-action and hitting some tight end in the end zone. Troy had decent coverage in front of him, but Flacco threw it where only his guy could catch it. Inexplicably, the Ravens run a fake field goal for the two point conversion. Um...okay...

7-29

Things go from bad to worse as Ngata gets a paw on a pass and the ball falls right into Ray Lewis' hands. Two plays, two turnovers. Ngata is a freaking monster.

The defense steps up and stops the Ravens inside the 10. Rather than tack on more points, and kick the easy field goal, the Ravens opt to go for it on 4th and 1 and James Harrison blows up Ray Rice in the hole.

Ben hits Wallace for a few solid gains then Hines across the middle for a big gain to move down into Ravens territory. Redman converts a 3rd and 1 inside the red zone, but Ben underthrows Heath, who is open in the end zone, on a scramble play and Ed Reed makes the pick.

On the back of two big passes to Boldin and a big run by Ricky Williams, the Ravens move back down the field into the red zone. The defense holds and forces a field goal.

7-32

The Steelers go 3-and-out after 3 incompletions and seem to hold the Ravens, but a penalty on Ike Taylor in a giant scrum (no idea how there weren't offsetting penalties on this one) gives the Ravens new life.

Fourth Quarter

Not a whole lot really happened here, so we'll breeze through the key points:

The Steelers finally got a sack when Woodley brings down Flacco. We really had no pressure all day.

Ben threw a horrible interception on the run to Ed Reed...really no receivers around, he just threw it right to him. 

For some unknown reason, Ben played the whole game at QB.

Mewelde Moore fumbled after a good run on a screen pass.

Ben got sacked again and fumbled, leading to another Ravens field goal to make it 35-7.

Suggs sacked Ben on the last play of the game...that pretty much summed up the whole day.

Players of the Game

Offensive Game Ball: Mike Wallace

Defensive Game Ball: Ike Taylor

Honorable Mentions:

LaMarr Woodley

Emmanuel Sanders

Daniel Sepulveda

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game

Having as many turnovers as points

Yeah, that's never a good thing. You're not going to win any games with this kind of stat line, and it's a little surprising we only gave up 35 considering how many turnovers we had.

Final Thoughts

• This was probably the worst start to the season we can remember since the early 2000s.
• Ray Rice had 107 rushing yards, but he had a lot of carries that didn't net much. He had a few big runs though. Vonte Leach was a huge pickup.
• To his credit, Flacco did make some really nice throws for touchdowns today. The pass to Boldin and the one to the TE that Troy was covering were right where they needed to be.
• The offensive line was bad today. Legursky got rocked by Ngata and Jonathan Scott was completely out of his league against Suggs.
• Suggs had 3 sacks today, and he was owning Scott all day. No clue why Arians refused to switch to formations that had a blocking back in the backfield to help chip Suggs and protect Ben.
• For being a franchise QB, Ben gets beat up a lot and the O-line looked like it's old Maginot Line-self again today.
• Mendenhall was running well until the fumble to start the second half then we pretty much gave up on the running game. I know the score was getting out of reach, but having Ben throw 41 times isn't the recipe for success.
• Ike Taylor had a great game against Lee Evans. Evans was targeted 4 times and had no catches. For anyone that didn't think Ike was a necessity to re-sign, there's your proof.
• Woodley had a sack, but we barely had any pressure on the QB today. That HAS to change.
• In the end, it's only the first game of the season, and we still get Baltimore at home. We lost to them last year early and still won the division.
• That said, there was some poor coverage and really sloppy tackling out there today.
• Gotta go balls-to-the-wall against Seattle next week. Let's go.

Gameday: Baltimore Ravens

1:00pm

M&T Bank Stadium

TV: CBS

Radio: 102.5 WDVE and other affiliates

What To Watch For

1. Holy shit

The last time we saw these guys, they were exiting stage left down the tunnel at Heinz Field as the Steelers moved on to the AFC Championship game.

Since that cold night in January, we have been through another Super Bowl, and possibly the longest offseason in Steelers history as we were unsure if there was actually going to be a football season for much of the summer. Now, we're less than 24 hours away from seeing these two teams lock horns and slug it out.

