A Rivers of woe at Heinz

Monday, November 17, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

James Harrison's interception late in the first half snuffed out a Chargers scoring threat and kept the score at 7-5 going into halftime.

One week, almost to the minute, after Ben Roethlisberger gave validity to the widely held belief that quarterbacks get too much credit in victory and too much blame in defeat by pronouncing himself the reason for a Steelers loss, the San Diego Chargers' Philip Rivers had a chance to do the same and passed.

That doesn't take Rivers off the hook.

Rivers didn't play as ugly a game in an 11-10 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field yesterday as Roethlisberger did a week earlier, but there's no denying the fact that with just slightly better quarterback play the Chargers could have won.

Instead, they took a loss to fall to 4-6, which left this one-time AFC favorite all but close to being out of playoff contention.

What a shocking turnaround for a team that at one point in the season was the favorite to win the AFC. No team in football should have taken more heart from the year-ending injury of New England quarterback Tom Brady in the first game of the season than the Chargers. They lost in the AFC title game to New England last season, and with Brady out the favorite's role fell to the them.

Although not for long. They immediately shed that role by losing their first two games. In the weak AFC West, their only hope to make the playoffs is overtaking the Denver Broncos, who hold a two-game lead and have a win against the Chargers. The West Division will not likely produce a wild-card team.

The Chargers' defense, which came into the game ranked 26th in the NFL, did its job, holding the Steelers without a touchdown. But the highly regarded offense could not take advantage.

Rivers came into the game with the second-highest passer rating in the NFL, a superlative 106.4. He has thrown 21 touchdown passes and only eight interceptions.

He met his match against the Steelers defense. His rating yesterday was 43.6, on 15 completions in 26 attempts for 159 yards and two interceptions.

It was the interception he threw late in the first half that turned the game around. Instead of taking the Chargers in for a score on a first and 10 from the Steelers' 17, he threw a pass that was intercepted by James Harrison with about 90 seconds remaining in the half. Following a 33-yard return by Harrison, the Steelers got three points on a Jeff Reed field goal by moving 54 yards in eight plays.

It was at least a six-point swing.


Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu intercepts a pass by San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008.(AP)

If that wasn't enough, earlier in the quarter Rivers committed the ultimate quarterback error by holding the ball too long in the end zone and allowing the Steelers a safety.

Forget about the six-point swing, those two points cost the Chargers the game.

On the interception, San Diego coach Norv Turner felt wide receiver Vincent Jackson was open.

"It was hard to tell where he was throwing the ball," said Turner, "but he was throwing for the back corner and the ball got away from him. I thought when the play started it was going to be a touchdown. It was the right decision to throw the ball to Vincent but it didn't get there."

Rivers said, "That's one of those you can't really explain. It stayed in my hand too long. I had Vincent there. It was just a poor throw.

"There's no other explanation for it other than the ball got away from me.

"That was another opportunity for us. We could have got a TD or at least three, it turns out they score."

The safety came early in the second quarter after the Chargers had held the Steelers on downs on their 2. On second down, from his 3, Rivers went back to pass.

"They came at us pretty good," he said. "I was trying to buy a little time. In hindsight, you wish you would have tried to get out of there and live for another day."

The man doing the hitting was the omnipresent Harrison, who forced Rivers to fumble. The fumble was recovered in the end zone by San Diego tackle Marcus McNeill, who was tackled for the safety by, of course, Harrison.

The Chargers were saying all the right things about their season.

"Our mind-set is to keep fighting," said linebacker Shaun Phillips.

Maybe there is a miracle turnaround in store for the Chargers. But if there's not, they'll remember this game in Pittsburgh and with it know just how important the play of a quarterback can be.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on November 17, 2008 at 12:00 am

Bengals' talk just makes Ward smile

Monday, November 17, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Hines Ward (86) celebrates with teammate Willie Colon (74) catching a pass from Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a 30-yard gain against the San Diego Chargers during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008. The Steelers won 11-10.(AP)

All things considered, the San Diego Chargers linebackers and secondary people had a pretty good day at Heinz Field yesterday. The Steelers won by the historic score of 11-10 to put a serious hurt on the Chargers' playoff hopes, and Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward had a huge game with 11 catches for 124 yards. But at least the Chargers defensive players went home in one piece.

Things can always be worse.

"I tried to hit a few of 'em today," Ward was saying before heading into the chilly Pittsburgh night. "They were telling me, 'No way. You're not getting me. You ain't breaking my jaw.' I got a big kick out of that. They're worried about a 200-pound wide receiver. Can you believe that? An old guy like me?"

Yeah, I can believe it.

Let me be the first of many to report this week that Ward has absolutely no fear of facing the Cincinnati Bengals Thursday night at Heinz Field. Some of the Bengals have hinted at retribution for Ward's block of rookie linebacker Keith Rivers Oct. 19, a legal hit that left Rivers with a broken jaw. Rivers, speaking through his teeth to the Cincinnati media because his jaw was wired shut soon after he had surgery, said, "You reap what you sow. What goes around, comes around."

Bring it on, Ward all but said last night.

"I'm not worried about it," he said. "I'm just going to play football and do what I do."

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That Ward can take care of himself just fine?

Is there a tougher player on the Steelers? Aside, of course, from linebacker James Harrison, who looks as if he's constructed from stone?

The Steelers wouldn't be 7-3 without Ward. It's no secret their offense isn't functioning at a high level. It couldn't score a touchdown last night. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger isn't functioning at his best despite completing 31 of 41 passes against the Chargers for 308 yards. It's fair to think his aching right shoulder is preventing him from throwing the ball deep the way he has done so often. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the Chargers, like the Indianapolis Colts the week before, took away the deep pass by playing cover-2 defense, but I'm still blaming it on Big Ben's sore pitching arm. Defenses never scared him in the past, did they? Most of his passes yesterday seemed to be short and over the middle.

There can't be a better NFL receiver to have under those circumstances than Ward.

It's not hard picking the man's most important catch against the Chargers. His 7-yard grab between linebacker Stephen Cooper and safety Paul Oliver on third-and-6 from the Chargers' 41 with three minutes-and-change left kept the Steelers trucking toward the winning field goal.

"It's great to step up and be there for my guys," Ward said. "I knew I was going to get hit. Ben threw the ball in the only place I could catch it. He got up and I got up and we looked at each other and it was like he was thinking, 'There's my guy. He's going to make a play for me.' That's just great trust between the quarterback and a receiver."

Echoed Big Ben, "I know if I can get it close to Hines, he is going to make a play."

Ward also had catches for 13, 15 and 7 yards on the deciding drive. He figured it was the least he could do after being called for his third holding/illegal block penalty of the game during that possession. The Steelers were penalized 13 times for 115 yards and the Chargers twice for 5 yards, prompting a fair amount of outrage in the winning locker room.

"My mother always said, 'If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all,'" Ward said. "I'm not commenting about the officiating."

When pressed, though, about the final holding call, Ward said, "[The official] said it was No. 86. I don't know who I was holding."

It didn't matter in the end. Ward's 100-yard receiving day was his second in a row -- he had nine catches for 116 yards against the Colts -- and the 18th of his career. It was his ninth double-digit catch day, including playoffs.

"Not bad for an old guy," Ward said.

Now, the Bengals come to town. Rivers won't be playing; Ward's hit finished him for the season, much to Rivers' regret. "If I didn't go on IR, I'd do everything in my power [to play Thursday night] -- shoot some cortisone in my face and go," he told the Cincinnati media. But Rivers' pals will be at Heinz Field. You might hear a little something about their plans for Ward later this week.

"I don't care what they say," Ward said.

Then, he smiled.

"Trust me, I'll be just as fired up to play them as they will be to play me."
What?

