2007 Steelers - Week #12 Miami Dolphins

Last Weeks Result

• New York Jets 19, Pittsburgh 16
• Record: 7-3
• Standings: Sole possession of 1st in AFC North

Last Weeks Game Recap

This was a tough game to watch. Not only did the Steelers lose, but it highlighted some fundamental flaws in the 2007 Steelers. These are mentioned in more detail below. First of all, I want to be careful not to take anything away from the Jets for this win. They came out with a game plan and executed it well. The play calling at the first of the game caught the Steelers by surprise and allowed the Jets to take the early lead. I think this took the Steelers away from what they wanted to do just enough to be a factor in this game.

I come to the same concussion that Tomlin pointed out in his post game conference. This loss was truly a team effort. All three phases of this team contributed to this loss. The team seemed flat and, in my estimation, severely under-estimated their opponent.

Instead of delving into this game too deeply, I am going to focus on the fundamental flaws that were highlighted by this game. These issues have been in the back of my mind for most of the season, but it is hard to argue against a winning record and leading the AFC North since about week 1. Presented below is four reasons why this is not a championship team.

• The offensive line varies from dreadful to sub-par. There have been very few games where I thought that the offensive line was winning the point of contact. For whatever reason, this unit has not meshed yet. I watch other teams in envy as I see their offensive line and I truly believe that the Steelers have the worst offensive line in the NFL. It is so hard to pinpoint what is wrong. The line is a unit and just one sub-par player brings down the entire level of this unit.
• The special teams are horrendous. The 2006 Steelers failed to make the play-offs due to special teams. They were never able to get a returner that would not fumble the ball on punt returns. That problem has been corrected, but this year the coverage teams are truly a joke. Mike Tomlin seems to be paying more than lip service to this issue, but something is just not right with this unit.
• The defense is unable to make a stop when it really counts. The Steelers defense is number one or near the top in every statistical category imaginable. At times they have absolutely dominated opponents. However, the true measure of a championship defense is the ability to make a stop when it really counts. The Denver game was similar to this game in that the defense could not stop them from getting the game winner.
• This team seems incapable of winning on the road. This team is below .500 as a road team with 2 wins and 3 losses. The 3 losses have come to decent teams, but certainly not elite teams. A championship team absolutely needs to win on the road - either to get home field advantage for the play-offs or to win on the road (against elite teams) in the play-offs.

This team is talented. This same core of players were crowned Superbowl champions less than two years ago after one of the most impressive runs in play-off history. That 2005 team had down points in its season as well. The difference was that they became a championship team. Things look bleak for the 2007 Steelers now. They still have a decent chance of making the play-offs, but if they can not fix these core issues, they will not go far. Only time will tell whether the 2007 Steelers can play at a championship level.

Game MVP

Alan Faneca - It may seem strange to put an offensive linemen in here after the offensive line comments above, but there was very little to draw from in this game. I choose Alan mainly because he got blamed for a sack by the announcers in the game. Replays of the sack in question clearly showed Alan handling his assignment and coming over to try to chip the nose tackle that was coming through untouched. In the background, Sean Mahan is laying face down. I really felt that Alan was playing with a passion far above anyone else on the line. He was at the second level quite often. Unfortunately it didn’t matter because the rest of the line was so dreadful.

Game Grades

• Offense: D - The offensive line play was cover-your-eyes bad. I would have this as an F except for the heart and play of Roethlisberger. The play calling seems a bit conservative and the offensive line is not creating holes for the running game nor allowing anything to develop in the passing game.
• Defense: D - This defense gave up four first downs by penalty yesterday. They allowed a 100-yard rusher. But most damning is that they could not make a stop when it counted to end the game. This was a lackluster showing by this defense.
• Special Teams: F - For two weeks in a row, the special teams play has been an absolute failure. The adjustment on kick-offs was a good idea, but it is just pathetic that our kick-off coverage is so bad that we give them the ball on the 30-yard line. The poor punt and even worse coverage set up the Jets to kick the game winner.
• Coaching Staff: D- - Mike Tomlin made it a point that there was no need to talk to his team about this being a trap game. He said that they knew that. Based on their execution and level of play I am not so sure that they did. In addition, something needs to be done on special teams. Things are great when you win, but lets see how Tomlin and staff respond to this loss.
• Overall: D- - By far the worst loss of the season and the worst performance I can recall in a Steelers team for a long long time.

Season (Composite) Grades

• Offense: - C+
• Defense: - C+
• Special Teams: - C
• Coaching Staff: -C+
• Overall: -C+

Next Up: Miami Dolphins

So the question is: Do the Steelers take a winless Dolphins team lightly? I am sure that they will say all the right things about taking things week to week and that this is the NFL and you can’t overlook any opponents. They will actually say it with conviction and they will actually mean it. But only the level of play on the field will display the veracity of their words.

Thanks in part to the terrible running game last week by the Steelers, they will once again face the worst team in the league at stopping the run. For the third time this season, the Steelers are facing an opposing defense that is coming into the game ranked dead last in yardage given up by rushing. Each time, through the generosity of the Steelers, these teams have been able to move up from the bottom of the list due to the anemic Steelers rushing attack in these games.

On paper, this appears to be a game in which the Steelers will be able to run the ball. Every time that this has seemed like a mismatch the opposing team has come in prepared to stop the run and quite frankly the offensive line has not risen to the challenge. I am looking for something this week to restore my confidence in this team competing against the upper echelon teams of the NFL. A good indicator of an elite team is the ability to do something when the other team is trying to stop it. For that reason, I am looking for the Steelers to establish a ground game and have success with it this week.

The Steelers defense is going up against a rookie quarterback on an offense that has struggled all year. The Dolphins seem to have a decent running game, but have not been able to balance their attack with effective passing. The Steelers were burned by a trick play last week, but I don’t feel this is any reason to stop being aggressive. A flea-flicker does not work if the defensive line can get penetration. I look for another aggressive defensive game plan.

Finally, Joey Porter is making his way back to the Burgh. I think the Steelers need to be careful not to let him get to them. He is an intimidator and will trash talk the entire game. The Steelers have first hand accounts of seeing him get under the opponents skin. The most effective way to deal with Porter is to ignore him and let our play respond to his talking.

Final Score Prediction

Pittsburgh 24

Miami 14