2. New Faces

The Steelers spent most of the short period of free agency locking down their own guys, securing their nucleus of players to contract extensions. They got deals done with LaMarr Woodley, Ike Taylor, Troy Polamalu, Lawrence Timmons, and Willie Colon (along with renegotiating current deals with a handful of current players). On the other side, the Ravens went out and tried to add pieces to their lineup via free agency. They added FB Vonta Leach (who plowed the way for Arian Foster last year), WR Lee Evans, RB Ricky Williams, OT Bryant McKinnie, and C Andre Gurode. Both teams had to split ways with a number of players: the Steelers cutting Max Starks and the Ravens sending Todd Heap and Derek Mason on their merry way. To be honest, we couldn't be happier to see Heap and Mason gone, they were Steelers killers.

3. Battle of the Trenches

Specifically, Jonathan Scott vs Terrell Suggs. Suggs had 16 sacks between the regular season and postseason last year with 4.5 of those coming against Jonathan Scott in two games against the Steelers. The bigger matchup though might be Haloti Ngata vs the Steelers entire line. Ngata is a freaking monster and has totally dominated the Steelers line (and pretty much every line). The Ravens will move Ngata around on the line, so the Steelers should be cognizant of this and not run the ball in his direction. Of Ngata's 67 tackles last year between the regular season and playoffs, 19 came against the Steelers. 

4. Spread formations

Year in and year out, the Steelers and Ravens have two of the top run defenses in the league. As teams have shown in the past, the best way to move the ball against either team is to spread them out and pick on their nickel and dime corners. The Steelers have the depth at receiver to do this, with Sanders, Brown, and Cotchery to complement Ward and Wallace. Of course, let's not forget about Heath Miller. For the Ravens, Evans is a deep threat and Boldin is the mid-range guy. Beyond those, the Ravens have rookies Torrey Smith and Tandon Doss. Derek Mason wasn't much of a deep threat, but he was sure-handed and after Boldin had just 1 catch for -3 yards in the last meeting between these two teams, Boldin will need to step up big time for the Ravens passing game to have success in this game. After the great preseason that Antonio Brown put together, the Steelers will probably rotate Brown and Sanders into the game, spelling Ward and Wallace to get all of them snaps and to keep the top guys fresh.

5. Turnovers and Last Possession

If there's anything that could be considered a constant in the Steelers-Ravens series, it's that the team that generates more turnovers is probably going to win the game. Both of these defenses feed off of turnovers, and once there is blood in the water, they are going to go into full-out attack mode. The other consistent factor has been the last possession. These games always come down to the end, whether it's Ben leading the Steelers to victory with game-winning touchdown passes to the likes of Santonio Holmes or Isaac Redman or Joe Flacco hitting TJ Douchemandzadeh or Ray Rice in overtime to put the Ravens on top. The team that gets the ball last is probably going to win this one, and we know whose hands we want to see wrapped around the pigskin. In 007 we trust.

Behind Enemy Lines

This week's Behind Enemy Lines guest is our friend Phil from I Hate JJ Redick. We hate the Ravens just as much as the next person, but Phil is a good guy who runs a solid blog. You should definitely follow him on twitter @iHateJJRedick as well.

1. Hated rivals facing off the opening week of the season can definitely set the tone for the entire year. However, the Steelers lost to the Ravens early last season and came back to win the division, so the result of this game isn't the be-all-end-all for the AFC North race. Besides winning the game, what do you want to see from the Ravens for this game to be considered a "success"?

A ton of things. I want to see how Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams play at corner. The offensive line with the additions of Gurode and McKinnie. Finally, whether Pitta or Dickson emerge as the more useful tight end for Flacco. It's not a "must win" but it's pretty close given the difference home field advantage would make if both teams meet again in the playoffs.

2. The Ravens have done some shuffling up front on their offensive line since the two teams met last in the playoffs. We're excited to see James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley get their chances against the Ravens new line. Are there any matchups you're looking forward to watching?

The offensive line will be much better than it was last season. Bryant McKinnie has looked good and lost 10 pounds since he signed with the Ravens. Gurode is only 33 and will be able to step right in if Matt Birk can't play (which he should be able to). Moving Oher over to right tackle makes me feel a little bit more confident in his ability to protect Flacco.

3. The Ravens have added a lot of weapons on offense for Joe Flacco, including RB Ricky Williams and WR Lee Evans in free agency and WR Torrey Smith in the draft. Who are you looking for to step up and have a big game?