You're surprised?

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com. More articles by this author
First published on November 17, 2008 at 12:00 am

Chargers broken record invokes a certain Wagnerian vocalist

By Nick Canepa
San Diego Union-Tribune
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/sports/chargers/
Sunday, November 16, 2008


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Hines Ward #86 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs after a fourth quarter catch past Antoine Cason #20 of the San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 11-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH — PITTSBURGH … Maybe it was all too fitting that it happened here, in Heinz Field, where the Chargers found a variety of ways – maybe around 57 of them – for their season to reach the unofficial finish line on Nov. 16.

Because, if the fat Wagnerian mother didn't sing here Sunday as the gray sky sprinkled dandruff on her shoulders, she was spraying her throat, getting ready for her last great aria.

"We've continually backed ourselves into a corner," linebacker Matt Wilhelm would say, "and we're facing that corner now."

Wiggle room? Gone.

Bad enough the Chargers were holding out hope that having their lifeline attached to the leaky AFC West dinghy might save them. They should have tried saving themselves first.

The Steelers' 11-10 victory may not have canned the Chargers' disappointing season in a Ball jar, but if you can see this 4-6 team playing in January, you've probably noticed pollywogs on Saturn.

They appear finished.

The Denver Broncos, now 6-4, went to Atlanta Sunday and won a game. So, by the time this one kicked off, San Diego knew what it had to do. And it didn't do it, because it couldn't, as it has been unable to all year.

The Chargers seemingly have played this entire season waiting for the Broncos to screw up. Well, as bad as Denver is, it hasn't screwed up enough and the team chasing its behind has. This is no way to run a football season.

They lost yet another close game. Their six defeats have come by a total of 25 points, three of them in the final 24 seconds (the Steelers' Jeff Reed kicked a 32-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining).

"Well, we were close," is not a rack to hang your hat on. Close stinks, when your number is lower than the other guy's.

Doesn't anybody think teams that aren't all that good lose close games? The better ones – and Pittsburgh, while not of its '70s stature, is good enough – find ways to win.

It can be said the Steelers didn't deserve to win this thing any more than the Chargers did, but it wouldn't be right. The Steelers made plays when they had to and the Chargers didn't. Funny how games almost always come down to plays.

"We felt we were in control," said Rivers, who may have had his worst game as a professional. "We knew it was going to be that type of game. I made too many mistakes and we came up short."


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers react to Jeff Reed's late field goal to beat the San Diego Chargers 11-10 on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

He did. It's hard to place the blame on one player, but if Rivers is going to lead his team to greater things, he has to be better than he was here. If he's just average, his playmates, despite their flaws, would have gone home happy.

Rivers held onto the ball too long in his own end zone, had the ball stripped, and the Steelers had a safety. At the end of the half, he had his offense in position to make it mighty tough for the hosts on this dreary day. With a first down on the Steelers' 17 and 1:33 to play to the break, he had receiver Vincent Jackson open, badly underthrew him, and linebacker James Harrison intercepted the pass.

According to coach Norv Turner: "He yanked it." According to Rivers: "It stayed in my hand too long. It was really a poor throw."

So, at the very least, assuming Nate Kaeding would make a field goal there – as it was, he missed a 42-yarder in the third quarter than might have been enough – San Diego could have found itself up 10-5 or 14-5 at intermission, instead of 7-5.

Points weren't falling like snowflakes. It sure didn't appear Pittsburgh was going to score a touchdown after it got real close once and the Chargers defense stuffed it, stopping the Steelers on downs at the goal line.

Meanwhile, while San Diego's defense surrendered yards – quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw for 308 of them and tailback Willie Parker added 115 on the ground – it did its job until, you guessed it, the final minutes. The Steelers, down 10-8, got the ball on their own 13 with 6:31 remaining, and 13 plays later got it close enough for Reed to kick the 32-yard winner.

Under new coordinator Ron Rivera, the Chargers defense did some good things, some clever things. It sacked Roethlisberger four times, but it allowed far too many plays (73) and the Steelers had the ball almost a full quarter more than they did. Helping the visitors were the hosts' 13 penalties for 115 yards (the Chargers were flagged twice for 5).

This team never should lose a game when the other team scores 11 points. That's right. Never.

Tailback LaDainian Tomlinson, who had some good moments, agreed, saying, "They didn't score a touchdown. It's hard to believe we lost a game to a team that didn't score a touchdown."

It is, but it isn't. The Chargers now have lost five road games. They have become terrible while away, and it's not like they're the perfect storm at home, either.

When you're not good, it doesn't matter where you play.

Fat lady? Listen for your cue.

Win doesn't mask Steelers' problems

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, November 17, 2008


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers throws a third quarter pass while playing the San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 11-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The Steelers didn't so much as beat the San Diego Chargers as they did survive them Sunday.

And themselves.

Their reward is a 7-3 record and sole possession of first place in the AFC North Division. A frustrating two-game losing streak at Heinz Field also has been snapped.

But if this team is destined to contend for the AFC championship, it's going to have to do a whole lot better than 11-10 at home over what's left of one of last season's AFC finalists.

For the record, referee Scott Green's crew admittedly blew the call on the game-concluding, touchdown-that-wasn't by Troy Polamalu.

But even at 18-10, the Steelers would have emerged having improved to 7-3 and having regained first place and having snapped their home losing streak all without the benefit of scoring an offensive touchdown.

The Steelers had a 100-yard rusher (Willie Parker, 115), a 100-yard receiver (Hines Ward, 124) and a 300-yard passer (Ben Roethlisberger, 308), and still they couldn't cross the goal line.

That's difficult to do, but the Steelers found a way.

A couple of ways, actually.

One was to muck up another goal-to-go from the 1.

Coach Mike Tomlin could have called timeout after a third-and-8 completion to Nate Washington came up, the officiating crew maintained, inches shy of the goal line.

Tomlin should have at least challenged the spot, which may have resulted in a TD being awarded but at the very worst would have allowed the Steelers a pause to organize themselves.

Instead, they tried to play "beat the play clock", barely avoided a delay-of-game call, ran Mewelde Moore rather than Parker (did I mention he had 115 yards in his return from injury?) and suffered a 1-yard loss for their trouble.

Getting stuffed in such a fashion is becoming habit-forming.


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Willie Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers takes a forth quarter hit from Clinton Hart #42 of the San Diego Chargers on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh won the game 11-10. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Just as troubling is what the Steelers have become philosophically, which is the type of team they love to defend against.

They throw sideways. They throw underneath. They check down.

Rarely do they attack down the field any more.

Dick LeBeau knows such an approach isn't going to beat his defense, and he coordinates appropriately, believing teams aren't going to be able to go the length of the field and score touchdowns throwing sideways and underneath.

I think LeBeau is onto something.

It's especially difficult to dink and dunk your way to six points when penalty flags are frequently flying.

The Steelers committed a season-high 13 penalties against the Chargers (14 if you include an illegal block flag against James Farrior on an interception return that was offset by an unnecessary roughness call against the Chargers).

Seven of those were against the offense, including three against Ward.

Four of the penalties were assessed against the Steelers' special teams.

Their day also included regaining possession at the Steelers' 6 after the free kick from the opposite 20 that followed the safety registered by James Harrison. Moore didn't field the ball cleanly and Lawrence Timmons committed an illegal block.

And kicker Jeff Reed said he "didn't make myself ready" prior to a missed 51-yard field goal because he thought the Steelers would be punting.

All of the above gaffes somehow were overcome.

None of it is championship stuff.

Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.

