Bloody, broken and bruised -- Steelers turn in vintage win

By Don Banks
Inside the NFL
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/
December 6, 2010

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Running back Isaac Redman #33 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates his touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE -- If this particular rivalry between bitter division foes happened to be represented by a symbol -- think of it as Prince meets the NFL -- for 15 seasons now the bloody nose would have been entirely apt.

Steelers-Ravens is always a knock-down, drag-out fight, and it always goes 15 rounds. And if anything, Sunday night's outcome at M&T Bank Stadium only reinforced everything we already thought about the ferocious way Pittsburgh and Baltimore play football.

Just ask Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, he of the bloodied and broken nose in the first half, and the game-winning touchdown pass in the final three minutes of the Steelers' gut check of a 13-10 victory over the Ravens. Nothing about the way Pittsburgh played to win this game was remotely novel, but Roethlisberger made one key discovery on this night: You don't pay anywhere near as much attention to the pain in your broken foot once you break your nose.

"I just knew it was bleeding, and then when I got to the sideline I could tell just by the look on everyone's face that something wasn't right,'' said Roethlisberger, who took a shot to his schnoz from the left hand of Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata on the Steelers opening possession. "I looked real quick. I don't know, I look like I just went 12 rounds with Pacquiao.

"We just find ways to get it done. It may not be pretty [meaning the win], obviously, look at me, but we get it done.''

The Steelers and Ravens don't do pretty. Never have, never will. But that's OK because thrilling, suspenseful and physical football beyond compare will suffice every time. When these two play, the collisions are often so fierce that the offensive football suffers from the impact. That's what happened again this time, but there's almost a beauty in how Pittsburgh and Baltimore always hit first and ask questions later.

"That's Steelers-Ravens right there,'' Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin said, opening his postgame news conference. "That's why we believe that's the number one rivalry in football. It's a humbling thing to be a part of, and we're fortunate to come out on top tonight, of course.''

I suppose the Patriots and Colts would have something to say about being the NFL's premier rivalry, and the Jets and Pats could give us another instant classic to enjoy Monday night in Foxboro. But when it comes to playing defensive football, and delivering the kind of bone-jarring hits that fans crave, how can you do better than a meeting of these two AFC North rivals? Especially when both came into the game at 8-3, tied for first in the division, having already played one three-point slobber-knocker earlier this year in Pittsburgh (won 17-14, by Baltimore)?

"It is [the best rivalry in the league],'' no less an authority than Steelers receiver Hines Ward declared afterward. "I mean, the Jets and Patriots are great teams. But this rivalry has been going on for years. The 13 years I've been here, it's always been Baltimore and Pittsburgh. And it showed tonight. It's a hard-hitting battle, a low-scoring game, and it came down to situational football.''

Which, loosely translated, means it came down to defense, as it seemingly always does when the Steelers and Ravens meet. Could this one really have ended any other way than with a monstrous play turned in by one of these teams' defensive stars at the critical juncture? This time it was Steelers' all-world safety Troy Polamalu who provided the signature moment, sparking Pittsburgh's comeback win by blitzing in to strip sack Joe Flacco with 3:13 left in the game and Baltimore leading 10-6. Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley recovered the loose ball and returned it 19 yards to the Ravens 9, setting up Pittsburgh's winning touchdown.

"Troy's a great player,'' Tomlin said. "A lot of guys would go in there and sack the quarterback. He sees the game a little differently. That's what makes him special. He got the ball out. Unfortunately we weren't able to get the ball in the end zone, but our offense finished the job for us.''

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Wide receiver Derrick Mason #85 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackled by safety Ryan Clark #25 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. Pittsburgh won 13-10. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

The offense finished the job when Roethlisberger found short-yardage back Isaac Redman on a third-and-goal pass from the 9, three plays after Polamalu's big takeaway. Redman made the Steelers' only touchdown happen with an outstanding individual effort, catching the ball at the 6, then spinning and churning his way past both safety Dawan Landry and outside linebacker Jarret Johnson on his way into the end zone.

"I made the biggest play in the biggest game I've ever played,'' Redman said. "It just goes to show you that the hard work paid off. This was like a 12-round fight, and we hung in there long enough and won.''

The Steelers had to show some resilience after seeing Roethlisberger's nose broken early, punter Dan Sepulveda sidelined by a season-ending ACL injury (he continued to hold for kicker Shaun Suisham), starting right offensive tackle Flozell Adams being shelved with a high ankle sprain, and tight end Heath Miller leaving the game via concussion after being nailed by Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain (a hit that's almost certain to draw a fine under the new defenseless receiver rule).

Pittsburgh was bloodied and battered, but it was never out of a game that Baltimore led 10-3 entering the fourth quarter. The Steelers kept hammering away at the Ravens, and eventually it was Baltimore that blinked.

"Hats off to Ben, he's a warrior,'' Ward said. "He actually looks better with a broken nose. But to stay in there and fight back, he's just a trooper. That's why I like everything about him. He's a winner, and I know when he's out on the field he gives us a great chance to win.

"But hats off to all the guys. When Dan went down, Flo went down, Heath Miller went out with a concussion, we were slim pickins' out there trying to figure out who was going to be [in what] personnel. I was going to line up at tight end one time. But we found a way to stay together. It's just great to beat up on Baltimore, man. It's hard to win in Baltimore. We haven't done it too many times.''

The last time the Steelers managed a win here was actually two short years ago, in a low-scoring slugfest game that was remarkably similar to this one. Then again, at this point all the Ravens-Steelers games seem like Groundhog Day. Their last seven meetings were decided by margins of three points in overtime, four, nine, three in overtime, three, three and three. In 2008, the Steelers used a December win here to lock up the AFC North and then springboard their way to the franchise's sixth Super Bowl title.

At 9-3, Pittsburgh is now one game ahead of the 8-4 Ravens, and the Steelers might be in the process of seeing some recent history repeat itself. The Steelers have a three-game homestand just ahead, and only one of the games can be considered challenging: Cincinnati (2-10), the Jets (9-2) and Carolina (1-10). With just one division loss compared to Baltimore's two, Pittsburgh is in command of its fate in the AFC North. That's how vital Sunday's victory was.

Bloodied nose or not, the Steelers beat the Ravens and have again found their way to the elite class of the AFC.

"It's still tough, but we like where we're at,'' Ward said. "Tomorrow [night], we'll find out what happens with the Jets and Pats, but we're going to enjoy this one right now. We have a tough team coming in next in Cincinnati, but we control our own destiny, and that's all we can ask for.''


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/don_banks/12/06/steelers.ravens/index.html#ixzz17Kve26bd

Stakes raised by Tomlin, and Steelers cash in

By John Harris, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Monday, December 6, 2010

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talks with head coach Mike Tomlin before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)


BALTIMORE -- The booming voice was unmistakable. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wanted to personally deliver a message to his players last Wednesday before the first practice of the week.

"Outside!" Tomlin shouted upon entering the locker room.

Translation: "I don't care how cold it is, we're not practicing indoors.''

Tomlin raised the significance of Sunday night's critical AFC North battle against Baltimore to new heights. Since losing to New England last month, Tomlin made the Steelers practice in full pads on Wednesdays. No one could remember the last time that occurred, but it certainly wasn't this season.

Tomlin didn't stop there. A year ago, the Steelers practiced inside during inclement weather. This year, only a blizzard will prevent the Steelers from practicing outdoors.

In all honesty, nothing could have prepared the Steelers for what they encountered last night. As a result, nothing will feel any sweeter than the Steelers' 13-10 comeback win at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Steelers take pride in their defense. But there was nothing good about watching Baltimore drive 92 yards and take a 7-0 lead against the NFL's No. 5 defense. It was the longest drive by a Steelers opponent this season, made possible by a 61-yard strike from Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin on third-and-15 from the Baltimore 3.

Baltimore's opening score resulted on the type of play that makes defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's cringe. For the second consecutive week, the Steelers pass rush failed and the opposing quarterback had too much time to pick out an open receiver.

