2007 Steelers - Week #4 Arizona Cardinals

Last Weeks Result

• Pittsburgh 37, San Francisco 16
• Record: 3-0
• Standings: Sole possession of 1st in AFC North

Last Weeks Game Recap

Sorry about the delay in getting anything up this week. I was lucky enough to attend the match up between the 49ers and Steelers this week and it has been hard to get a review written up. I love visiting the Steel city and taking in a Steelers game live is something every Steelers fan should try to do.

And now for the game. This was another game that was probably closer than the final score showed. In fact, this game marked the first time this season that the Steelers have trailed this season. San Francisco drove the opening kickoff deep into Steeler territory before stalling and settling for a field goal. The ensuing kick off was returned by a touchdown by Allan Rossum and the rout was on… Well, not quite. The first half of this game was as competitive as any the Steelers have been in. It really wasn’t until the interception returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter that this game seemed out of reach for the 49ers.

Willie Parker had a good game and was able to keep a consistent running game turning out the yards. Ben threw some outstanding passes, but not a lot of yardage and just the one touchdown. I was extremely impressed with Ben’s ability to stay alive in the pocket. Mobile and quarterback are not words often muttered when talking about Ben, but he really does an outstanding job of shifting in the pocket to buy time. The offensive line varied from fair to spectacular. I do feel like this unit is coming together better and if they can play cohesively, this offense can be very good.

On defense, the Steelers did their typical great job of stopping the power running game. With Gore shut down, the 49ers really attacked the perimeter with roll-outs and end-arounds. The Steelers struggled at times with this, as Alex Smith seems to be much more comfortable on the run and made plays outside the pocket with his feet and his arm. My worry about Vernon Davis was justified as he really played well at the first of the game. Overall the defense did a good job not giving up touchdowns when the 49ers got into scoring position. The lone touchdown, while inexcusable, came late when the game was pretty well out of reach for the 49ers.

Special teams is quickly becoming a strength for the Steelers. Punt and kick-off coverages were excellent and the return game was outstanding. This goes beyond Rossum, as the blocking on the returns was nearly perfect as well. To date the Steelers have shown themselves to be an all around complete team. They are not flashy, but they are disciplined and play sound football in all three phases of the game.

This was a level 2 game in my rankings, which means that the Steelers should have won this game on paper. To date, the Steelers have only played games they should have won and have easily won them all.

Game MVP

Allen Rossum. Just as the season began, the Steelers acquired Allen Rossum in one of the best trades I can recall recently for the team. After last years Special Teams catastrophe, I would have been happy with someone that could just catch the ball. Fortunately for Steelers fans, Rossum is much more.

Game Grades

• Offense: B - The offensive line is getting better, but still has some issues.
• Defense: B - Giving up the late touchdown was not good regardless of the score. Also, their was an inability to cover the perimeters well early on. Game time adjustments seemed to help.
• Special Teams: A - What else could it be. Special Teams were flawless.
• Coaching Staff: A- - While the coaching is still outstanding, I have just a tiny worry that the coaching staff may have not broken down film very well on the 49ers. The Steelers started the game a bit rough.
• Overall: - B+
  

Season (Composite) Grades

• Offense: - B
  
• Defense: - B+
  
• Special Teams: - B+
  
• Coaching Staff: - A-
  
• Overall: - B+

Next Up: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have been very much in every game they have played to date. All three games they have played in have been decided by 3 points, with the Cardinals only coming out on top once. They have proven to be competitive and dangerous as the Ravens found at last week.

The Steelers game plan on defense may be a bit different this week. I would not be surprised to see more of a hybrid cover-2 look out of the some of the standard defensive formations. Arizona’s power running game has been decent at best and the Steelers should be able to contain the run without much safety support. I believe they will try to limit the excellent receivers and may allow a few more rushing yards.

I have this as a level 2 game because it is away. There is a lot of talk that the coaching staff of the Cardinals may really want to have this game. However, I think that the Steelers will win this game quite comfortably as they will realize that they can not let up on the Cardinals. I don’t think this game will be close. This is another game where the Steelers have more talent than their opponent. However, as always, turnovers are the great equalizer in the NFL. If the Steelers don’t take care of the ball, the Cardinals will not hesitate to make them pay.

Final Score Prediction

Pittsburgh 31

Arizona 17