OLB Harrison emerges as NFL's best

By John Harris
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, November 17, 2008


Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, left, hits San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and knocks the ball loose in the end zone in the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008. The Chargers recovered the ball and a safety was called.(AP)

Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison is the best defensive player in the NFL.

Now that I have your attention, let's ask Harrison what he thinks.

That's right, the same James Harrison who wasn't drafted out of Kent State in 2002. The same James Harrison who was released by the Steelers three times. The same James Harrison who watched and learned behind Joey Porter before finally receiving his opportunity at stardom.

"I feel like I am," Harrison said following Sunday's 11-10 win over the San Diego Chargers when asked if he's playing better than any defensive player in the league.

"I think my play should speak for itself."

Loudly and clearly.

Harrison may be second in the NFL in sacks, trailing Porter, now with the Miami Dolphins, but Harrison is the best player on the league's top-ranked defense who has nearly twice as many tackles as Porter.

Yesterday, Harrison finished with four tackles, one sack that resulted in a safety and an interception deep in Steelers territory that ended a San Diego threat late in the first half.

Without Harrison's safety and interception, the Steelers lose -- pure and simple.

"James Harrison continues to make splash play after splash play; he is one of the main reasons we were successful today," coach Mike Tomlin said.

The Steelers don't normally talk contract with their players during the season, but they should make an exception with Harrison, who is in the third year of a four-year, $5.5 million contract that is well below market value.

Considering that Harrison likely will be named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons as a starter, the Steelers should tear up his old deal and sign him to a new one ASAP.

"Oh, man. I really can't say enough about the guy," defensive captain James Farrior said of Harrison. "I got a lot of respect for the guy, not for what he's doing now but where he came from. He started out at the bottom. He was a rookie free agent when he first got here. He got cut three times, went to a couple of different teams, came back and stuck with it.

"You can just see in his eyes the determination he plays with. I think he holds that in the back of his head, all the stuff he went through to get to this point."

Harrison came up big twice in the second quarter. On third-and-9 from the San Diego 3, Harrison beat the blocks of two players to drop quarterback Philip Rivers for his 12th sack of the season.

Not only did Harrison's sack cause a fumble, he also tackled offensive lineman Marcus McNeill, who recovered the fumble in the end zone, for a safety.

"They had the tight end, and the back tried to give me a little bump. He tried to chip, and I ended up going around him. (Rivers) held the ball too long," Harrison said.

"When you single block him, he's going to cause something to happen," Farrior said. "You can't block him with nothing but linemen, and there'd better be two of them."

On his interception, Harrison said he was surprised Rivers threw the ball with Harrison standing so close by.

"I didn't think he was going to throw it, considering I was already out there. I thought he would throw it a little wider, but he threw it straight to me," Harrison said.

Harrison galloped 33 yards to the Steelers' 43 with 1:23 left before halftime. His interception set up a 21-yard Jeff Reed field goal that sliced San Diego's lead to 7-5.

Harrison was directly responsible for five points. It's difficult to imagine the Steelers pulling out their one-point win without his two big plays.

John Harris is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jharris@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

Officials err on game's final play

By Scott Brown
PIITSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, November 17, 2008


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 16: Troy Polamalu #43 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs past Kris Wilson #88 of the San Diego Chargers after a first quarter interception on November 16, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Steelers fans that had a betting interest in Sunday's game against San Diego won't be happy to hear this: the referee said a touchdown that Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu scored on the final play of the game should have counted.

With the Steelers holding an 11-10 lead, Polamalu scooped up a fumble at San Diego's 12 and rumbled into the end zone as time expired.

The Steelers, who were considered a 5-point favorite by the bookmakers, would have covered the point spread had Polamalu's touchdown stood following an offical review. But the officials reversed the call on the field and ruled the play dead at San Diego's 26 because of an illegal forward pass.

A touchdown that would have given the Steelers no less than a seven-point win was removed from the scoreboard, and the final score was 11-10.

"We should have let the play go through in the end, yes," referee Scott Green said. "The rule was misinterpreted."

The wild ending came after Jeff Reed kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Steelers a one-point lead with 11 seconds remaining.

San Diego got the ball back on its 21 with 5 seconds left and tried a gimmick play that involved two laterals. The first one, from quarterback Philip Rivers to running back LaDainian Tomlinson, was ruled an illegal forward pass.

The officiating crew, Green said, erred by also ruling that the ball had hit the ground on the first lateral and calling the play dead. The ball did not hit the ground, Green said, therefore the play should have still been live when Polamalu picked up the second lateral and scored a touchdown.

"The ruling should have let the play go on," Green said.

At least one player did not mind that a mistake took a touchdown away from the Steelers.

"I was just like, 'Man, can we just get this over with and get in the locker room with the win,'" Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said.


Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

Polamalu's preparation pays dividends

By Scott Brown
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Sunday, November 16, 2008

A new Nike commercial shows parallel tracks of two players who have become faces of the NFL.

It starts from their respective childhoods and runs through their college years. It ends with their lives intersecting on the football field as Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu tackles San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

For the final scene of the commercial, Polamalu and Tomlinson ran full speed but ultimately past one another over and over to simulate the play. Extras were called in for the actual collision. Make that collisions.

"We sat back and watched them hit each other about 50 times at full speed," Polamalu said.

There will be no watching for either player today when the Steelers host the Chargers in a pivotal game for each team. As for Tomlinson and Polamalu, their paths have diverged since the Nike shoot in July. Tomlinson, a perennial All-Pro, has struggled - he is averaging 3.8 yards a carry, well below his career average of 4.5.

Polamalu's season has taken an opposite course.

He leads the Steelers with three interceptions, is fourth on the team with 46 tackles and is tied for fourth with six passes defended. The most significant number associated with Polamalu, though, may be zero.

The four-time Pro Bowler has not missed a game after injuries sidelined him for eight of them over the previous two seasons and hampered him in numerous other contests. A return to health for one the most disruptive players in the NFL is a big reason the Steelers' defense has been ranked the best in the league.

Polamalu staying relatively healthy - a concussion knocked him out of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals last month - can be traced to many things, including fish oil and overcoming his reluctance to reel himself in during the offseason.

The sixth-year veteran has added more healthy fats to his diet and his intake of fish oil, coconut oil and milk have allowed Polamalu to maintain his playing weight of 215 pounds.

The 5-foot-10 Polamalu played at around 205 pounds the previous two years, and he said he dropped weight so he could keep pace with fleet-footed wide receivers. Given the way he seeks out collisions on the field, Polamalu concedes that the added weight is probably something he needs to make it through an entire season.

"I hit a lot more in the box than play man-to-man (coverage), so this might be where I have to stay for the rest of my career," Polamalu said. "At 205, I would definitely say I feel faster."

He sure hasn't looked any slower, and part of that can be attributed to what he did during the offseason. Polamalu, with the Steelers' blessing, skipped all of the team's voluntary practices and trained in southern California.

He worked out at Sports Science Lab, where an emphasis is placed on how fast an athlete can move a weight and on exercises that simulate movements that are specific to a sport such as football.

"How much weight you lift is absolutely irrelevant to me," said Gavin MacMillan, president of Sports Science Lab. "The guy that lifts the most weight is never the guy that can run the fastest or jump the highest. In fact, it's quite the opposite."

That is not the only area in which MacMillan emphasized to Polamalu that less can be more.

"Honestly, what I think he did the two previous years was he over-trained, and I think that is really what hurt him," MacMillan said. "I think this summer he was able to kind of control that better."

Said Polamalu: "There were times when I would go there, and (MacMillan) would just send me home. I think I probably over-trained a lot."

It looked like Polamalu had overdone it when he arrived at training camp in late July with a slight hamstring pull. He aggravated the injury later in camp and sat out most of preseason practice.