Last week against Buffalo, a wide-open Steve Johnson dropped the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against the Steelers. This week, Flacco received plenty of time to scan the field and drill a 14-yard touchdown pass to Boldin.

Baltimore continued to ring up big plays against the Steelers. Like most opponents, the Ravens couldn't run against the league's top-ranked rushing defense. But why run when you can pass?

Flacco dialed up Donte' Stallworth for a 67-yard bomb in the second quarter. Left cornerback Bryant McFadden made an inside move toward the tight end when he suddenly realized the ball was coming to his side of the field. Luckily, the Steelers finally discovered a pass rush when cornerback Ike Taylor blitzed and sacked Flacco for an 11-yard loss, forcing a punt.

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Wide receiver Donte' Stallworth #18 of the Baltimore Ravens is tackeled behind the line of scrimmage by linebacker LaMarr Woodley #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

By the same token, that same defense set up the winning touchdown when blitzing safety Troy Polamalu forced a Flacco fumble and linebacker LaMarr Woodley returned the fumble to the Baltimore 9. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hit running back Isaac Redman with the game-winning touchdown pass as the Steelers took over first place in the division.

The Steelers won despite the offense failing to score in the first half for the first time all season. Roethlisberger, playing gamely on a sprained right foot, tried to work the ball downfield. He paid for it when Baltimore cornerback Josh Wilson intercepted an ill-advised, second-quarter pass intended for rookie Antonio Brown that was thrown into double coverage.

Regrouping at halftime, the Steelers smartly mixed the run with short and intermediate passes before their first drive in the third quarter fizzled out at the Baltimore 27. Shaun Suisham's 45-yard field goal made it 7-3 at the 10:54 mark.

Trailing 10-3, the Steelers offense needed to prove it could move the ball consistently against a good defense when it mattered. Garbage points in the fourth quarter against New England don't count.

We know the Steelers can move the ball against the likes of Oakland and Cincinnati. To win against Baltimore, the Steelers were going to have to score at least one touchdown against a good defense.

They did it last night at the most opportune time. The late-game heroics made Tomlin's recent practice edict seem like a stroke of genius.

Roethlisberger has nose for winning

Monday, December 06, 2010
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger waves to fans as he walks off the field in celebration of the Steelers' 13-10 win over the Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)


BALTIMORE -- Three things we know about Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger today:

• He was just good enough for his team to beat the Baltimore Ravens Sunday night at M&T Bank Stadium in a game that meant everything in the AFC North Division race.

• That broken right foot he hobbled into the game with? The broken nose he had early in the first quarter from a hit by defensive tackle Haloti Ngata? He barely felt the pain. OK, he felt it plenty, but he was able to laugh about it. You always can laugh when you win a big game against your big rivals.

And ...

• He really doesn't get any protection from the NFL officials.

Of course, none of those points is a surprise.

Especially not the first one.

When Roethlisberger plays, the Steelers almost always beat the Ravens. This time the score was 13-10. That makes six consecutive wins for Roethlisberger against the Ravens, eight in his 10 career starts against them. You might say he has had their number.

If the Ravens are truthful, they'll say it.

I know what you're thinking. The real star in this game was Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who set up the winning touchdown by sacking Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and forcing a fumble that linebacker LaMarr Woodley returned to the Baltimore 9 with a little more than three minutes left. And, really, it was running back Isaac Redman, who made the touchdown play that followed on third down, grabbing Roethlisberger's pass at the Ravens' 6 and breaking two tackles on his way to the end zone with 2:51 to play.

But I gotta tell you, Roethlisberger did his part just by showing up.

"He's such a warrior," Redman said. "He's out there with a broken foot. His nose is busted up. There's blood everywhere ...

"You see him and it doesn't matter what's hurting on you. You just got a suck it up and go along with him. He's such a great leader for us."

Roethlisberger's effort, like his teammates grind, was huge. This game was for first place in the division. The Steelers (9-3) hold a one game lead over the Ravens (8-4) in the standings, but it's really two games, as of now, because the Steelers hold the edge in the second tiebreaker based on division play. The path to the Super Bowl, as everyone knows, is much easier as a division champion than as a wild-card team.

"We had to have this game," Redman said.

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 05: Running back Isaac Redman #33 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs the ball in for a touchdown against safety Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 5, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Roethlisberger shook off a rough first half; he was just 9 for 19 for 92 yards with an interception and a puny 39.8 passer rating. He was sacked twice, the first time by linebacker Terrell Suggs and Ngata, who swiped Roethlisberger across the nose as he made the tackle. Is that not considered a hit to the head? Please, explain it to me.

You might want to explain it to Roethlisberger, as well.

"A hand came through my facemask and, the next thing I knew, blood was running down my face," Roethlisberger said. "I said to [referee Terry McAulay], 'He hit me in the head.' He said, 'He was just trying to tackle you.' "

So much for protecting the quarterback, right?

Roethlisberger also thought he was roughed up when Ravens safety Dawan Landry hit him late after a pass in the second quarter. He got up and looked to McAulay for a flag before gesturing angrily at him. Asked if he was surprised there were no personal-foul penalties called on the Ravens, Roethlisberger shrugged and said, "No."

Roethlisberger put all of it behind him -- the broken foot, the broken nose, the non-calls -- and led the Steelers on three second-half scoring drives. He completed 13 of his 19 passes for 161 yards and the touchdown pass to Redman.

Clearly, it wasn't Roethlisberger's finest game. But it ranked among his most satisfying.

Roethlisberger joked about the pain of his broken nose taking away from the pain of his broken foot. "It's killing me right now," he said.

Looking in the mirror couldn't have helped. Roethlisberger's nose bent badly toward the left.

"I look like I went 12 rounds with Pacquiao," he said of world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao.

"I guess I'll be having a little surgery in the morning to get it fixed."

Roethlisberger didn't seem to mind as he limped off into the night, his right foot in a walking boot. Of this he was certain: He felt better than any of the Ravens.

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com. Ron Cook can be heard on the "Vinnie and Cook" show weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 93.7 The Fan.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10340/1108685-87.stm#ixzz17Ko77l2s

Last goof proves to be undoing of Ravens

Monday, December 06, 2010
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

(Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / December 5, 2010)
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu strips Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

BALTIMORE -- So this is what you get when you put the two best teams in the AFC North on the same field on the same cold night for the benefit of a national prime-time audience:

The standard Steelers-Ravens riot, 60 frantic minutes of mayhem, few of them approaching actual, you know, competence.

This version included 18 penalties, three fumbles, seven sacks, and the strong suggestion that anyone wondering if the conference has a truly elite team should watch the New England Patriots-New York Jets game tonight.

It was evident almost from the start here Sunday night that this little hairpull would be lost rather than won by anyone; it was only a matter of who would goof most.

Ultimately, Baltimore lost it through an almost impossible oversight -- failing to account for Troy Polamalu. Let me just type that again because I can't really believe it myself. They failed to account for Troy Polamalu.

As they love to say on the broadcasts: Are you kiddin' me?

Polamalu flew around the Ravens' left edge late in the fourth quarter and blind-sided quarterback Joe Flacco, stripping the ball free at the Baltimore 28. LaMarr Woodley returned it to the 9, and Isaac Redman banged it home on a slant pass from Ben Roethlisberger for the Steelers' only touchdown, the one that made it 13-10 with 2:51 to play, you know, the one that won the game the Ravens lost.

"Basically, we gave the game away at the end," said Baltimore coach John Harbaugh.

Baltimore led, 10-3, into the fourth quarter and could have doomed the Steelers to a wild-card role in the postseason, but that all flipped on a play on which the Steelers actually were fooled.

"Troy was actually there in run pressure," said Mike Tomlin. "We anticipated them running the ball and we thought we could force a second-and-long. But that's Troy. A lot of guys would just run in there and sack the quarterback, but he sees the game a little differently."

