According to reports from ESPN and Irish Illustrated, Michael Floyd may be back in time for the November 14 clash with the University of Pittsburgh. Floyd, who broke his collarbone against Michigan State earlier this season, was originally reported to be out for the rest of the regular season. Today, Charlie Weis indicated that Floyd was ahead of schedule and will begin practicing this week. Further tests will be done closer to the week of the game vs. Pitt to determine whether or not Floyd will be able to return at that time.
This is great news for Notre Dame. The offense has still been able to put up a lot of yards and points without Floyd, but they are a much more dynamic offense with him in the lineup. In 2 and a half games this year, Floyd caught 13 passes for 358 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Looking ahead on Notre Dame's remaining schedule, Notre Dame has a tough game against USC this week. If Notre Dame can find a way to win this game, they should only have one loss heading into the game versus Pittsburgh. Floyd's return will be just in time because the last three weeks of the season feature tough matchups at Pittsburgh, home versus Connecticut, and at Stanford. Here's a look at what's left on Notre Dame's schedule prior to Floyd returning for the Pitt game.
USC: This is a really tough matchup for Notre Dame given their weakness in stopping the run and USC's strength in running the ball behind a great o-line. Expect a tight game down to the end. If the Irish can pull this one out, look for the Irish to vault upwards in the polls and make a push for a BCS bowl birth.
BOSTON COLLEGE: This is the type of game that could be an emotional let down for the Irish after the USC game. However, Notre Dame has lost badly to Boston College the last two years, so there will not be a let down here. Irish get some payback in a tough dog fight.
WASHINGTON STATE: This is one of the worst teams in college football. Irish roll!
NAVY: Almost pulled a big time upset against Ohio State the first week of the season. Because of this fact, Notre Dame will not take them lightly. Navy will score some points but Notre Dame should win going away.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Are the Irish really back?
The time has come for the 4-1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team to show the world how good they really are or aren't. The number 6 ranked USC Trojans will come marching into Southbend this weekend for what the Fighting Irish faithful hope will be a classic matchup. Charlie Weis better hope so too.
A lot is on the line for the Notre Dame football program. Despite showing significant improvement this season and being ranked number 25 in the country, the national perception of this program is not what it has been historically. Their are a lot of doubters out there who do not believe Notre Dame has elite level talent or that their coach can get it done in the big game. A win against USC would dramatically alter this perception. Also consider the fact that this is the biggest recruiting weekend Notre Dame has had in recent memory with over 20 top high school seniors planning on attending. A win or competitive game against USC would show Notre Dame is a team to be taken seriously as a BCS competitor and an inviting destination for top recruits, but another blowout loss to USC would only reinforce the national perception of Notre Dame as a second tier team and deter recruits from committing.
Can the Irish win this game? The answer is yes. Notre Dame's offense is one of the best in the country featuring the most efficient passer in the nation and future first round NFL draft pick Jimmy Clausen, the best tight end in the country in Kyle Rudolph, and one of the best all around play makers in college football Golden Tate. Add to that an above average offensive line and a trio of solid running backs and the Irish will move the football against USC. The question will be can the Irish offense finish in the red zone? A repeat performance of the Washington game when the Irish missed scoring touchdowns on their first 5 opportunities in the red zone and settled for field goals will kill their chances. However, in the 4th quarter and overtime of the Washington game, Notre Dame found it's redzone specialist in 235 lb running back Robert Hughes. Hughes showed a renewed confidence and determination with powerful runs inside the ten yard line which resulted in scores. Notre Dame clearly has the better quarterback, the better offense, and is playing at home. Consider the fact that Notre Dame scored 37 points against Washington while USC only scored 13 points against the same defense. Enough said.
The Notre Dame defense is another story. Notre Dame's front seven is one of the most inexperienced groups in the country and struggles to stop the run. Enter USC's offensive line and stable of elite running backs. All 5 of USC's starting offensive linemen project to the NFL and their recruiting at the running back position is unmatched by any other program in the country. If Notre Dame can't slow down the USC running attack, it'll be a long day for the Irish defense and you'll see Jimmy Clausen in the shotgun a lot trying to keep pace.
My prediction for the game is a high scoring track meet. The team who has the ball last will most likely win. Given Jimmy Clausen's ability to drive the Notre Dame team down the field in the last minutes of the game for four consecutive games going back to the Michigan game, lets hope the ball is in his hands at the critical moment.
Final score: Notre Dame 30, USC 28.
A lot is on the line for the Notre Dame football program. Despite showing significant improvement this season and being ranked number 25 in the country, the national perception of this program is not what it has been historically. Their are a lot of doubters out there who do not believe Notre Dame has elite level talent or that their coach can get it done in the big game. A win against USC would dramatically alter this perception. Also consider the fact that this is the biggest recruiting weekend Notre Dame has had in recent memory with over 20 top high school seniors planning on attending. A win or competitive game against USC would show Notre Dame is a team to be taken seriously as a BCS competitor and an inviting destination for top recruits, but another blowout loss to USC would only reinforce the national perception of Notre Dame as a second tier team and deter recruits from committing.