The missed time hardly hurt him as Polamalu intercepted a pass in each of the Steelers' first three games. He has since re-established himself as one of the premier safeties in the NFL.

"Some of the things he does, you just don't teach," said ESPN analyst and former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson, who made five Pro Bowls while playing for Dallas from 1992-2004. "He understands angles.

"You know who he reminds me of? Junior Seau. Now, Junior took a lot more chances than Troy, but he was always making plays because he took great angles to the ball."

Polamalu is not nearly as verbose as his fellow USC alum and is, in fact, one of the quieter players in the Steelers' locker room. That makes him a silent assassin in another sense.

"In preseason, he gave me a water bottle and was like, 'Man, you've got to taste this Gatorade,' " Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. "And he loosened the top and I tried to squeeze it in my mouth and the whole Gatorade fell on my face. You wouldn't think of it from a guy like that. He can get a lot of guys because he's so soft-spoken. He's definitely one of those prankster guys."

But, as Tomlinson may find out today when the action is live, Polamalu is anything but a joke to the opposition.


Scott Brown can be reached at sbrown@tribweb.com or 412-481-5432.

Penguins' alternate threads evolve

By Rob Rossi
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Sunday, November 16, 2008


The Penguins' Jordan Staal celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at Mellon Arena.

Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

Had he known better - well, Jack Riley still would have dressed the Penguins in light blue, dark blue and white.

"Not being from Pittsburgh I didn't really know about the Steelers and Pirates," Riley said. "The hockey team was going to be the Penguins, not the Hornets, and when (ownership) talked about the colors, I asked, 'What about double blue and white?'

"The owners said OK, and those were our colors."

That changed on Jan. 30, 1980. The Penguins donned black and gold uniforms for the first time that day. That switch was the brainchild of former executive Paul Martha, who believed the hockey club needed to hop aboard the goodwill train carrying fans that were wild for the reigning world champion Steelers (NFL) and Pirates (MLB).

Just like that, each of Pittsburgh's three professional sports teams shared the same color scheme. It remains the only city in North America with all of its pro teams looking alike.

How long Pittsburgh will hold that honor is in the hands of current Penguins officials, some of whom favor a permanent return to Riley's "double blue and white" color design, which he said was influenced by the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts.

Riley thought those colors looked good on the Penguins last New Year's Day at the NHL Winter Classic just outside of Buffalo.

Retro-themed apparel soon became all the rage at Mellon Arena, and the Penguins adopted the Winter Classic uniform as their official alternate threads.

The new alternates were worn Saturday at home for the first time, again against the Sabres. The Penguins will wear their alternates in 10 additional regular-season home games.

That number suits team president David Morehouse just fine - for now.

"At this point, we're not considering a permanent switch, but we're never closed to anything," Morehouse said. "I don't think it's extremely important that all three teams in Pittsburgh maintain the same colors."

Neither does the buying public. Sales of the retro-themed replica sweaters were "phenomenal" after the Winter Classic, Morehouse said.

"That doesn't surprise me," said Cynthia Nellis, a fashion journalist for the Web site About.com. "Blues of all colors have been especially popular the past year.

"The light blue color signifies something fresh, a rebirth."

Chris Smith of Cape Coral, Fla., is an admitted "hockey jersey geek" whose Web site, www.icethetics.info, has developed a cult following. He believes the Penguins' new alternate sweaters will have a lasting appeal because "they look like hockey jerseys."

"I love it," he said. "When they introduced it last year, I was in awe. It's something different. I know Pittsburgh fans might revolt, but I could easily see this as the team's primary (color scheme) and uniform."

Local fashion expert Linda Bucci, who owns a popular boutique in Shadyside, admitted the Penguins' new old colors "give them a little kick."

"But I would hate to see them change to that completely," Bucci said. "I don't think the alternates look like Pittsburgh. We look at black and gold, and we know those are our colors."

Riley, who at 89 remains a regular at Penguins games, never did buy into that local logic.

"I just think everybody should have their own identity," he said. "The double blue and white was ours."


Face off

What should become of the Penguins' alternate uniforms?

Columnist Joe Starkey and beat reporter Rob Rossi are in the circle and ready to debate ...

Starkey says ...

Let's get one thing straight, Rossi: I love those powder-blue jerseys and always have. It's the best color in sports, as the San Diego Chargers and Denver Nuggets have readily proved. But, instead of wearing them every game and waving goodbye to the black-and-gold, how about a little bit of both, plus a third jersey? I'm all for variety. Geez, the Penguins have thrown up a banner for everything but Hans Jonsson's first NHL goal (did Hans Jonsson ever score a goal?), so why can't they have a bunch of jerseys, too?

Rossi rants ...

Joe, you might remember each of Hans Jonsson's 10 goals with the Penguins from 1999-2003 had he scored any of them while wearing HOCKEY'S BEST UNIFORM. The Penguins' alternate threads are exactly that. They should become permanent - if not next season then surely when the new arena opens in 2010. Black-and-gold has always been something borrowed; to solidify this marriage with a new generation of fans, the Penguins should go with something old, something blue. Color schemes are like banners, a franchise should only have (hang) one. The Penguins belong in blue.


Puck speak

Team Trib talked with 21 members of the Penguins organization about their favorite NHL sweaters. A numerical breakdown of their answers:

Jordan Staal: vintage Penguins (light blue)

Pascal Dupuis: 1980s Quebec Nordiques (light blue)

Sidney Crosby: 1990s Montreal Canadiens (white)

Mike Zigomanis: classic Toronto Maple Leafs (dark blue)

Michel Therrien: vintage Original Six

Matt Cooke: classic Chicago Blackhawks (red)

Max Talbot: 1980s Quebec Nordiques (light blue)

Hal Gill: heritage Toronto Maple Leafs (dark blue, no sleeve stripes)

Rob Scuderi: classic Toronto Maple Leafs (dark blue, with string)

Ryan Whitney: classic Chicago Blackhawks (red)

Darryl Sydor: 1980s Edmonton Oilers (light blue)

Brooks Orpik: 1930s Chicago Blackhawks (barbershop pole design)

Marc-Andre Fleury: 1980s Edmonton Oilers (light blue)

Mark Eaton: classic Boston Bruins (black)

Alex Goligoski: 1980s Minnesota North Stars (green)

Eric Godard: 1980s Vancouver Canucks (V design)

Tyler Kennedy: 1990s Toronto Maple Leafs (white)

Dany Sabourin: 1990s Hartford Whalers (dark blue)

Paul Bissonnette: 1980s All-Star (orange)

Kris Letang: 1970s Vancouver Canucks (light blue)

Andre Savard: vintage Original Six (dark)


Hat trick

Rob Rossi's thoughts and observations as the Penguins beat writer:

No more Staaling

C Jordan Staal's representatives and the Penguins are now cautiously optimistic of reaching a tentative agreement on a contract extension for the center, who can become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2009. Friends of Staal say he has conveyed to his agents a strong desire to sign a long-term deal - preferably soon. Staal's agent is scheduled to be in Pittsburgh on routine business this week.

Home Cooke-ing

LW Matt Cooke believes he is starting to find his way. A short training camp and a four-game absence due to injured ribs prevented Cooke from getting a feel for his new teammates and coaches. Cooke, who joined the club as a free agent over the summer, says he now feels comfortable with coach Michel Therrien's system.

Sid sticks straight

Don't expect C Sidney Crosby to alter his stick blade despite a career-worst goal-scoring start. Crosby prefers a flat blade, insisting it gives him more control for passing, especially on the backhand. He is not against using a slight left-handed curve, which he admits would help his shot. However, Crosby says he would not make an in-season switch.