The Ravens opened with an hilarious imitation of the penalty-riddled Steelers, of all things, getting flagged seven times in the first quarter for 38 yards.

But if anything was funnier than that shagginess, it was the play of the Pittsburgh secondary.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / December 5, 2010)
LaMarr Woodley picks up Joe Flacco's fourth-quarter fumble and runs for 19 yards into Ravens' territory. The Steelers won 13-10.

Tomlin wanted to play a conservative, field-position strategy with first place on the line, partly in deference to his quarterback's broken foot. So, rather than attempt a fourth-down conversion from the Ravens' 32 on the Steelers' second possession, Tomlin let Daniel Sepulveda punt it 24 yards to the 8, where Baltimore's Blind Side tackle Michael Oher promptly took it back to the 3 with a false-start penalty.

On third-and-15 from that spot, Steelers safety Ryan Clark was some 20 yards from the line of scrimmage, but before the snap, he sprinted forward and Ravens wideout Anquan Boldin bolted past him on his way to a 61-yard reception that sparked the only touchdown drive of the first half.

Flacco then found Boldin behind for 14 yards and a 7-0 lead.

On a night when both teams seemed fully capable of self-destruction, a Steelers drive that started in the third quarter and ended in the fourth best illustrated what this game was all about. It lasted nine minutes, 27 seconds and included part low comedy, part medium drama, and a sickening helmet-to-helmet collision between Steelers tight end Heath Miller and Ravens linebacker Jameel McClain that drew no flag.

It started with a Roethlisberger fumble under pressure from Terrell Suggs. The fumble was picked up behind Ben by 345-pound guard Chris Kemoeatu (don't ask what he was doing back there), and Kemoeatu ran with it until he was horse-collared to the ground. Again, no flag.

Fortunately for a Steelers offense that was generating next to nothing, Baltimore was holding on the play, giving the Steelers an automatic first down at the 32. When Baltimore stopped Rashard Mendenhall on a fourth-and-one at the Ravens; 45, a neutral-zone infraction against the defense resuscitated the drive again.

On the first down play, Roethlisberger threw in the right flat to Miller, who absorbed a brutally concussive hit by McClain and lay there for five frightening minutes before he walked. The Steelers lost another starter two plays later when right tackle Flozell Adams injured his right knee.

Roethlisberger's longest completion of the night, a scrambling 28-yard throw to Emmanuel Sanders put the ball at the 2, from where, of course, the offense threw it in reverse and settled for Shaun Suisham's sixth consecutive successful field-goal try, the one that made it 10-6 with 12:46 left. That lead looked like it would stand until Redman scored on the slant.

"Things looked gloomy," Hines Ward said in a fairly giddy locker room. "It's great how we came down here and stole a victory."


Gene Collier: gcollier@post-gazette.com.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10340/1108688-150.stm#ixzz17KkQVqiT

Ravens let up in the end, lose 13-10 to Steelers

By Jamison Hensley
The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
December 6, 2010

(Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / December 5, 2010)
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu stips the ball from Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, setting up the Steelers for their 13-10 victory.

The Ravens and Joe Flacco got blindsided by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Flacco's fourth-quarter fumble -- which came when Steelers safety Troy Polamalu stripped him from behind -- let control of the AFC North slip from their hands in a 13-10 loss to Pittsburgh at a chilly and windy M&T Bank Stadium last night.

Three plays after Flacco's turnover, Pittsburgh running back Isaac Redman took a short third-down pass from Ben Roethlisberger, broke from Dawan Landry's grasp and scored a 9-yard touchdown as the Steelers took their first lead with 2:51 left in the game.

"It doesn't feel good," Flacco said. "I feel we gave this one away."

In a rivalry defined by bone-rattling hits, the Steelers' biggest blow came in the standings. The Ravens' first loss at home in nine games was as painful as it was costly because the Ravens (8-4) fell one game behind the Steelers (9-3) in the AFC North with four games remaining.

"We'll keep fighting like we always do," coach John Harbaugh said. "We'll find a way to get in the playoffs. We might still win the division."

Flacco, who beat Pittsburgh with a last-minute touchdown two months ago, couldn't do it Sunday night. He led the Ravens into Steelers territory but the Ravens' last gasp ended when Flacco short-hopped a pass to a wide-open Ed Dickson on fourth-and-2.

His first look was wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who was covered. Flacco quickly had to change for a desperation throw to the other side of the field.

"I never got my hips back over there to put enough umph on the ball to Ed," Flacco said.

An announced crowd of 71,418 who braved the 35-degree temperatures and 31-mile-per-hour gusts left with plenty of questions as the Ravens failed to complete their second sweep of the Steelers in team history.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron / December 5, 2010)
Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, left, can't bring down Ben Roethlisberger before the Steelers quarterback shovels the ball away in the fourth quarter.

• Why did the Ravens go on fourth down instead of attempting a 48-yard field goal?

"It was a tough wind up there," Harbaugh said. "It was really outside our range that we designated going in. We felt like we had a better chance to get the first down than we had to kick that field goal at that time."

When a reporter pointed out that Cundiff had made three kicks from that distance or beyond, Harbaugh snapped back, "Were you down there on the field? Did you see the way those balls were tracking in the field goal pre-game? It was a tough kick. I'm pretty good at that. I've been doing it for a long time. I understand what those guys can do and what they can't do. It would have been a very low percentage kick."

• Why were the Ravens throwing the ball on second-and-5 when they had a four-point lead with 3:22 remaining? That was the play when Flacco fumbled. "I don't really sit in here and criticize my coaches' play-calling after the fact," Harbaugh said. "Never have, never will."

• And did the Ravens consider challenging the fumble? Flacco had his arm cocked back when Polamalu slapped the ball away.

"There was talk about it," Harbaugh said. "But when I saw it on tape, I didn't want to waste a timeout. It was a fumble."

Roethlisberger won his sixth straight game against the Ravens, but he wasn't the reason the Ravens failed to complete their second sweep of their division rival.

A 10-6 lead in the fourth quarter turned into a 13-10 deficit when the Ravens couldn't handle an all-out blitz by Pittsburgh. Flacco dropped back and saw Dickson wide open in the flat. What he didn't see was Polamalu barreling down from behind.

"I took three steps and raised my arm and just got it," said Flacco, who was 17-for-33 for 266 yards passing. "I was pretty shocked to see it myself."

The Ravens' defense, which dominated Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh for most of the game, couldn't take pride in its effort.

"It doesn't matter," said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three tackles for losses and five quarterback hits in one of the best games of his career. They're going to be happy as hell on that airplane back to Pittsburgh. It doesn't matter. They got the 'W'."

jamison.hensley@baltsun.com

Jackets out at home

Penguins fill up Nationwide Arena with goals, fans


By Aaron Portzline
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/index.html
http://www.bluejacketsxtra.com/live/content/index.html
Sunday, December 5, 2010

Pittsburgh Penguins' Tyler Kennedy scores a goal against Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Mathieu Garon in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010. (AP)

As if having Nationwide Arena taken over by Pittsburgh Penguins fans wasn't bad enough, the Blue Jackets only furthered the indignity brought upon their fans by turning in an abysmal performance last night. It sent Jackets fans heading to the exits early under derisive taunts and kept Penguins fans around to keep the party going.

The Blue Jackets gave up three power-play goals in the first period, fell behind 5-0 early in the second and lost 7-2, their fifth consecutive loss and second straight by blowout.

"It's embarrassing, for me and my teammates," Blue Jackets right winger R.J. Umberger said. "Playing against a good team, a team that gets a lot of national exposure

"For the first couple of shifts we were in it. After that, we weren't."

Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason was pulled at 15:49 of the first after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Three of them went between his legs: one a bad-luck bounce off a teammate's skate, and the other two soft goals from a distance.

The Penguins had more goals (four) than the Blue Jackets had shots on goal (two) in the first period. Even Penguins fourth-line center Mike Rupp had more shots (three) than the Jackets.

