Steelers 2014 Schedule

Pittsburgh Steelers 2014 Schedule Posted

Steelers will also be playing five games in prime-time including two appearances on Monday night, two on Sunday night and a Thursday night game.

Steelers 2014 Pre-Season Schedule; Recent Transactions; Pouncey Says His Knee Feels Great

2014 Pre-Season Schedule Announced

Week 1: At NY Giants (TBA)
Week 2: Vs. Bills . Saturday, August 16 @ 7:30 p.m.
Week 3: At Eagles (TBA)
Week 4: Vs. Carolina, Thursday, August 28 @ 7:30 p.m.


Recent Transactions:

4/2/14 signed WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
4/1/14 signed CB Brice McCain


Report: Center Maurkice Pouncey said his knee feels great.

Seven months after Maurkice Pouncey suffered a torn ACL and MCL, he said he feels great according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pouncey has been rehabbing in Pittsburgh instead of Miami where he normally trains this time of year.

Steelers Draft Order; Steelers Sign RB Blount To A 2 Year Contract

Here It Is...Courtesy Steelers

Steelers Sign LeGarrette Blount

Steelers signed RB LeGarrette Blount from New England. Blount was signed to a 2 year contract. With the Patriots, Blount was primarily used on 1st and 2nd downs.  His pass protection was impressive but his hands remain questionable. In four NFL seasons, he had only 23 catches. Nevertheless, Steelers are hoping he can share the work load with Le'Veon Bell.

Steelers.com, Bleacher Report

Greatest Steelers Of All Time; Steelers Will Not Be Docked A Pick; Cotchery Signs With Panthers

The Greatest Steelers Of All Time.

According to Ranker.com, the following are considered the greatest Steelers of all time:

• Joe Greene
• Jack Lambert
• Mel Blount
• Franco Harris
• Terry Bradshaw
• Troy Polamalu
• Mike Webster
• Jack Ham
• Rod Woodson
• Hines Ward

And that's where the list stopped. Me thinks Ranker forgot a few others---

• Jerome Bettis
• John Stallworth
• Lynn Swann
• Dermontti Dawson
• Alan Faneca
• L.C. Greenwood
• Andy Russell

NFL: Steelers Will Not Be Docked A Pick

According to the Steelers, the organization was notified by the NFL that it will not be docked a pick in the 2014 Draft in the Thanksgiving night game involving coach Mike Tomlin. Tomlin, however, was fined $100K for the incident.

Breaking News:

WR Jerricho Cotchery signed by Panthers to a 2 year contract

Steelers Release Three; Polamalu + Heath Miller Get Extensions

Steelers Release Three

Steelers announced the release of LB Larry Foote, CB Curtis Brown and offensive tackle Levi Brown.

Foote was an 11 year veteran with the Steelers selected in the fourth round (128th overall) in 2002. Foote played for the Lions in 2009. Curtis Brown was a three year veterans with the Steelers. Levi Brown was picked up from the Cardinals in 2013. After sustaining an injury, he spent the rest of the season on the team's Reserved/Injured list.

Polamalu + Miller Get Contract Extensions

Steelers announced new 3 year contract extensions with Troy Polamalu and Heath Miller. In addition, their contracts will be restructured. GM Kevin Colbert is facing a tight cap for the second consecutive season. This might include the team moving on from some veterans. One questionable veteran under this cap might include WR Emmanuel Sanders.  Also, if Brett Keisel accepts a reasonable discount, Steelers should hold on to him. S Ryan Clark will probably give way to the younger Shamarko Thomas. OLB LaMarr Woodley was a disappointment. Look for the savings with Woodley to be tossed to OLB Jason Worilds who already received the tag as transition player last week. 

USA Today, Steelers.com, Bleacher Report

Joe Porter Returns To Steelers; 1976 Steeler Defense Best Ever?

Porter Will Serve As Defensive Assistant Coach


"We are excited about having Joey back with the Steelers family," said Mike Tomlin.