The future

The Penguins' minor-league report is written by Jonathan Bombulie, who has covered the Baby Pens for The Citizens' Voice in Wilkes-Barre since the team's inception in 1999. He can be reached by e-mail

Stock up

Ben Lovejoy

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) · Defenseman

6-foot-2 · 214 pounds

If injuries continue to strike the Penguins on the blue line, Ben Lovejoy could very well be the next defenseman up. An undrafted second-year pro out of Dartmouth, Lovejoy led the Baby Pens with a plus-16 rating last season. He's up to the same tricks this year, ranking second among AHL defensemen at plus-11. He has a little offensive pop to his game, too, posting a goal and four assists in his past nine games heading into this weekend.

Pulling teeth

Baby Pens defenseman Danny Richmond missed a practice this week because he had to have a wisdom tooth extracted.

That's nothing unusual. Plenty of 24-year-olds have the same procedure done every day. What is unusual are the precautions Richmond had to take before having his tooth pulled.

"Any time I go in for any dental work or anything like that, I have to take antibiotics a week before," he said. "Big risk of infection with your mouth."

Richmond has to be careful because he doesn't have a spleen.

He lacerated the internal organ and had to have it removed after colliding with 6-foot-7, 230-pound Atlanta Thrashers prospect Boris Valabik during a game in February.

Richmond, who has completely recovered from the spleen surgery, is known at the AHL level for his combination of offensive ability and grit. Playing for the Norfolk Admirals two years ago, he was one of only two defensemen in the league to hit double digits in goals and fighting majors.

But through 11 games with the Baby Pens this season, he had yet to record a single point.

He broke out of the slump in a dramatic way last Saturday night, turning in three highlight-reel assists to lead the Baby Pens to a 4-3 win over Hershey.

"It's been a long time coming," Richmond said. "It's been difficult trying to adapt to the system, but I think I've got it pretty much down."

Stock down

Captain Dave Gove is in a deep scoring slump, having posted one goal and no assists in the first 12 games of the season. The drought is surprising because the 30-year-old scored 15 goals in 36 games after he was traded from the Carolina Hurricanes organization for winger Joe Jensen midway through last season.

"I know it's going to turn around for me," Gove said. "It's a period I know I'll look back and kind of laugh at. But right now, it's kind of frustrating."

Tough division

Having won seven of their first 12 games, the Baby Pens took a .625 winning percentage into this weekend. That would have been good enough for an East Division title last year, but a month into this season, it has them in fifth place, one spot out of a playoff berth.


What's on deck

The week ahead for the Penguins:

Tuesday

Penguins vs. Wild

7 p.m.

TV: Versus


Thursday

Penguins at Thrashers

7 p.m.

TV: FSN Pittsburgh


Saturday

Penguins vs. Canucks

2 p.m.

TV: FSN Pittsburgh


NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

Blackhawks at Stars

Thursday · 8:30 p.m.

Two teams that started poorly are going in different directions. The young Blackhawks are riding high under new coach Joel Quenneville; the aging Stars are flickering after an inspired playoff run last season.


Rob Rossi can be reached at rrossi@tribweb.com or 412-380-5635.

Steelers: Life won't imitate art on field tomorrow

Saturday, November 15, 2008
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Troy Polamalu, seen here taking down the Colts' Anthony Gonzalez, will face the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson tomorrow for the first time since the two filmed a Nike commercial together.

If the situation arises, Troy Polamalu will do more than come up on Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and not make the tackle on a toss play.

He will do more than just eye Tomlinson the way a Doberman eyes a soup bone -- hair flying, sweat dripping -- then not even touch the five-time Pro Bowl running back when they converge near the sideline.

Oh, Tomlinson might get up and pat Polamalu, a four-time Pro Bowl safety, on the helmet after the play. And there will be plenty of "action" on the set.

But this time, there will be no pulling back. This time, there will be contact. There will be no stand-ins, no body doubles. This time it will be the real thing when the San Diego Chargers (4-5) come to Heinz Field to play the Steelers (6-3) at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow.

It won't be a Nike commercial.

"I'd probably get run over in real life," Polamalu said.

Hardly.

Polamalu and Tomlinson will meet for the first time since they filmed the commercial at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in the summer, several weeks before the start of training camp.

The commercial -- entitled "Leave Nothing" -- traces the players from childhood to high school to college and ends with them meeting on the field in a "game" between the Chargers and Steelers on a play in which Polamalu tackles Tomlinson near the sidelines.

"I thought it was pretty cool," Polamalu said.

"One of the best commercials I've ever seen," said linebacker Lawrence Timmons. "I got it on my computer."

"Sweet," said inside linebacker James Farrior.

"That's a cool little commercial," cornerback Ike Taylor said.

The same collision could occur at Heinz Field. Tomlinson is the player who will command the attention of the defense, which ranks No. 1 in total defense and No. 2 against the run in the NFL. Polamalu called Tomlinson "maybe the greatest [running back] to ever play the game."

This time, if he has to tackle Tomlinson on a toss play, Polamalu won't pull up and run past him, as they were instructed to do in the commercial. This time, his body double -- former Texas A&M running back Sir Parker -- won't be the one making the tackle.

"I had to run and do all that stuff," Polamalu said. "They had a whole Steelers football team and a whole San Diego football team out there. The extras are amazing. They're actually ex-football players. The stand-ins probably hit each other 30 times, and the other guys ran the whole play, blocking, cutting, they probably did it 70 to 80 times.

"They ran a toss play and we were in cover-2 and we kept running past each other. Then they would show his extra running and my extra running and we sat back and watched them hit each other about 50 times full speed. They were getting beat up."

Polamalu and Tomlinson weren't involved in any contact scenes. The only time it was really Polamalu, he said, is when they showed his face. Like, when he was sitting on the team bus, riding to the game. Otherwise, it was Parker who played his role, including the scene where Polamalu -- ponytail bouncing behind him -- is shown running the stadium steps as part of his training regimen.

"I was supposed to do that, but I missed that part," Polamalu said.

The commercial was directed by David Fincher, who also has directed such movies as "Se7en" and "The Game." It began with a sonogram of a fetus and showed the evolution of life with the two NFL superstars, beginning with Tomlinson walking in diapers and running and weaving through the halls at grade school and a youthful Polamalu jumping through water sprinklers and leaping on -- and collapsing -- a coffee table at home.

"I was pretty bad then," Polamalu said, grinning.

Life gets a chance to imitate art tomorrow when the Steelers hope to leave nothing behind against Tomlinson and the Chargers.

"I was kind of upset that Troy doesn't really knock him on his butt," Farrior said. "It was kind of, like, even."

Next up

• Game: Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers.

• When: 4:15 p.m. tomorrow.

• Where: Heinz Field.

• TV: KDKA.

Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com.
First published on November 15, 2008 at 12:00 am

Nike Commercial - "Fate" (W/ Troy Polamalu and Ladanian Tomlinson)

(Click on link to play video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U719csMdojk&feature=related

Rooney brothers agree on price for Steelers

Dan Rooney would retain control; hope to finalize deal soon

Saturday, November 15, 2008
By Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com


Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Steelers President Art Rooney II, left, and his father, Chairman Dan Rooney, right, shown celebrating with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during their last Super Bowl run, may soon have controlling interest in the franchise.

The four Rooney brothers who are seeking to sell their shares in the Steelers franchise have agreed on a sale price of $800 million with team chairman and oldest brother Dan Rooney, but some minor issues still need to be resolved and the deal has not been completed.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned that both sides have agreed on a franchise value of $800 million, a price that would then determine the amount for each share of stock. It is not known if the four brothers intend to sell a portion or all of their 64 percent shares to Dan Rooney and his son, Art II, the team president.