How can you not mention Vonta Leach? I got a boner just thinking about him cleaning Polamalu's clock. He is going to clear running lanes for Rice all season long. Great pickup. Another guy is Tandon Doss. He should be the Ravens slot receiver over Torrey Smith and the guy catches EVERYTHING you throw his way. I think he gets a touchdown on Sunday. Ricky Williams is basically an even replacement for McGahee.

4. Todd Heap was a thorn in the side of the Steelers for his entire tenure with Baltimore. With Heap and Derrick Mason gone, the Ravens lost their two most shore-handed and consistent receivers. Do you think Anquan Boldin (who had 1 catch for -3 yards in the playoff game) and Lee Evans can shoulder the load in the passing game?

If the Ravens are smart they know how to beat the Steelers from watching how the Packers, Saints, Pats, etc. did it. They need to spread out 4 wide and attack the weakest part of the Steelers defense...their cornerbacks. Boldin and Evans compliment each other very well unlike Boldin and Mason did. Now we have a deep threat (Evans).

5a. With both Bryant McKinnie and Terrence Cody on the team, are any all-you-can-eat buffets still in business in the Baltimore area?

Let's just say there are Chinese buffets opening on every corner in anticipation.

5b. Who would win in an eating contest: McKinnie or Cody?

Chris Kemoeatu

Our take: Good response, we would probably pick Casey Hampton over all of them.

6. Any other final thoughts?

This game matters much more for the Ravens than the Steelers. A win here against Big Ben will get the gorilla off their back and give them confidence that should the teams meet again in the playoffs they know they have what it takes to beat the Steelers with Big Ben at quarterback. Just wish it wasn't the first game of the season. Doesn't have the feeling that most of the Ravens/Steelers matchups have but should be a great game. Ravens 24 Steelers 17

Our take: We agree completely that we wish this game was in Week 4 or 5 after we had a few games under our belts, but we'll take it when we can get it.

Can't believe gameday is finally here. Let's do this.

Go Steelers!!

2011 Steelers Preview: Defense

Defensive End

Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward

Defensive ends in a 3-4 scheme might be the most over-looked of any starters on the field, but they're really the guys that make things happen. They don't rack up a ton of sacks or tackles, but they fill the gaps and turn outside plays back inside for the linebackers to clean up. This might be the best set of defensive ends the Steelers have had in a long time. With two first round picks in the fold, the future of the position is set, but the vets are still perfectly capable of playing at a high level.

Nose Tackle

Casey Hampton, Chris Hoke, Steve McLendon

Casey Hampton is nearing the end of his career and Chris Hoke is over 30, so McLendon is really the only young depth here. Hampton is a plug in the middle while Hoke brings a bit of a change of pace with quick upfield moves. McLendon is a mix of both and played well after being called up from the practice squad last year.

Outside Linebacker

James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, Jason Worlids, Chris Carter

Harrison and Woodley became the first two Steelers to ever record 10+ sacks in 3 consecutive seasons. Harrison is coming off back surgery and Woodley just inked a new deal. Second year player Jason Worlids is still developing and rookie Chris Carter will probably only see the field on Special Teams (if at all) this season.

Inside Linebacker

James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons, Larry Foote, Stevenson Sylvester

Potsie has been a consummate force during his time with the Steelers and he's still the leader of the defense. Lawrence Timmons is primed to have a monster year after finishing in the top 10 in the league in tackles last season. Timmons has the best closing speed on the team outside of the guy who wears 43. Larry Foote hasn't seen the field much in his second tour of duty with the team, but he is being groomed as the replacement for Farrior. Sylvester is a young talent that brings the boom on special teams.

Cornerback

Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden, William Gay, Keenan Lewis, Curtis Brown, Cortez Allen

Ike Taylor got a new contract then broke a finger in the preseason, but that won't hinder his game much. He's been the most consistent corner we've had since DeShea Townsend saw steady playing time. McFadden has been good when healthy, but he has a lower body injury that might keep him out early in the season. William Gay has been feast or famine, and Keenan Lewis still has a lot to prove. Rookies Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen have the raw talent to be great players in the future, but a lack of offseason training activities hurt their early development.