Can the Irish win this game? The answer is yes. Notre Dame's offense is one of the best in the country featuring the most efficient passer in the nation and future first round NFL draft pick Jimmy Clausen, the best tight end in the country in Kyle Rudolph, and one of the best all around play makers in college football Golden Tate. Add to that an above average offensive line and a trio of solid running backs and the Irish will move the football against USC. The question will be can the Irish offense finish in the red zone? A repeat performance of the Washington game when the Irish missed scoring touchdowns on their first 5 opportunities in the red zone and settled for field goals will kill their chances. However, in the 4th quarter and overtime of the Washington game, Notre Dame found it's redzone specialist in 235 lb running back Robert Hughes. Hughes showed a renewed confidence and determination with powerful runs inside the ten yard line which resulted in scores. Notre Dame clearly has the better quarterback, the better offense, and is playing at home. Consider the fact that Notre Dame scored 37 points against Washington while USC only scored 13 points against the same defense. Enough said.
The Notre Dame defense is another story. Notre Dame's front seven is one of the most inexperienced groups in the country and struggles to stop the run. Enter USC's offensive line and stable of elite running backs. All 5 of USC's starting offensive linemen project to the NFL and their recruiting at the running back position is unmatched by any other program in the country. If Notre Dame can't slow down the USC running attack, it'll be a long day for the Irish defense and you'll see Jimmy Clausen in the shotgun a lot trying to keep pace.
My prediction for the game is a high scoring track meet. The team who has the ball last will most likely win. Given Jimmy Clausen's ability to drive the Notre Dame team down the field in the last minutes of the game for four consecutive games going back to the Michigan game, lets hope the ball is in his hands at the critical moment.
Final score: Notre Dame 30, USC 28.
Steelers Coaching Subpar
After last season's Superbowl victory, I never thought I would take issue with the Steelers' coaching staff, but after watching the last two regular season games against San Diego and Detroit respectively I have issues. During the Superbowl run, Coach Tomlin and his staff pushed all of the right buttons. Here are a few of the "wrong" buttons that they've been pushing the last couple of weeks.
SAN DIEGO: The momentum changer in the 4th quarter against the San Diego Chargers was undoubtedly when Stefan Logan was stripped of the football on a punt return. One can make a strong argument that forward progress should have been called and the Steelers should have retained possession of the football. Unfortunately, referees are human and make mistakes more often than we would like, but good teams have to overcome adversity. To the Steelers credit, they took their next posession and drove straight down the field for another touchdown providing a momentary sense of calm for the fans who were still in attendance at Heinz Field.
The sense of relief did not last long as the Chargers came right back and scored again with only 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The following onsides kick and recovery by the Chargers indicates to me that coaches can be victims of a Superbowl hangover as well. Given the fact that the Chargers needed two touchdowns to tie the game, only had 5 minutes left to accomplish this feat, and the fact that the Steelers offense could not be stopped from running the football and killing the precious 5 minutes that was left in the game; everybody and their brother including yours truly sitting in the stands and the NBC broadcast team of Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels suspected an onside kick.
How did Coach Tomlin see things? Well, he put his regular kickoff return unit on the field instead of the hands team. His explanation after the game? "We didn't see any indication from the Chargers that an onsides kick was coming." Really???? That's it? Did you need Coach Norv Turner to send you a notarized letter stating his intentions to figure this one out when every other person in the free world knew the onsides kick was coming? This is a lame excuse by a coach I have come to respect for having his team prepared to do battle every week. Hopefully, it's the only wake up call he'll need this season.
DETROIT: The progress that the Steelers offense has made so far this season has been impressive. The offensive line is greatly improved in run and pass blocking while the emergence of Mike Wallace as a third receiver and Rashard Mendenhall showing why the Steelers drafted him in the first round is turning this offense into an explosive one at the least. Ben Roethlisberger is having a career year leading the NFL in completion percentage (73%) and averaging almost 300 yards passing per game. The offense has scored on 8 consecutive possessions in the red zone which is unheard of in the NFL even when you consider the fact that Detroit and San Diego aren't exactly a spitting image of the Steel Curtain defenses we are accustomed to in Pittsburgh.
That being said, Bruce Arians needs his head checked for his play calling during the 4th quarter of the game against Detroit with only 10 minutes left in the game and the ball at midfield. By his own admission, Bruce Arians knows he got "greedy" looking for the deep ball during the 4th quarter instead of running the ball and killing clock. His poor decision making allowed time for the Lions to make a comeback attempt which thankfully fell short and also allowed for some unecessary hits on his all-pro QB. Consider the following facts:
SAN DIEGO: The momentum changer in the 4th quarter against the San Diego Chargers was undoubtedly when Stefan Logan was stripped of the football on a punt return. One can make a strong argument that forward progress should have been called and the Steelers should have retained possession of the football. Unfortunately, referees are human and make mistakes more often than we would like, but good teams have to overcome adversity. To the Steelers credit, they took their next posession and drove straight down the field for another touchdown providing a momentary sense of calm for the fans who were still in attendance at Heinz Field.