Each brother would receive about $128 million if he sold his entire 16 percent share, a total that is expected to be paid over a number of years. However, some of the brothers may retain a small percentage of ownership and would not sell all their shares to Dan Rooney, lowering the amount they would receive.

Neither Dan Rooney nor Art II has been informed that the deal has been finalized.

The Post-Gazette reported Tuesday that the four brothers had decided to sell their shares to Dan Rooney -- the only suitor remaining -- and were working on details of the agreement.

The brothers were trying to expedite the sale process and hoped to have approval from the National Football League by the end of the year. But to do so, they would have to present an agreement to the league's finance committee, which would consider the agreement and then send it to the league owners meeting, scheduled for Dec. 17 in Dallas, for approval.

In an e-mail to the Post-Gazette, Tim Rooney, one of the brothers seeking to sell his share, said: "There are more than a few loose ends to be solved but are or should be doable. It is very important to solve the problem before the end of the year because of taxes."

It appears that process is getting closer to realization.

Art Rooney Jr. said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is in the process of calling each Rooney brother to give a "pep talk" and encourage them that a deal will be finalized.

From all indications, the deal with Dan Rooney will be for less money than the deal that was being offered several months ago by New York hedge-fund billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller, who sought majority stock control and offered to buy all 64 percent shares in the franchise for $537 million. Mr. Druckenmiller's enterprise value of the franchise was $840 million, a figure that included stocks, not assets.

Dan Rooney's offer to buy the shares from his brothers was lower than the one offered by Mr. Druckenmiller. At one point, when his brothers asked him if he would increase his offer to match Mr. Druckenmiller, Dan Rooney declined.

When the four brothers rejected his bid, Mr. Druckenmiller withdrew his offer and no other suitors emerged -- not surprising given the instability of the economy and the financial collapses on Wall Street. The only offer remaining to be considered was from Dan Rooney.

Dan Rooney and his son have not yet identified any potential investors who would help purchase the shares from the Rooney brothers.

Because of that, it is unclear how much Dan Rooney would have to finance through PNC Bank, one of the banks retained to handle the purchase.

Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1466.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com.

First published on November 15, 2008 at 2:49 am

Staal’s a priority for Pens

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/
Thursday, November 13, 2008


The Penguins' Jordan Staal, left, celebrates his first of three third-period goals with Mike Zigomanis against the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008. Pittsburgh won, 7-6, in overtime.
Associated Press

Let's cut to the chase: The Penguins have no desire to trade Jordan Staal for a winger to play with Sidney Crosby -- and this was their stance long before Staal's monster game Tuesday in Detroit.

They won't part with Staal unless forced to do so.

General manager Ray Shero wants a long-term deal with Staal because Shero has maintained all along -- since his first significant move as GM was drafting Staal second overall in 2006 -- that this is the kind of player who wins Stanley Cups.

The key question is, does Staal want to stay? He can be a restricted free agent July 1.

Shero says talks with his core players always boil down to the same issue.

"If they really want to be here," he said Wednesday, "we'll find a way to make it work."

One could translate as such: If Staal is willing to take less than what he might get elsewhere -- as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik and Marc-Andre Fleury have done -- he will be here for a long time with a fair deal and a prominent role.

Now, we don't know if word might be out that another team plans to lavish Staal with a crazy offer sheet. We don't know the numbers being tossed about in the Penguins' offices, either.

If it becomes clear that Staal wants to leave, the Penguins should seek to trade him as soon as possible. Losing him to an offer sheet would net only draft picks, and even first-rounders would be of no immediate help to a team built to win now.

But that could all be immaterial, because it sure sounds as if Staal wants to stay based on what he said yesterday -- hours after his heroics sparked a 7-6 victory.

Might a deal be struck during the regular season?

"Yeah, it's something that can always happen," Staal said. "And when the time is right, I'm sure it will."

He added, "I have a lot of great friends here. It's a great fit for me. It's a team I want to be part of. We're young and we want to grow together."

Unlike Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Staal decided against re-signing with a year left on his entry-level contract. That probably was wise, coming off a 12-goal season.

"It's nothing I'm too worried about," he said. "Fleury and (defenseman Ryan) Whitney signed at the end of their deals. When it happens, it happens."

As for the notion that Staal can't possibly get enough ice time in the presence of Malkin and Crosby, consider this: Staal plays 20:06 per game -- almost exactly what Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk log in Detroit -- and will play more when he gains a regular power-play role.

The ice time is there. The numbers will be, too.

As Staal says, "The way they use me, it's a lot of ice time, no matter what. You don't have to be on the top two lines to score."

Another issue for Staal to consider is the widely held belief that the NHL's salary cap soon will shrink because of the world economic meltdown. Signing long-term now might be the way to go.

A legitimate concern for the Penguins is whether they want a huge percentage of their money allotted to three centers.

Good question, but this wouldn't be like when Tampa Bay sank a gazillion dollars into three offensive stars, because Staal provides a critical defensive element as a top shutdown center. If keeping him means moving a defenseman to acquire a winger, or continuing to fill holes on the wings with free agents, so be it.

Every team has challenges under a salary cap.

Every team has to be creative.

Some of us -- most notably Shero -- have not wavered in our opinion of Staal, no matter his natural inconsistencies as a young player. It's not often one comes across a 6-foot-4, 225-pound beast with soft hands, a powerful stride and superior hockey sense.

And who says he'll never score 40 goals or be a consistent 30-goal scorer?

I'm not saying he will. I'm saying he already has a 29-goal season (Ryan Malone doesn't) and has scored nine goals in 25 playoff games (same as Crosby).

"Yes," the critic would say, "but Staal also disappears at times and goes months without a goal."

He's 20.

In a few years, he will be Godzilla on skates.

And if he so desires, he will be wearing a Penguins uniform.


Joe Starkey can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com or 412-320-7810.

Blame loss on execution, not Arians

Wednesday, November 12, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Even the two-minute warning didn't go the Steelers' way Sunday in their loss to the Colts.

The Pro Bowl quarterback is hurt and clearly playing at less than 100 percent. The Pro Bowl running back has missed more than half the season.

The Pro Bowl left tackle has missed the past four games. The five-year starter at right guard has missed the past four games and is out for the season. The backup and heir apparent at running back has missed the past six games and is out for the season.

Woe is the Steelers' offense, which is 26th in total yards, 27th in yards per play, 24th in passing and 24th in rushing in the NFL.

These are most un-Steelerlike numbers, and significant portions of the passionate but not always wise fan base know just how to fix the problem.

Fire offensive coordinator Bruce Arians.

Those wishing to fire Arians, and their numbers multiplied several times after the loss to Indianapolis Sunday, almost make it sound like a dismissal would be putting him out of his misery. They consider him badly overmatched when it comes to calling plays and that, they insist, not the injuries is what's wrong with the Steelers' offense.

For the record, this column does not think Arians should be fired.

Anyone who thinks they can evaluate play-calling by sitting in front of a television set or in the stands at Heinz Field is delusional. It's far more complicated than that.

For starters, there's another team on the field, a factor many of Arians' critics fail to take into consideration. Even the most brilliantly called play won't work if the execution is poor.

Beyond that, there are multiple factors fans in the stands and people in the press box are not aware of, and without that information it's difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate play-calling.

Consider the two calls that received the most criticism and were most pivotal in the 24-20 loss to the Colts:

• The decision to throw a pass on third-and-2 from their 16 with 90 seconds remaining in the first half and leading by 10.

• The failure to score on two running plays from the 1 in the fourth quarter of a tie score and settling for a field goal.

On the first, the pass was intercepted, and the Colts scored six plays later. Critics howled that the Steelers should have sat on the ball, punted and turned the game over to the defense.