This will be Porter's 14th season in the NFL, his first as a coach. Porter was the Steelers linebacker from 1999-2005. He went on to play for Miami and Arizona where he ended his career in 2011.

Porter was selected to four Pro Bowls.  He was also selected to the NFL's All Decade Team for the 2000's. In his career, he registered 98 sacks, 721 tackles, 25 forced fumbles and 12 interceptions. As a Steeler, he recorded 60 sacks.

On a personal note---Porter is one guy who can help the Steelers get their bad on next season. Great hire.


1976 Steeler Defense: Best Ever?

A lot was written about the Seahawks defense in their rout of Denver. No doubt, their defense was impressive but they have a long way to go to come within reach of the 1976 Steelers.

Consider these two facts: In the last 9 games of that season, the Steelers only allowed 28 points. And the outstanding "Steel Curtain?" It was composed of four Hall of Famers in Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Mel Blount. 

Debate over.

Steelers: Super Bowl Edition---A Look Back

"Perfection is unattainable but if we chase perfection, we catch excellence." Vince Lombardi



With the focus on the Super Bowl today, it's a good time to take a look back at Steelers Super Bowl history in images. This presentation is in no particular order because---quite frankly, we know it.  Enjoy...

We'll Be There

The Best Steelers Super Bowl Team Is...; Steelers Off-Season Questions

The Best Steelers Super Bowl Team...

As I sat at home today watching an awesome snow storm developing (can't help it---it's my ski patrol background), I pondered another lost Steelers season this year. Instead of dwelling on two disappointing seasons, I revisited the Steelers of the 1970's to lighten my mood.

I asked myself which 1970's Steelers Super Bowl  team was the best of the best. It's not an easy decision to make considering they won 4 Lombardi trophies in that decade. 

I know many Steelers fans point to the 1978 Super Bowl team. In 1978, the Steelers came off a disappointing 1977 season (9-5). Their defense was awesome holding half of their opponents to 10 points or less. And who can forget the performances of Stallworth and Swann combining for 20 of Bradshaw's 28 touchdowns.

While the 1978 team was awesome, the 1975 Super Bowl team (Super Bowl X)---in my opinion---was spectacular. 

I lean toward the 1975 team for several reasons. 

On a personal level, I was not much of a football fan prior to the early 1970's. I grew up in Manhattan and the Bronx. In those days a young lad like myself only followed one team---the New York Yankees. Football was not as popular as it is today. My interest in football was specific to only to stars like Unitas, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, Jim Brown and other greats rather than a team. Although as a New Yorker, I recall being engaged with the NY Giants to a small degree (I really liked Y.A. Tittle, Frank Gifford and Sam Huff).

But then in 1972, I attended grad school in Steeler Nation territory. Football became my primary interest in sports. The Steelers became my passion. 

The 1975 Steelers came off a 12-2 season.  But the most revealing statistic for that team was points allowed---162 points. They also featured 11 Pro Bowlers. It was in this Super Bowl when Lynn Swann recorded 161 yards on four catches---two weeks after suffering a concussion in the AFC title game against the Oakland Raiders. The Steelers beat the Cowboys 21-17.

Yep, I'm sticking with the 1975 Steelers
(And, no, I've never abandoned the Yankees. To do so would be a major violation. Yankee memories and moments became part of my DNA)


Several Off-Season Questions For The Steelers

• What's Troy Polamalu's future with the Steelers?  Salary cap
• What to do with LaMarr Woodley? He's owed a huge chunk of change and the investment has not turned out what many thought it would be.
• What to do with Emmanuel Sanders? Watch for the Steelers to look for a replacement.
• What system changes will emerge in 2014? With Le'Veon Bell in the backfield, Steelers might turn to its running game again. Defense has to make some changes. Turnovers and sacks were a disappointment last season.

