It's that time of year again. Throughout western Pennsylvania and portions of West Virginia and Ohio, you can feel the black and gold fever starting to rise. The preseason is over, with the Steelers going 3-1, and on September 7th we'll get what we've been waiting for since last January: regular season action against the Houston Texans. Heinz Field will be rocking once again.
There are several questions I feel are key for this coming season. Let's take a look:
1.) Has the offensive line been strengthened?
Now, I don't know if I'm the only one thinking this, but I bet I'm not: Ben Roethlisberger spent way too much time on the turf last year. Sure, Big Ben could use a dash of Fran Tarkenton in his feet, but there are only so many sacks you can dodge when your O-line is a sieve. With the ground game (see my next question) in flux, a weak line is going to be a real problem.
2.) Can we establish a worthwhile ground game?
I love Willie Parker, it's no secret, but I miss Jerome Bettis something fierce. Now, I don't put much weight on the preseason. It's the NFL equivalent of a shakedown cruise for an oceangoing ship. I expect things to be sloppy. That said, Rashard Mendenhall has yet to impress me, and I'm a bit worried that the Steelers' ground attack, an essential component the team's trademark style, is going to be left wanting.
3.) Wait a minute, Byron Leftwich?
That's even weirder than when we picked up Mike Tomczak. Let's say it together: "Byron Leftwich of the Pittsburgh Steelers." I can't get my head around it. I am a huge Charlie Batch fan. I think he could get a starting job with a lot of different clubs, and the fact that he stays with the black-and-gold really warms my heart. So when he went down, I was upset. I didn't expect the team to snap up Leftwich,after the Titans -- of all teams -- passed on him. I am pleasantly surprised with his preseason performance, but I'm not holding my breath.
4.) Can Polamalu and the defense keep it up?
Steel Curtain. Blitzburgh. Those words are forever engraved on my soul. I was born in 1975 and my early childhood is steeped in the legend of the Steel Curtain. I have always held the opinion that it doesn't matter how many points you score, you have to have strong D. The Steelers' current defensive unit is a class act, led by a man I feel is an absolute lock for the Hall of Fame, Troy Polamalu. His Samson-like mane can be seen streaking across the field on almost every defensive down. With guys like James Farrior, Larry Foote, and James Harrison out there, I feel confident the team's D is well in hand. The only question is, can they turn in yet another stellar season?
5.) Does the preseason matter at all?
Yes and no. As I said earlier, I think it's a time for shaking off the rust and getting the bugs out of the system. It also matters when Charlie Batch winds up with a broken clavicle and the team picks up Leftwich on a one-year contract. But the games don't matter to the standings, and it seems to me that quite often teams which do poorly in the preseason come out and kick butt in the regular season. Now, some folks want to extend the regular season to 17 or 18 games and cut the preason to only two weeks. I hate the idea of an odd number of games, and I don't think we need a CFL-length 18-game schedule. If you want to cut the preseason, go ahead, I won't cry. Just start two weeks later. Trying to get additional product out there by adding more meaningful games just increases the wear and tear on the players.
So here we are. Nine days from the early morning I write this, on Saturday. I can feel it already, and my Terrible Towel is ready to go. How about you?
Keywords: overview, pittsburgh, preseason, steelers