Coach Mike Tomlin, after noting all plays go through him, talked about the strategy of passing late in the first half at his news conference yesterday.

"We had a new punter. We were concerned about him attempting to punt backed up in those circumstances. Even if we did execute a successful punt, we were giving Indy the short field. It was my goal and desire not to give them the football back. I did not want them to get any points.

"Had we punted the ball, it pretty much assured ... they [would have] a chance of kicking a field goal.

"We had a third-and-2 1/2 earlier in the game and we hit Santonio [Holmes] on a similar play for 23 yards."

What is wrong with that logic? What's wrong with trying a play that worked earlier? What's wrong with going on the attack instead of playing conservatively?

If the Steelers had run the ball, failed to get the first down, punted and the Colts came back to score, here's what people would have been saying:

"Arians is too conservative."

The strategy in this circumstance was unsuccessful not because it was a poor call by Arians but because Roethlisberger threw an interception.

Football is a game of execution far more than it is a game of strategy.

In the crucial fourth-quarter series, the Steelers ran the same play on consecutive downs. Both times running back Mewelde Moore was stopped.

Can you imagine the furor if Arians had called a pass play and it failed in this situation? He would have been called an idiot. Just as he would have been called a genius if the pass play worked.

Here's Tomlin on the decision to run Moore twice:

"I think if you're going to be a good football team and have the personality we desire to have offensively, in those instances you gotta be committed to and capable of running the football over people and running it into the end zone."

In other words, Arians was playing Steelers football and using the same play that had produced two touchdowns earlier.

"In the second one, Mewelde went in standing up," said Tomlin. "I saw no reason why we weren't capable of doing that again, providing we have quality execution. We executed on the play on two earlier instances and we didn't on the two later instances."

For those who say he shouldn't have run the same play consecutively, consider this: After stopping the play, the last thing the Colts would be expecting is the Steelers to try the same thing again.

The Steelers are 6-3 with a good chance of winning their next two games.

They lost their most recent game because they have an inordinate number of injuries on offense and because Roethlisberger failed to execute on two pass plays.

They did not lose because Arians called the wrong plays.


Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on November 12, 2008 at 12:00 am

Red Wings throw Penguins a rope, then sink

PENGUINS 7, RED WINGS 6 (OT)

BY MITCH ALBOM
DETROIT FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=SPORTS
November 12, 2008


Pittsburgh Penguins go over to celebrate Jordan Staal, top center, after his 6-6 game tying goal with 22.8 seconds left in regulation against the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit, MI on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Pittsburgh went on to a 7-6 win in OT. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)

I had this idea, before the rematch between the Red Wings and Penguins, that Marian Hossa might wait until Sidney Crosby had the puck and was flying down the ice and then he'd yell, "Yo, Sidney, right here!" and out of habit, Crosby would fire the puck to his old teammate.

"I did that against New Jersey," Hossa told me earlier this week. "Their defenseman (Colin White) was under pressure and I yelled, 'Whitey, Whitey!' and he sends me the puck behind the net."

Really?

"Yeah. Right on the tape."

Hmm. I was only joking. But after watching the debacle at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night, maybe Detroit should have tried it. Hossa's first game against his old team, on paper, wasn't supposed to be that close. And on the ice, for a long time, it wasn't.

And then, with a three-goal lead, the Wings forgot that a denied team is a hungry team.

And that hungry team chewed them up.

In one of the worst collapses in recent memory -- and one that is simply inexcusable for a roster of this caliber, playing at home -- the Penguins outhustled, outmuscled and out-swarmed the Wings to rise from a 5-2 deficit in the third period and win in overtime, 7-6.

Pittsburgh put five goals past Chris Osgood in less than 17 minutes. He looked like a man being attacked by bees. The Wings turned it over, then turned it over some more. Their defense sagged. They could barely squirt the puck from their own end.

"It was like we stopped playing," Hossa said.


Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood gives up the 7-6 game wining goal to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Over Time in Detroit, MI on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)

A marque matchup

Remember, this was a rematch of the Stanley Cup finals. It was supposed to be a big night -- at least as big as the NHL gets in November. This was the Lakers-Celtics. This was Patriots-Giants. There was Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on one side and Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom on the other.

Oh, and Hossa, the star who crossed party lines, facing his old team for the first time.

And for much of the night, it was one for Hossa's scrapbook. In the first two periods, he racked up two more assists -- a feed-and-fire for Lidstrom to Tomas Holmstrom and a back-and-forth for Datsyuk -- to pad his team-leading point total to 19. That's 19 points in 14 games. More than Crosby. More than most players in the league. For a guy who signed for less to play here than he could have gotten elsewhere.

If you're from Pittsburgh, you wanted to throw up.

But then, something happened. The team that lost Hossa and Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts -- and was missing several key players due to injury -- kept its head down, drew penalties and kept firing. Jordan Staal cut it to 5-4. Staal cut it to 6-5. Staal evened it at 6-6.

And, in overtime, with the Wings looking as hopeful as the stock market, Staal stole the puck from Datsyuk and passed to Ruslan Fedotenko for the winning goal.

The Wings get a point for this. It may be their least deserved point in a long time.

"We had this game 5-2 and 6-4," Mike Babcock said, "... that game's gotta be over."

It is. That's the bad part.


Pittsburgh Penguins Ruslan Fedotenko goes over to hug Jordan Staal after Fedotenko scored the game winning goal to beat the Detroit Red Wings 7-6 in Over Time in Detroit, MI on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP)

No signs of weakness

Look, nights like this matter. I know it's November. I know few things are breezier than an NHL regular-season score. But some games are about tone. When you're the reigning champion, to paraphrase "The Godfather," you keep your friends close and your enemies losing. You don't let the guys you beat for the Cup come into your building and score seven goals.

That tells teams you can lose your focus. That says you may be resting on your laurels.

"We were a little too nice in our own end," Zetterberg said.

Can't be nice. Winning titles is an attitude, and attitudes build all season long.

Now, to be fair, the Wings did not play badly all night. They took control after about 10 minutes and tacked up goals as if making a superstar video, one from Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler and -- why not? -- Darren McCarty.

But the finish was awful. The finish was a fire drill. And when you give up seven goals to Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby only has one of them, you're not playing championship hockey.

"How was it going against you old team?" someone asked Hossa in the quiet locker room.

"You know," he said, "after the face-off and the puck dropped, I wasn't thinking about it."

If only forgetting it were that easy.

Steelers laugh, cry after loss to Colts

Monday, November 10, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, left, can't hang on to a second-quarter pass from Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning intended for Colts receiver Dallas Clark (44) during an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008. The Colts won 24-20.(AP)

There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Steelers safety Troy Polamalu's wife, Theodora, refused to allow him to hold their infant son, Paisios, last night out of concerns for the child's safety.

You know, that Polamalu would drop the little guy.

Even Polamalu had to laugh at that one.

What else was there to do but laugh after this fall-from-ahead, 24-20 Steelers' loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Heinz Field? It sure beat the heck out of crying, which is what quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looked as if he wanted to do as he buried his head in his locker for several long minutes after the sickening defeat, which left the Steelers tied with the Baltimore Ravens atop the AFC North Division.

"We had a chance to really hurt [the Colts] by winning this game," Polamalu said. "We also made it a lot tougher on ourselves by losing."

There was plenty of blame to go around and no shortage of players willing to stand up and take it.

On his side of the locker room was Roethlisberger, who fingered himself for the loss, which is exactly what a $102 million quarterback is supposed to do. It doesn't matter that Big Ben's right shoulder is aching and his right thumb is bad. He was out there playing and threw two killer interceptions which led to Indianapolis touchdowns at the end of the first half and the end of the game.