Sources: Bleacher Report, Pittsburgh Steelers.com

Steelers Players Like Playing For The Organization; Signings, Cammarata's "View From The Stands: 2013 Season Epilogue

Cody Wallace: "They Treat You Like A Man Here."

While most of the Steelers have no illusions about finishing 8-8 in the last two seasons, one thing is certain: they like playing for the organization. 

"They treat you like a man here," said C Cody Wallace. "They have that focus. Everybody's going for the same goal."

LaRod Stevens-Howling, who came from the Cardinals, added, "There's a great winning attitude around here...I love coming to work and seeing those {Lombardi} trophies upstairs. You know what you're fighting for when you come in...I love the organization. A lot of respect."

Steelers Announce Signings To Reserve/Future Contracts

Steelers understand they need to focus on adding depth to their roster. They did so this week with the signing of CB Devin Smith (Steelers + Dolphins practice squad), LB Don Molls (Chargers undrafted rookie), RB Miguel Maysonet (Redskins, Jets, Chargers and Colts) and WR Lanear Sampson (Cowboys practice squad).

View From The Stands: 2013 Steelers Season Epilogue

Here we are following the NFL Wildcard (my personal favorite football weekend) Playoff games and wild they were with three of the four games closely contested.

If these opinion pieces offered a theme throughout this football season, it focused on the lack of balance in the Steelers offense throughout the entire season. It focused on the misleading statistical and over-reliant nature of the Steelers offense regarding the formations and over use of a pass first offense that assisted in digging a deep hole in which we could not recover, even with the final ineptitudes of NFL officiating in the San Diego vs. Kansas City game. You say, he said "misleading statiscal"...how possible when our quarterback threw for more yardage than ever before, and not in just come behind efforts?  Well, let's look at the big picture considering stats, and incorporate even the most recently played wildcard games.

Of the eight starting quarterbacks playing this wildcard weekend only three of the eight threw over 300 yards, which has now become the media benchmark when evaluating a quarterback's success in any given game . Of those three performances where the QB's threw for 300 yards...only one came away as a winner, which was Andrew Luck in one of the greatest deficit combacks in NFL Playoff history. The three winning quarterbacks that threw for under 300 yards: Kapernick, Rivers and Brees...and yes...even the traditional pass happy offense of the New Orleans Saints finally recognized that ball possession with a solid run performance and a stout defense gave them their first road victory in the playoffs since forever. Philip Rivers name has been synonymous with 300 yard passing games throughout his career up until this season. Ken Whisenhut (remember him...an excellent O.C.) took control of the offense in San Diego this year, and even though a near .500 club they led the league in ball control drives and length of time of possession. That does not happen when a team lives in the world of empty-set formations, five-wide spread offenses on first down in the opponent's red zone.

Three hundred yard passing efforts in the Steelers scheme are also only a ruse. This stat was provided earlier in the year, and only increased throughout the season. Please feel free to research it on your own. But here it is again for the last time:: in the past 13 game when the Steelers have thrown for 300 yards or more...in the final analysis they are 2 wins and 11 losses (and not all were come from behind efforts). Whereas in the past 6 games where the Steelers have thrown for under 300 yards, but rushed for 100 yards or more, we are 6 wins and 0 losses. 

There is a media set in the Pittsburgh marketplace that views anyone that espouses the value of a balanced run/pass offense as part of the Paleozoic age of football, because in some way that devalues Big Ben and all his abilities. Let's hope that Coach Tomlin finally gets it come training camp at St. Vincent's next summer and begins to stress the fundamentals of run blocking no matter zone schemes or straight ahead power blocking mechanics...whomever the new offensive line coach. And more importantly, let's hope Ben (who is the on-field O.C.) at the age of 32 ingratiates the formula for long-term success by looking at the last portion of the 2013 season and the balanced offense we found, although too little, too late.

Ron Cammarata---Section 110, Row cc, Seats 9+10

Steelers.com, Bleacher Report