Safety

Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark, Ryan Mundy, Will Allen

As long as Troy is healthy, he's a contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Ryan Clark has gotten a lot better about looking for the ball instead of the big hit, and his interception numbers have started to creep up. Mundy was the defensive MVP of the preseason, he was all over the field. Will Allen is a solid special teams player.

Punter

Daniel Sepulveda

Sepulveda won what turned into a surprising camp battle to be the Steelers punter. Everyone pretty much figured Sepulveda had the job, but Kapinos had a great camp and pushed Sepulveda for the job.

Long Snapper

Greg Warren

No one thinks much about long snappers until you realize how valuable they are. Think about how many bad snaps on field goals, extra points, etc you've seen from teams like Cincinnati and Dallas. Then think about how few you've seen from Pittsburgh. That tells you everything you need to know about Greg Warren.

2011 Steelers Preview: Offense

Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon

007 has looked sharp so far this preseason and is poised to have a breakout year. With Bruce Arians calling the plays, this does mean that Ben could wind up throwing 40+ times per game. Homestead Charlie is still a capable backup, and Dennis Dixon seems to play better as he gets more reps, but let's all hope we don't have to see Dixon at all this year.

Running Back

Rashard Mendenhall, Isaac Redman, Mewelde Moore, Jonathan Dwyer

Mendenhall figures to see the lion's share of work once again this year, but we're hoping to see more of Isaac Redman. Redman is a grinder who just refuses to go down. His legs never stop churning and it takes a small army to get him on the ground. Moore has been a solid third-down back, with great hands out of the backfield and decent in blitz-pickup. Redman is probably the best blocker of the group, and we wouldn't be surprised to see some "pony" backfields with Mendenhall and Redman together this year. What the group lacks is a true "speed" back but Mendenhall has the agility and downfield speed to take one to the house at any time.

Wide Receiver

Hines Ward, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, Arnaz Battle

This might be one of the deepest receiving units in the NFL. Hines Ward needs 46 receptions to become the 8th player all time with 1,000 career receptions. Mike Wallace was one of the top receivers in the league last year, and that was with Ben out for 4 games. Antonio Brown had a monster preseason and Manny Sanders might start slow, coming off an offseason with multiple foot surgeries, but he is looking to build off a great end to last season. Cotchery is a sure-handed receiver brought in to be the #5 guy. Cotchery can step in as a #2 or #3 receiver at any time if someone gets hurt. Battle is the special teams captain, hopefully he takes less back-breaking penalties than Keyaron Fox did last year.

Tight End

Heath Miller, David Johnson, Weslye Saunders

Heath Miller is one of the best all-around tight ends in the league, you just don't hear enough about him because he's usually busy blocking the crap out of 3 defenders. Miller has great hands and we'd love to see the Steelers use him more in the passing game. Johnson is a good blocker who will play an "H-back" role of playing fullback and TE. Saunders is the only undrafted free agent to make the team, displaying some good hands and decent blocking skills in the preseason.

Tackle

Jonathan Scott, Willie Colon, Marcus Gilbert, Trai Essex

The Steelers parted ways with Max Starks, leaving Jonathan Scott as the starting LT for the season. We really don't feel too good about this, and we've never been as high on Willie Colon as some others have. We never bought into the "Colon is the best lineman on the team" theory. Read back through our game recaps from the 2009 season and you'll see Colon committing a false start and/or holding penalty at least once a game. Rookie Marcus Gilbert is probably the most talented of the group, and could see playing time if Scott struggles. Essex is the swing man and essentially the backup everything, from Center to Tackle.

Guard

Chris Kemoeatu, Doug Legursky, Ramon Foster, Chris Scott

After trying Chris Scott, Tony Hills, and Doug Legursky at RG during the preseason, the Bronco was awarded the spot (at least for the time being). We're not sure why Ramon Foster, the starter for a good chunk of last year at RG, didn't get a look in the preseason, but he's hovering as the top backup at both guard spots. 

Center

Maurkice Pouncey

Pouncey made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. That's about all you need to know. He has a dinged up ankle, but that won't stop him from being a monster on the inside.

Kicker

Shaun Suisham

Suisham came in after Jeff Reed struggled last season and provided a stable foot during the second half of the season, including single-handedly (or footedly?) carrying us to victory over Buffalo. He nailed a 52-yarder in preseason.