"We didn't fall apart after that (first) goal," Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel said. "We fell apart after all three of the ugly goals. The first goal was a bad bounce-in. The next two were awful goals, and it took all the wind out of our sails."

Penguins fans accounted for at least half of the standing-room only crowd of 19,143. They taunted Mason with derisive chants before he was pulled. They chanted "We want 10!" - meaning goals - in the second period. They sent a wave around the bowl in the third.

"I'd say having a goalie chant for the (home) team is odd," Rupp joked.

Pittsburgh Penguins' Michael Rupp, right, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Jared Boll fight in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Ohio, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010. (AP)

Sidney Crosby and Paul Martin each scored two goals for the Penguins, and grinders such as Rupp, Tyler Kennedy and Deryk Engelland scored, too.

Sammy Pahlsson and Chris Clark scored for the Blue Jackets, but there was little celebration.

When the Penguins went up 5-0 early in the second, it marked the 11th straight goal allowed by the Blue Jackets, dating to a loss Wednesday to the Nashville Predators and including a 5-0 loss Friday to the Buffalo Sabres.

The Blue Jackets are running out of excuses for embarrassing stretches of play like this.

The payroll ($54 million) is middle of the pack in the NHL. The young players have too much NHL service time to use inexperience as an excuse. Former coach Ken Hitchcock - remember the old codger who was too hard on the kids? - has been shown the door.

When asked about the club's fragile psyche, Arniel said: "You can really see it. It's happened before, and I'm sure the first thoughts are that it's going to happen again. The coaching staff we're trying everything to not let it happen."

Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash tried to set the tone by leveling Mark Letestu and Brooks Orpik on the first shift of the game.

But the verve was gone quickly. It was 1-0 at 6:43, 2-0 at 8:59, 3-0 at 12:55 and 4-0 at 15:49. The rout was on.

Penguins fans taunted Blue Jackets fans as they left in droves after the second period. With the score 7-1, they were getting mocked in their own building and couldn't take it anymore.


aportzline@dispatch.com

Highlights: Penguins 7, Blue Jackets 2

In this game of schoolyard ball, stopping Roethlisberger is key

Ravens have struggled to handle Steelers QB, especially when he improvises

By Jamison Hensley, The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/
December 5, 2010

Ben Roethlisberger runs the ball against the Baltimore Ravens on December 14, 2008 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The Steelers defeated the Ravens 13-9. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

To take control of the AFC North and a top seed in the AFC playoffs, the Ravens have to rip it away from a quarterback who has taken so much from them over the years.

Ben Roethlisberger brings a five-game winning streak over the Ravens and some painful memories to M&T Bank Stadium Sunday, when the rivalry between the Ravens (8-3) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) is renewed.

Over the past few years, Roethlisberger has taken away a trip to the Super Bowl and a division title from the Ravens and handed them heartbreaking defeats with out-of-the-pocket heroics. A chance for some vindication awaits the Ravens before a national television audience Sunday night, when first place in the AFC North is on the line.

The time is now for the Ravens to upend Big Ben, who hasn't lost to his bitter rival since 2006.

"Well, there's no game better than this one to break that streak," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

"Break" has been a hot topic when it comes to Roethlisberger this week. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Roethlisberger has a broken bone in his right foot, which he re-injured last Sunday in an overtime win at Buffalo. But the Steelers later refuted this report with a statement that said Roethlisberger doesn't have a broken right foot but instead is healing from an aggravation of a previous injury where scar tissue is present.

Roethlisberger has been limited in practice all week and will wear a reinforced shoe that stabilizes the foot yet allows enough movement to play. He is listed as questionable on the injury report, but the Ravens aren't questioning whether the two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback will play.

"We know he's going to play because this is championship football," said Suggs, who has sacked Roethlisberger more times (eight, to be exact) than anyone else in the league.

Roethlisberger took his biggest shot from the Ravens in 2006, when an unblocked Bart Scott rocked him in one of the hardest hits in this rivalry. But Roethlisberger countered with harder punches to the gut, beating the Ravens in December the past two years and knocking them out of the playoffs in the AFC championship game two seasons ago.

Why does Roethlisberger have such a hold over the Ravens? He simply shrugs his shoulders when asked the question.

"I have no idea," he said. "Luck?"

Roethlisberger's statistics against the Ravens have been impressive over his five consecutive wins. He has averaged 232 yards passing, throwing nine touchdowns and two interceptions. His rating is 96.8.

But those numbers don't reveal how many times Roethlisberger has dealt the decisive blow to the Ravens.

Here's a look at his impact during his personal five-game winning streak over the Ravens:

•Nov. 5, 2007: Roethlisberger threw five touchdown passes against the Ravens, who could have tied the Steelers atop the AFC North with a win.

•Sept. 29, 2008: His 38-yard touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes on third down rallied Pittsburgh from a 10-point halftime deficit.

•Dec. 14, 2008: Roethlisberger's controversial 4-yard touchdown pass to Holmes with 43 seconds remaining clinched the AFC North title for the Steelers on the Ravens' home turf.

•Jan. 18, 2009: A scrambling Roethlisberger made an off-balance throw to Holmes, who ran for a 65-yard touchdown in the AFC championship game.

•Dec. 27, 2009: He delivered two key completions (14 and 24 yards) to set up the game-winning field goal with 5:25 left in a game that would have knocked Pittsburgh out of the playoff hunt.

"Ben is the ultimate competitor," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "That's why they made him their franchise quarterback. I just think they are who they are with Ben Roethlisberger."

Schoolyard football

The Steelers were without Roethlisberger for four games to start the season while he served his suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. In seven games since, he hasn't been any different.

He is still one of the league's top quarterbacks (he's the fifth-highest rated passer in the NFL). He is still at his best when the play breaks down.

"Ben isn't going to impress you from the pocket like the Mannings and the Bradys," Lewis said. "It's basic schoolyard football where someone takes the ball and yells, 'Tackle me, tackle me.' "

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said his players understand you potentially face two plays with every snap against Roethlisberger.

The first challenge is playing him while he's in the pocket. The next one is when he escapes pressure by sidestepping a tackler or brushing them off to extend the play.

"I think he changes the dynamic of the game, no doubt about it," Harbaugh said. "[Roethlisberger] is deadly accurate on the move."

When Roethlisberger gets out of the pocket, the Ravens will change their zone coverage immediately to man-to-man. A defense has to lock on every receiver or else one will scramble to find an open area for Roethlisberger.

"It's a just an effort play," linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "Who is going to last longer during the play? Because it might be a 10- to 15-second play."

Trying to sack the burly 6-foot-5, 241-pound quarterback is an "effort play" as well.

"You have to make sure you tackle him. You don't try to knock him down," Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. "I think in the years that I've been here there's been a number of times when we have had clean shots on him and we have hit him as hard as we could hit him, and it's like he bounces off of you."

At full strength

Some observers have downgraded the Ravens' 17-14 win at Pittsburgh two months ago because the Ravens beat Charlie Batch, not Roethlisberger (who watched the game from his suburban Pittsburgh home).

The Ravens, though, point out that they were without Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed, who was on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from offseason hip surgery.

"Now that everybody has everybody,'' Lewis said, "let's see how it goes down.''

If the Ravens sweep Pittsburgh for the second time in their history, they would essentially have a two-game lead on the Steelers with four games remaining (because the Ravens would hold the tiebreaker advantage if the teams finished with the same record). If the Ravens lose to their division rival, the Steelers would take a one-game lead with three straight home games ahead.

"We're playing the biggest game of the year," Harbaugh said upon entering Steelers week.

While plenty of attention has focused on Roethlisberger's recent dominance over the Ravens, he is only 1-1 in his career in Baltimore (he missed the games here in 2005, 2007 and 2009).

The Ravens have been extremely tough at M&T Bank Stadium and are seeking their franchise-record ninth straight home win.