Sitting at his locker was Polamalu, who was so eager to beat himself up that he took blame not just for his dropped interception late in the second quarter, which should have gone for about a 70-yard touchdown and a 24-7 Steelers' lead, but also for a blown coverage on the decisive 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Manning to running back Dominic Rhodes with 3:04 left. As it turned out, Rhodes was linebacker James Farrior's man. Polamalu tried to cover for Farrior's mistake and nearly made a fabulous play but couldn't quite leap high enough to bat away the Manning pass.

Polamalu just shrugged and smiled when he was outed over the Rhodes touchdown play.

There really was nothing funny about Polamalu's drop or the lame jokes it produced. Terry Bradshaw always said if defensive backs could catch the ball, they would be wide receivers. Manning threw the ball right to Polamalu and he couldn't grab the darn pig.

"Did [intended receiver, tight end Dallas Clark] get his hand in there?" Polamalu asked. Before waiting for the answer, he added, "I've got to make that play no matter what. I guess I didn't look the ball in."

It was one of several plays the Steelers' secondary failed to make. Perhaps you'll argue the Steelers would have won if Polamalu had caught the ball and scored a touchdown or Roethlisberger hadn't thrown those horrid interceptions or the Steelers' offense had found the end zone on one of its two cracks by running back Mewelde Moore from the Colts' 1 midway through the final quarter instead of settling for a field goal. But in Indianapolis, they should be thinking the Colts would have won easily if not for a couple of drops by future Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison. On the first, Harrison, after turning cornerback Deshea Townsend inside out with a post move, couldn't quite bend down far enough to catch a Manning ball that should have gone for a 50-yard touchdown. On the second, Harrison blew by cornerback William Gay and just flat dropped what would have been an 18-yard touchdown.

PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 09: Reggie Wayne #87 of the Indianapolis Colts makes a catch after the ball was deflected by Ike Taylor #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 9, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wayne ran the ball in for the Colts first touchdown. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
Townsend had two defensive holding calls against him before leaving late in the third quarter after hearing his right hamstring "pop."

Then, there was cornerback Ike Taylor.

Poor, unlucky Ike.

Not once, but twice Taylor had perfect coverage on wide receiver Reggie Wayne only to deflect the ball in the air and allow Wayne to catch it for big plays. The first resulted in an early 65-yard touchdown. Yeah, that was a big play, all right. The second produced a 16-yard gain on third-and-8 from the Colts' 27 late in the third quarter. That was pretty big, too.

"It's a disgusting feeling," Taylor said. "It's frustrating because you're in position and their guy still comes down with the ball."

Everyone from LeBeau to Polamalu to Taylor was disappointed that the Steelers' defense -- the NFL's best, at least before yesterday -- couldn't bail out Roethlisberger after either of his interceptions. The Colts turned them into 30- and 32-yard touchdown drives.

"Number one, you try to force a turnover there," Polamalu said. "Number two, you try to force them into a field goal. We didn't make either happen."

Polamalu figured he would hear about it when he got home.

"My wife will ask me, 'How could you drop that interception?'"

Better the ball than the ...

Sorry.

That still isn't funny.

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 am

Support roles key for Colts

Monday, November 10, 2008
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

The Colts' Dominic Rhodes walks into the end zone for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

By design, by execution, and by earned reputation, the Indianapolis Colts operate well beyond the shadowy margins of football games or of football seasons. Tony Dungy's team is a big-play, big-production, big-margin enterprise, powered by the genius of Peyton Manning, who later this season will become the only NFL quarterback with nine 4,000-yard autumns.

But the margins for this November afternoon at Heinz Field were devilishly narrow, particularly the Colts' margin for error in the brutal politics of the AFC. Pittsburgh was Desperation City for the men in white yesterday. A loss would have dropped them five games behind AFC South Division leader Tennessee with seven to play, and at least two games behind a knot of legitimate horses pounding away in front of them.

"We've played three division leaders in the last three weeks [Tennessee, New England, Pittsburgh], so we've gotten a good feel for what this AFC is all about," said Dungy, the NFL's winningest active coach and a man in no mind to see a string of six consecutive playoff appearances end by New Year's. "These [wins] are certainly tough to get in Pittsburgh; I know that for a fact. You have to play 60 minutes to win here. We did, fortunately. This was just a game of attitude, of hanging in there and making plays when it counted."

That the Steelers gave back a 10-point lead to a club that has won five consecutive AFC South championships is probably no embarrassment, and the fact that they failed to bury Indianapolis in the conference is, for the moment, mostly an annoyance, but the more relevant analysis of a 24-20 Indianapolis victory yesterday is that the Steelers didn't so much lose to the guys who used to be Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.

They lost to Keiwan Ratliff, to Tim Jennings (the Jeopardy guy?), to Rutgers rookie Eric Foster, and on a fastbreak outlet pass from Manning to Dominic Rhodes.

"That's why you work in training camp," Dungy said simply. "You develop a 53-man team. I tell all our guys on Day 1 of camp, at some point we're going to need every guy on this roster and you're going to have a chance to make plays. It's not just stars if you want to have a good team. It's gotta be everyone."

No two humans have combined on more NFL touchdowns than Manning and Harrison, but watching them yesterday was like listening as a grandfather clock developed arrhythmia. Imperfect Manning passes flicked off Harrison's finger tips. Catchable throws forced into the secondary found Harrison unable or unwilling to extend himself. There was virtually no combustibility in that combination, nothing like the game just three years ago when Manning drilled Harrison with an 80-yard touchdown strike on the first play from scrimmage against the Steelers at the RCA Dome.

Oh, Manning still threw three scoring passes, one that Ike Taylor tipped to Reggie Wayne on his way to a 65-yard splasher on Indianapolis' first possession, one a little dart to Dallas Clark a step inside the end zone near the end of the first half, and a third so clever in its execution that Manning was reluctant to even speak of it in the aftermath.


PITTSBURGH - NOVEMBER 09: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts readies to pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 9, 2008 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Colts won24-20. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

"I want to be careful what I say about that, I mean, Pittsburgh's definitely going to be in the postseason, which is what we're fighting to do, so I'm not going to get too far into the specifics of anything," Manning said of the play that overturned a 20-17 Steelers lead with 3:04 to play. "It was play-action off the stretch fake, and Dominic made a good play and it's a credit to him for being ready for it."

Manning faked a handoff to Rhodes in the backfield as both stretched right, then waited while Rhodes looped around Troy Polamalu for a soft 17-yard reception that sent the Steelers into a ditch in which they couldn't pull out.

For all that, the Colts won it with defense, specifically on two breathtaking tackles by Foster, a smallish rookie lineman, both near the goal line. He pulled Mewelde Moore down from behind by the ankle at the 1 on first-and-goal, then slammed into him like a truck, grill first, on third-and-goal from the 1.

"They ran the same running play six times in a row in that situation [Moore scored on two of them]," Foster said. "It's just a matter of fighting hard in that situation. On the second one, I jumped up, took out two guys, and nailed him."

Foster kept the Steelers out of the end zone when the Steelers were 36 inches from going up by a touchdown late in the game, but Jennings and Ratliff, propping up a seriously depleted secondary, intercepted Ben Roethlisberger at two critical junctures, both setting up Manning touchdowns.

"It's not about who is not playing," said Ratliff, a third-string free-agent cornerback playing for Kelvin Hayden. "It's about who is playing."

With no margin for error, the supporting Colts somehow made this all about who might be playing in January.

"This was a big, big win in the AFC," Rhodes said. "And against a great team like the Pittsburgh Steelers, in their house."

Even when they do things small, the Colts do big things.

Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1283.
First published on November 10, 2008 at 12:00 am