"Our fans are going to be crazy," Lewis said. "It's one of those games that you have to be a part of. When your legacy is done, you look back at these games right here."

jamison.hensley@baltsun.com

twitter.com/jamisonhensley

Ravens defense looks to contain Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall

Ravens have held Pittsburgh back in check in all four previous meetings

By Edward Lee, The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/
8:34 PM EST, December 3, 2010

Now in his second full season as the featured tailback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rashard Mendenhall has enjoyed considerable success in the NFL -- just not against the Ravens, who welcome Mendenhall and the Steelers to M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night.

And that's a mystery even to some Ravens defensive players.

(AP photo / December 27, 2009)

Ravens safety Dawan Landry, right, tries to bring down Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall in the first quarter. Mendenhall rushed for 36 yards on 17 carries.

"We have done well against him, but historically, he's a style of back that we don't do well against," outside linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "He's extremely patient, he hits the perimeter really fast, and usually against real patient guys like him, we struggle because we attack and he's waiting and pops into another hole. I don't know what the key is. You've just got to keep him contained because he can bust it out quick."

In four career meetings against the Ravens, Mendenhall has never reached the 100-yard mark, and he failed to gain 40 rushing yards in two of those games.

His debut against the Ravens on Sept. 29, 2008, ended early when a collision with inside linebacker Ray Lewis resulted in Mendenhall's sitting out the rest of the season with a fractured right shoulder.

This season, Mendenhall has perhaps been the engine of the Steelers' offense. While the team survived with quarterback Charlie Batch playing the first four games of the season as Ben Roethlisberger served a four-game suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy, Mendenhall has rushed for 962 yards and a career-best nine touchdowns, ranking seventh and tied for third in the NFL, respectively.

He ran for a season-high 151 yards and scored once in Pittsburgh's 19-16 overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and he posted two rushing touchdowns in his first meeting with the Ravens on Oct. 3.

"Rashard is the kind of back he was all along," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier in the week. "You saw him in college, and he had the potential to be a premier back. He's become a premier back. He got hurt for one year, I guess, and that probably held him back. But he's really good. He's the key to their running game. They have a very physical offensive line, and he just picks his way through that next play."

Mendenhall, 5 feet 10, 225 pounds, is a power back who is difficult to bring down because of his low center of gravity. After sharing carries with Willie Parker in 2008, Mendenhall took over in 2009, rushing for 1,108 yards.

But he's also blessed with speed, an asset that sometimes catches opponents off-guard.

"We didn't know he had that much speed until we found out when he bounced outside in the first game," Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "He's really a good running back."

Nose tackle Kelly Gregg said Mendenhall reminds him of the Cincinnati Bengals' Cedric Benson in terms of his patience and his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. (Mendenhall has caught 16 passes for 98 yards this season.)

Gregg said the worst thing a defense can do is surrender big gains to Mendenhall early in a game.

"You can't let him get started," Gregg said. "That's one thing that we try to do. Don't let him get off to where he starts getting confidence. We just try to contain and keep on top of him for the whole game."

Because of Roethlisberger's prowess with throwing the football and escaping sacks, defenses tend to concentrate on containing the quarterback. Ravens strong safety Dawan Landry said it will be just as crucial to limit Mendenhall, who has three 100-yard games this season.

"He's playing at a high level right now," said Landry, who is questionable for the game because of a concussion suffered in the Ravens' 17-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. "He's the guy who makes that offense go. He's like what Ray Rice or Willis [McGahee] is to our offense right now."

Mendenhall's significance to Pittsburgh has grabbed the Ravens' attention.

"He's one of the backs in the league that nobody really knows about," Johnson said. "The last couple of years, they've kind of been a passing team, but they've been featuring him a lot lately. He's a back that doesn't get a whole lot of respect, but it is deserved."

edward.lee@baltsun.com

Baltimore Sun reporter Ken Murray contributed to this article.

Crosby's natural hat trick leads Penguins past Thrashers

Friday, December 03, 2010
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Sidney Crosby sits on the bench next to coach Dan Bylsma after after scoring his third goal of the NHL hockey game against the Atlanta Thrashers, in the second period Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, in Pittsburgh. (AP)

You might not know it, since the guy has two hat tricks in the past three games, but there are tougher jobs in hockey these days than trying to defend against Sidney Crosby.

Like, attempting to put into words precisely how well he has been playing lately.

Penguins defenseman Alex Goligoski, with the full weight of a University of Minnesota education behind him, gave it a shot after watching Crosby score all three of the Penguins' goals in their 3-2 victory against the Atlanta Thrashers Thursday night at Consol Energy Center.

And failed.

Miserably.

"If you were looking for a word, I would say ... I don't know," Goligoski said, smiling. "My college education's not going to help me."

Neither would a thesaurus. Or a hyperactive imagination.

Crosby has been playing the finest hockey of his pro career for the past few weeks, which means that a guy who might be the finest player in the world under normal circumstances has elevated his game to a level most mortal players couldn't reach in their most outrageous daydreams.

"The boy is special," Thrashers coach Craig Ramsay said. "There's no question. Everybody knows that. When players like that get on a roll, it's scary to play against them."

The same is true of Crosby's team. This victory was the Penguins' eighth in a row and ran their record to 10-0-1 since a 7-4 loss Nov. 10 to Boston.

The Thrashers, it should be noted, were not just another victim. They had won their previous six games and look a lot like a team that has the potential to be a factor, if not a force, in the Eastern Conference as the season plays out.

Atlanta got off to a good start in this one, too. The Thrashers ended the Penguins' run of 32 consecutive successful penalty-kills, six shy of the franchise record, at 6:21 of the opening period, when Bryan Little tossed in a rebound from in front of the net while Evgeni Malkin was serving a high-sticking minor.

"We were going to have to give one up at some point," penalty-killer Max Talbot said.

But just 71 seconds after that streak ended, another was extended when Crosby flipped a shot past Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec from along the goal line to the right of the net.

That goal, Crosby's 19th, stretched his points streak to 14 games, longest in the NHL this season.

Turned out to be just the first installment of a natural hat trick, too.

At 4:24 of the second, Crosby pulled in a long lead pass from Arron Asham and broke in alone on Pavelec before beating him with a backhander.

Crosby has hit the 20-goal mark in each of his six pro seasons. This time, he needed just 27 games, fewer than in any of the previous five. The most he needed was 53, in 2008-09.

A productive game became a prolific one at 10:18 of the second, when Crosby deflected a Brooks Orpik shot that was sailing wide of the Atlanta net past Pavelec to make it 3-1.

"That's about as good a tip as you'll see," Orpik said.

The goal pushed his league-leading points total to 44, four more than Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, who is second. Not that Crosby is inclined to measure his work solely by goals and assists.

"I don't know," he said. "You try not to think about the points and things."

It's hard not to, where he's concerned, but Crosby appreciates that other facets of his game also are important. Like faceoffs, of which he won 12 of 21, although a loss to Rich Peverley with eight seconds left in regulation led to a final Atlanta scoring chance.

"He was apologizing to us for losing the faceoff clean at the end," Orpik said.

No apology was needed, however, since Talbot -- inadvertently or otherwise -- put himself in position to block Dustin Byfuglien's shot as time was winding down.

"I toe-picked," Talbot said. "I tried to cover as much ice as I could, and caught a little bit of ice and went head-first. I blocked the shot, so that's what matters."

Crosby's hiccup on that faceoff doesn't cost the Penguins anything more than a bruise on Talbot's arm. It certainly didn't detract from the work he did in the previous 59-plus minutes, or the several weeks that preceded them.

"It still amazes me, how good he is," goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. "How hard he works to get better."

For more on the Penguins, read the Pens Plus blog with Dave Molinari and Shelly Anderson at www.post-gazette.com/plus. Dave Molinari: dmolinari@post-gazette.com.


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10337/1107938-61.stm#ixzz173Egkk1U


Crosby scores 3 again, Pens beat Thrashers 3-2

By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl
December 3, 2010

Sidney Crosby collects a rebound in front of Atlanta Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010. Crosby scored his third goal of the game on the play. (AP)

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Not that long ago, Penguins fans went to the arena nightly knowing they might see something special from Mario Lemieux. Now, Sidney Crosby is becoming just that kind of player, too.

Crosby scored all three Pittsburgh goals for the first natural hat trick of his six-season career and the Penguins won a matchup of teams on long winning streaks, beating the Atlanta Thrashers 3-2 on Thursday night.

With Crosby becoming the first Penguins player in nearly 10 years to score three goals in successive home games, Pittsburgh ran its winning streak to eight games. Atlanta’s franchise record-tying streak ended at six.

“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “But I did shake my head a couple of times.”

It took the NHL’s hottest scorer to beat one of the league’s hottest teams.

Crosby has scored six goals in his last two home games—he had three Saturday against Calgary—and has 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points during a 14-game scoring streak.

“That’s something you expect from him, because we see him every day,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “But it still amazes me how good he is, how hard he works to get better.”

Crosby, the NHL’s leading scorer with 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points in 27 games, tied Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos for the goal-scoring lead. They tied for the goals title last season with 51 apiece.

Crosby did not score three consecutive goals during any of his six previous hat tricks, but he did so against goalie Ondrej Pavelec, who had an 0.83 goals-against average during Atlanta’s winning streak.

“I try not to think about the points, I try to evaluate the (overall) game. I think the team’s been playing well and as a line we’ve been clicking,” said Crosby, referring to linemates Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz. “But it’s good to see them go in because sometimes they don’t go in.”

Pavelec has been nearly unbeatable in net for two weeks, giving up five goals in six games while stopping 183 of 188 shots, but he is 0-6 against Pittsburgh.

“We have to keep our heads up,” Pavelec said. “They’re on a roll; we’re on a roll. We just lost one game.”

The Penguins are on their longest winning streak since they also won eight in a row from Dec. 23, 2007-Jan. 10, 2008. They’ve taken over the Atlantic Division lead with 36 points, going 10-0-1 in their last 11 to pull within two points of Washington for the overall lead.

Fleury allowed Nik Antropov’s goal that made it 3-2 late in the second period, but made 20 saves while improving to 9-0-1 in his last 10 starts. He was especially strong as Atlanta pushed repeatedly for the tying goal in the third period.

Bryan Little scored off a rebound 6:21 into the game, the first goal allowed by Pittsburgh’s league-leading penalty-killing unit in 10 games.

Crosby needed only 1:11 to tie it, settling down a long pass through traffic from Kunitz at the side of the net and beating Pavelec.

Crosby reached the 20-goal mark early in the second period. A surprised Arron Asham looked up the ice after Atlanta defenseman Dustin Byfuglien fanned on a one-timer and saw Crosby 50 feet behind any defender at the far blue line. Crosby took the long pass, broke in on Pavelec and beat him cleanly with a backhander.

“He comes off the bench, gets a breakaway and gets it in the net,” Atlanta coach Craig Ramsay said. “A couple of things bounced against us.”

Crosby completed his hat trick at 10:18 of the second, deftly deflecting Brooks Orpik’s slap shot from the blue line. No Penguins player had scored hat tricks in successive home games since Alex Kovalev on Feb. 7 & 10, 2001.

“The boy’s special, there’s no question,” Ramsay said. “Everybody knows that. When players like that get on a roll, it’s scary to play against them. When the puck bounces, they get it and when they get it, good things happen.”

There was an audible stir after that whenever Crosby had the puck on his stick, but he couldn’t score again. Crosby has never had a four-goal game in his 398 career NHL games.

NOTES: Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin scored three goals Nov. 13 in Atlanta. … Atlanta has scored the first goal in 11 of its last 13 games. … The Penguins are 6-1 against Southeast Division teams. They have won their last eight at home against Atlanta. … Crosby reached the 20-goal mark in his 27th game. He did it in his 30th game last season.

James Harrison - Video Tribute

An angry Hines Ward lashes out at NFL 'hypocrites'

By John Harris, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, December 2, 2010

Hines Ward leaves the field after being tackled in the Steelers' 39-26 loss to the Patriots earlier this year. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Veteran wide receiver Hines Ward is the latest Steeler to express his unhappiness with the NFL's treatment of star linebacker James Harrison.

During his locker room criticism Wednesday that lasted more than a minute, Ward said the league's decision-makers are "hypocrites.''

"Say one thing, and do another,'' Ward said. "Talk about safety, but you add two games. Talk about you don't want players to drink, but our major endorsement is Coors Light. That's all you see is beer commercials.''

Responding to Harrison's $25,000 fine for a helmet to helmet hit against Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick — bringing Harrison's fines total to a whopping $125,000 as a result of four infractions this season — Ward described the league as only worrying about making money and not caring about the welfare of its players.

"The league don't care about us anyway. We just go out there and play,'' Ward said. "If they want to take our money, it's almost like you're guilty 'til proven innocent. They take your money, then you've got to appeal it.''

Harrison appealed his first three fines; all three were rejected by the league. Agent Bill Parise said Harrison will appeal his latest fine as well.

Ward's response to Harrison: Why bother?

"I've never seen an appeal ... somebody gets all their money back ... It's just a waste,'' Ward said. "Why even appeal it if you're not going to get it back?

"That's the case with James. He's going to continue playing, and if they keep taking his money, we've got to find a way, if we can do a couple of autograph signings in the offseason, to make that money back.''

Ward said the league sends mixed messages to players.

"If they're so concerned about safety, why are you adding two more games? That right there tells it all. They don't care about the safety of the game,'' Ward said.

"If they're worried about concussions ... mandate each player has a new helmet. They don't do that. They collect money from every helmet (company) that pays them enough money to get their helmets on the field. Now they have three different helmets, and none of them (are) proven that they work.

"You say you don't want us to gamble, but you have (point) spreads. For us, as players, we just play football. Whatever the league decides to do, they're gonna do.''

Harrison, Steelers won't remain silent on NFL's fines

By Mark Kaboly, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/
Thursday, December 2, 2010

James Harrison was fined $25,000 for a hit on Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick during the third quarter of Sunday's game. Harrison was called for a roughing-the-passer penalty on the play.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

They've tried to go about it quietly — and that didn't work.

They tried to go about it the diplomatic way — and that didn't work, either.

Now, the Steelers and some top-named NFL players are dealing with what they believe are unfair, unjust and excessive fines in a proactive way — they are speaking out.

And nobody is off-limits, especially following James Harrison's fourth fine over the past two months for what seemingly was a legal hit put on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick that cost the former NFL Defensive Player of the Year another $25,000.

Not the media, not NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and not even one of their own — NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith.

Steelers veteran linebacker and defensive captain James Farrior called out Smith yesterday for not getting involved in the NFL's fine-happy state of mind that seems to be zeroing in on Harrison, who has been fined $125,000 this year.

"Where is DeMaurice Smith when all this is going on?" Farrior said. "He is supposed to be our leader. I haven't heard him one time. We are on our own right now. It is just one guy (Goodell) making all the rules up and doling out the fines. There is nothing we can do about it."

So the Steelers have decided to go on the offensive.

Normally reluctant to speak about the league and its decisions to fine players, Steelers players have decided to make their displeasures known to the public.

"You have to talk about it," Farrior said. "We can't just keep sitting here and taking it. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to say something. We can't just keep quiet the whole time and just keep letting them bend us over and give it to us."

Harrison has even talked to his agent, Bill Parise, about getting some outside help. Team player rep Ryan Clark called the NFLPA's senior regional director Jason Belser to ask for help with Harrison.

"I said, 'We have to do something. We need to stand behind him,'" Clark said. "I think we need to be more vocal about the situation."

Others have followed the Steelers' lead about expressing displeasure with how they are being treated.

"I think it's bull the way they are doing it," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said on "Mike & Mike In The Morning" on ESPN Radio.

Baltimore Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs also didn't hold back his thoughts about how the league is handing out fines, especially to Harrison.

"It is just getting ridiculous," Suggs said. "I think there is definitely some injustice."

What the Steelers are looking for is clarity.

One week, Harrison was flagged for hitting Jason Campbell with his full body weight but was not fined. He was fined for hitting Drew Brees with his facemask; was fined for hitting what the NFL termed a defenseless receiver in Mohamed Massaquoi; and was fined for hitting Fitzpatrick with the crown of his helmet.

"I think the NFLPA can be instrumental in getting us that clarity," Clark said.

Harrison thinks the NFLPA might not be able to help, either.

"It's starting to look like it's OK to cheat, it's OK to fight, but if you hit somebody too hard, we're going to fine you a whole bunch more than the other two," Harrison said. "Maybe it's because I play for the Steelers, who knows?"

Harrison, as well as others in the locker room, believes that speaking out to the media is the only way things will start to change.

"The media, y'all control what goes on, y'all are like puppet masters, and y'all control the puppets," Harrison said. "If y'all say that they're doing wrong, and the media starts to say this more and more, then I think things will start to change. Until y'all do something about it I don't think nothing's going to change."

Anti-Steelers conspiracy?

By Joe Starkey, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, December 2, 2010

ORCHARD PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 28: James Harrison #92 of the Pittsburgh Steelers sacks Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Buffalo Bills during their game at Ralph Wilson Stadium on November 28, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Karl Walter/Getty Images)

Next time James Harrison has a quarterback in his sights, he should forgo the idea of, you know, tackling him and consider three other options, all of which carry minimal consequences — or none at all — within the NFL's crack justice system:

• Sucker punch the quarterback in the jaw.

• Rip the dude's helmet off and pound his skull like a slab of beef.

• Wait 'til he drops to his knees, then leap on his back with full body weight and twist his limbs like light bulbs.

Why not? Such actions apparently do not merit any more of a punishment than what Harrison got for attempting to make a legal tackle — and perhaps doing so — the other day in Buffalo.

What a league. As an entertainment entity, it is a brilliant, raging success. As a de facto court of law, it is a laughable farce.

Miraculously, commissioner Roger Goodell & Co. have almost managed to make wacko Steelers conspiracy theorists seem sane. Those people believe the league is out to get their team, as if damaging one of the NFL's flagship franchises would be a productive move, as if Dan Rooney wasn't one of Goodell's most influential backers when the owners hired Goodell.

Nobody's out to get the Steelers.

It just looks that way.

I mean, even mortal enemies such as Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs will tell you Harrison has been singled out. He said as much Wednesday, on a conference call, opining that Harrison has been "red-flagged."

"If he breathes on a quarterback, he might get a flag," Suggs said. "They're looking at him more closely than anyone in the league."

Without question, Steelers players believe their team has been unfairly targeted. Consider their reaction to Harrison's hit on Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The on-field official said Harrison used the crown of his helmet. He didn't. I haven't defended all of Harrison's questionable hits, but this was a bad call. Yet, the league re-defined the play and fined Harrison $25,000.

Safety Ryan Clark's take: "We know the NFL is going to protect quarterbacks — all of them except ours."

Who can blame him for thinking that way, when abusers of his quarterback have faced such paltry punishment? Two weeks ago, Raiders lineman Richard Seymour — a repeat offender — sucker-punched Ben Roethlisberger in the head as the latter went to celebrate a touchdown.

Talk about a defenseless player. Talk about an egregious head shot.

Yet, Seymour was not suspended. He was ejected from a game that was rapidly becoming a blowout and fined $25,000. Somehow, his assault fell into the category of "fight," so he was subjected to NFL's fine scale for fighting.

Which raises a question: What's to stop somebody from cold-cocking a quarterback late in a blowout when all he'll face is an ejection and a puny fine?

More to the point, why wouldn't a coach instruct a player to do exactly that, especially if the quarterback in question might be facing his team in the playoffs in a few weeks?

That'd be nice: NFL teams hiring goons, just like the NHL.

Speaking of hockey, you must have seen Texans receiver Andre Johnson rip the helmet off Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan — something a hockey player would do — and pummel him. Finnegan (repeat offender) instigated the bout with a two-hand shiver to Johnson's face.

Both were given game misconducts, er, ejections, but the game was already in the fourth quarter, so how much weight did that punishment carry? Neither player was suspended. Johnson is free to play in tonight's NFL Network game against the Eagles. He and Finnegan were fined $25,000 apiece.

Same as Harrison.

By its actions, the NFL has equated a brawl with a borderline hit on a quarterback.

Meanwhile, there wasn't even a flag thrown in Buffalo when Roethlisberger went to his knees and 310-pound Marcus Stroud jumped on his back, and stayed there, as teammate Arthur Moats twisted Roethlisberger's leg and gave him a hockey-style facewash.

Hines Ward had the perfect word to describe the NFL yesterday, specifically relating to the league's alleged concern for player safety even as it pushes for an 18-game season:

"Hypocrites."

It's easy to see why Roethlisberger answered the way he did, too, when asked if Seymour's punishment would have been harsher if he'd clocked Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.

"We all know the answer to that one," he said. "Easy."

I disagree. I don't think the league is out to get the Steelers.

I'm just having a hard time proving it right now.


http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_711816.html

Foot injury not limiting Polamalu’s playmaking

By ALAN ROBINSON, AP Sports Writer
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl
November 30, 2010

AP FILE - In this Nov. 28, 2010 photo, Pittsburgh Steelers' safety Troy Polamalu breaks up a pass intended for Buffalo Bills' wide receiver Steve Johnson during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y. The Steelers were reminded again what they were missing when Polamalu was injured for most of the season. Against Buffalo, his instinctive play preserved their chances of winning their division.

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Troy Polamalu’s strained right Achilles’ tendon isn’t allowing him to practice most weeks. The Steelers don’t want to take the chance that one of the NFL’s most valuable defensive players will aggravate the injury and won’t be able to play.

The rest of the NFL must be wondering what the five-time Pro Bowl safety could possibly do better if he were fully healthy.

Despite his sore foot, Polamalu made a rally-stopping interception late in the fourth quarter of the Steelers’ 19-16 overtime decision Sunday in Buffalo. He also made a fumble recovery, another play that illustrated how his alertness and ability to decipher plays might be unmatched in the league.

In his last two games, Polamalu has accounted for three turnovers by himself.

“He’s all over the place,” Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes) said. “I think he’s one of the best defenders in the league for a reason. He just flies around and he has a great football sense in terms of reading plays, relying on his instincts and reacting to what he sees.”

He’s also doing it with almost no practice. No wonder Polamalu’s No. 43 is the third most popular in jersey sales among all NFL players, trailing only quarterbacks Tim Tebow(notes) and Drew Brees(notes). He’s No. 1 among defensive players.

“We simply want to take every precaution possible to keep this man up and running,” coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. “It’s obvious he’s playing really good football for us and we want that to continue. There’s a fine line in terms of that, when you talk about limiting someone’s (practice) participation, but he is a veteran football player and a good one. We’re going to do the best we can to get him to the stadium in one piece.”

With the Steelers (8-3) headed to Baltimore (8-3) on Sunday to play for the AFC North lead, they’re being reminded weekly how badly they missed Polamalu when two left knee injuries limited him to three full games last season. He missed their final seven games, a stretch that included most of their season-wrecking five-game losing streak.

Polamalu, who has four interceptions this season, recently said he wasn’t sure how he was playing, but that he expected to make more plays. The Steelers use him in so many roles other than pass defender—he’s a key player in their run defense, and in their pass rush—that mere numbers sometimes don’t accurately quantify his play.

“I can’t tell you too many games that I walked away from satisfied with my performance,” Polamalu said. “In my mind, there’s more plays out there that I should make.”

With his million-dollar hair billowing out of his helmet—yes, it is insured for that amount by the shampoo he endorses—Polamalu’s ability to run down receivers and running backs from one sideline to the other might be rivaled only by Ravens safety Ed Reed(notes).

“I’m biased, so I’m probably not the person to ask, but I think he’s playing great,” Steelers safety Ryan Clark(notes) said. “He’s hard on himself, as most competitors are and most great players are. That’s why we love him, and that’s just what makes him great. He’s going to want to make every play for us and we need him to make a lot of big plays. We put him one-on-one with tight ends, we put him one-on-one with receivers. We don’t care.”

Despite the Steelers’ record, this also hasn’t been a truly satisfying season for Polamalu—although he hasn’t missed any games with injuries—partly because of the way NFL games are being officiated.

He was outspoken in his opposition to the league’s decision to tightly patrol big hits that can cause concussions and top players to be sidelined. Despite having at least seven concussions during his career, Polamalu said big hits are as much a part of football as diving catches and 50-yard runs.

Polamalu also said former and current players should be consulted when the league determines fines, although he didn’t explain how a Raider, for example, could pass judgment on how much Steelers linebacker James Harrison(notes) should be fined for a roughing the passer penalty.

Polamalu himself has not been fined, but he wants to be able to play the game he grew up playing. And the game he’s playing now, despite being injured for a second successive season.

“I don’t think you can make every type of hit obsolete, from horse-collar tackling to whatever kind of tackling there is,” he said. “You’re taking away what attracts people to this game.”

League extracts $25,000 more from James Harrison's wallet

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Steelers' James Harrison looks up at referee John Parry after being flagged for hitting Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick at at Ralph Wilson Stadium Sunday.
(File)

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said James Harrison has to change his playing style.

It will be interesting to see what the outside linebacker's take is on the matter after being fined $25,000 on Tuesday for a hit on Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The NFL continues to take a hard line against Harrison in its effort to make the game safer. He has been fined four times this season for a total of $125,000.

Harrison and his agent, Bill Parise, had said they didn't think he should be fined for the roughing-the-passer penalty the three-time Pro Bowler drew last Sunday.

Parise confirmed Harrison's latest fine yesterday in a text message but did not comment further. His voicemail said he would not comment on the fine until next week when he returns from a hunting trip.

Today represents the Steelers players' first media availability since they beat the Bills, 19-16, in overtime.

When asked at his weekly news conference yesterday if Harrison needs to adjust to the way the NFL is policing games — and if he agrees with Harrison that the hit on Fitzpatrick was a textbook one — Tomlin said, "Obviously he does, because the league doesn't agree with him. My opinion doesn't matter."

Tomlin, who has refused to publicly criticize officiating or the NFL's crackdown on what it deems dangerous hits, was also asked if his players are getting unfairly singled out by the league.

"Life isn't fair," he said. "I'm not concerned about fairness. I'm more concerned about preparing for the Baltimore Ravens."

Harrison's latest fine is the same amount that three players recently received for throwing punches in a game, including Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour.

Seymour hit Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the face after the latter threw a touchdown pass in a Nov. 21 game at Heinz Field.

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan started brawling after a play last Sunday.

All three were ejected from their respective games and none was suspended by the league.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said via e-mail yesterday that, "There is no correlation" between Harrison's fine and the ones handed down for fighting because they are "unrelated infractions."

Aiello added that Harrison received the $25,000 fine because he is a repeat offender of the league's player-safety policy.

Harrison was fined $20,000 in late October for a personal foul penalty on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

He appealed that fine, as well as the $75,000 one he received for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.

Ted Cottrell, an appeals officer who was appointed to his position by the NFL and NFL Players Association, upheld both fines.

Steelers' Ward looking forward to Ravens

Wednesday, December 01, 2010
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on facing the Ravens: "It's the one game you circle."

Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward says he's the most hated man in Baltimore and he has the names of his enemies to prove it. It is a long list of former or current Ravens: Rod Woodson. Tony Siragusa. Chris McAlister. Corey Fuller. Bart Scott. Ed Reed. Terrell Suggs.

Now, apparently, you can add another name.

John Harbaugh.

"I don't think their head coach likes me," Ward said the other day. "I tried to shake his hand before we played them the last time. He gave me a fake handshake. He didn't even look at me. That's fine. Whatever."

You should have seen Ward grin. It's Baltimore week, one of his two favorite weeks of the year. You know his other favorite, right? The other Baltimore week.

The more enemies, the better.

"It's not the Super Bowl, but it's going to have a playoff feel to it," Ward said of the Steelers' hair-pull with the Ravens Sunday night in Baltimore. "The hitting will be the hardest in any game all year. It's the one game you circle. Prime time. They'll be dressed in all black. The last man standing ... "

If it's Ward, he'll be talking. One of the best nights of his career came when the Steelers went into Baltimore in the 2008 season and beat the Ravens, 13-9. Did he ever give an earful to Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Reed after that game. "There is nothing like beating Baltimore in their house," he said that night. Of course, Ward had to take it big time from Lewis and Reed in October after the Ravens' 17-14 win at Heinz Field. "They deserved to talk that day. They won," Ward said. "You don't want 'em to talk, don't let 'em beat you."

That's Ward's plan Sunday night. If the Steelers do win, he figures to play a huge role with a big catch or a big block or maybe just by driving Lewis, Reed and linebacker Terrell Suggs crazy. It seems as if he's always doing something to annoy the Ravens.

"Ray and I are OK. We have the same agent," Ward said. "But the other guys? We're not so cool. Ed and I have seen each other at the Pro Bowl and we didn't even speak."

Other players have added to the lunacy of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry. Steelers linebacker Joey Porter went to the Ravens' bus after a game and called out Lewis to fight. Scott, a former Ravens linebacker, put a hard hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, then bragged about feeling the air rushing out of Roethlisberger's body. Siragusa, a former Ravens nose tackle, suggested Baltimore fans follow Steelers fans into the rest rooms and beat the heck out of them.

But, more often than not, Ward has been in the middle of all the hatred.

That goes back to the 2001 season when Ward popped the Hall of Famer Woodson with a block, bloodying his nose and prompting him to swear to get even. Before the teams' next game, Ward revealed the Ravens had a bounty out on him and fellow receiver Plaxico Burress. "[Former Steelers teammate] Hank Poteat came to us at breakfast. His sister goes with one of the Ravens. She had told him. ... The first one to knock one of us out of the game got the pot."

In the '05 season, McAlister, a former Ravens cornerback, left no doubt how he felt about Ward. "A [bleep]," he called him. Not much room for misinterpretation there.

In the '07 season, Ward hit Scott and Reed so hard with blocks that Scott threatened to "kill" him. The next season, Suggs went on a national radio show and admitted the Ravens had a bounty on Ward and Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall. "Hines Ward is definitely a dirty player, a cheap-shot artist," Suggs said.

Ward's reaction to all of this the other day? "I don't know why they don't like me. I just play football."

It's nice to think Ward won't be involved in another controversy Sunday night, at least not one with his team. When the Steelers played in Baltimore last season, Roethlisberger sat out with concussion symptoms from a hit the week before in Kansas City. The Steelers lost, 20-17, in overtime with Dennis Dixon at quarterback, prompting Ward to all but call out Roethlisberger on national television, saying he would have played with a concussion.

The good news is that Ward and Roethlisberger have made up. The same can't be said of Ward and Scott. "Oh, no, he hates me the most," Ward said, grinning again.

In the Steelers' win at Baltimore in '08, Ward peeled back to block Scott only to go over top of him when Scott ducked. "They put a bounty on me and then he ducks!" Ward crowed afterward. Of course, Scott responded before the Steelers beat the Ravens in the AFC championship game that season. "His time will come. He'll get his," he said of Ward.

Scott, who has moved on to the New York Jets, probably has Dec. 19 circled. That's the day the Jets play the Steelers at Heinz Field. But Scott will have to get in line for a shot at Ward. The Ravens have him lined up this week. Then, the Cincinnati Bengals play at Heinz Field Dec. 12. They haven't liked Ward since he broke linebacker Keith Rivers' jaw with a crushing block in the '08 season.

I'm guessing Ward will show up for all of the games.

Ron Cook: rcook@post-gazette.com.

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