The sense of relief did not last long as the Chargers came right back and scored again with only 5 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The following onsides kick and recovery by the Chargers indicates to me that coaches can be victims of a Superbowl hangover as well. Given the fact that the Chargers needed two touchdowns to tie the game, only had 5 minutes left to accomplish this feat, and the fact that the Steelers offense could not be stopped from running the football and killing the precious 5 minutes that was left in the game; everybody and their brother including yours truly sitting in the stands and the NBC broadcast team of Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels suspected an onside kick.
How did Coach Tomlin see things? Well, he put his regular kickoff return unit on the field instead of the hands team. His explanation after the game? "We didn't see any indication from the Chargers that an onsides kick was coming." Really???? That's it? Did you need Coach Norv Turner to send you a notarized letter stating his intentions to figure this one out when every other person in the free world knew the onsides kick was coming? This is a lame excuse by a coach I have come to respect for having his team prepared to do battle every week. Hopefully, it's the only wake up call he'll need this season.
DETROIT: The progress that the Steelers offense has made so far this season has been impressive. The offensive line is greatly improved in run and pass blocking while the emergence of Mike Wallace as a third receiver and Rashard Mendenhall showing why the Steelers drafted him in the first round is turning this offense into an explosive one at the least. Ben Roethlisberger is having a career year leading the NFL in completion percentage (73%) and averaging almost 300 yards passing per game. The offense has scored on 8 consecutive possessions in the red zone which is unheard of in the NFL even when you consider the fact that Detroit and San Diego aren't exactly a spitting image of the Steel Curtain defenses we are accustomed to in Pittsburgh.
That being said, Bruce Arians needs his head checked for his play calling during the 4th quarter of the game against Detroit with only 10 minutes left in the game and the ball at midfield. By his own admission, Bruce Arians knows he got "greedy" looking for the deep ball during the 4th quarter instead of running the ball and killing clock. His poor decision making allowed time for the Lions to make a comeback attempt which thankfully fell short and also allowed for some unecessary hits on his all-pro QB. Consider the following facts:
- The Steelers defense was on the field for 27 plays during the third quarter because the Steelers scored so quickly on their only posession of the third quarter thanks to a long TD pass to Mike Wallace. The result is the defense was very tired after only allowing 6 points through the first three quarters.
- Ben Roethlisberger had only been sacked once through the first three quarters which is amazing when you consider Ben's tendency to hold onto the ball too long and the offensive lines historical struggles in pass protection. By trying to throw the deep ball, the Steelers franchise player took uneccessary hits and gave the Lions the spark they needed to get back into the game getting sacked twice on consecutive plays. What if Ben had been hurt like he was last year separating his throwing shoulder?
- Rashard Mendhall had 12 carries for 71 yards at that point in the game and the Lions did not appear to have an answer for him. Mendenhall finished the game with only 15 carries for 77 yards. That is unforgiveable when you have a 15 point lead in the fourth quarter and have the ball at mid field with only 10 minutes left in the game. Throw the ball to get a lead, but run the ball to finish the game.
If Arians had to do it over again, I'm sure he would have handed the ball off to Mendenhall at least 10 more times in an effort to kill the clock, give the defense a rest, and get the team into field goal range to put the game out of reach. But are we sure about that? Go back to a playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns a little over a half decade ago at Heinz Field. The Steelers were led by Tommy "Gun" Maddox and made a scintilating comeback to win the game after trailing by more than three scores in the second half. Steelers fans remember the heroics of Chris Fuamatu Ma'afala scoring the go ahead TD with less than 2 minutes remaining in the game, but how quickly we forget the name of the Browns offensive coordinator that day who chose to throw the football most of the second half instead of eating clock by running the ball and effectively killing the Steelers superbowl hopes. You guessed it! The offensive coordinator for the Browns that day was none other than our very own Bruce Arians. The Steelers offense can be very explosive, but when you're running back is averaging almost 6 yards per carry hand the ball off and secure the win before padding your stats.
LEBEAU OVERCOMPENSATING: It's tough to find much fault with Dick LeBeau's coaching. The man is a hall of famer and the inventor of the zone blitz defense. Because of LeBeau, the Steelers defense is annually a top 5 defense statistically in the NFL, but even LeBeau can make mistakes.
The loss of Troy Polamalu is huge for any team, but should the Steelers be struggling this much to close out games in the 4th quarter without him? Last time I checked we still have reigning defensive mvp James Harrison, Lamarr Woodley, Aaron Smith, Brett Kiesel, James Farrior, and Lawrence Timmons but somehow we are still struggling to stop oppossing offenses when it counts.
The question then becomes what is the difference between last year's top ranked defense and this years version of the black and gold? The answer is LeBeau is overcompensating for the loss of Troy Polamalu by blitzing a higher percentage of the time. Wait a minute? Isn't this Blitzburg? The Steelers always blitz! As college football analyst Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friends!" Last season the Steelers typically showed blitz during the pre-snap reads but then would only send 3-4 pass rushers while dropping 7-8 into coverage the majority of the time. The Steelers ability to get pressure on the quarterback with only 4 pass rushers allowed the Steelers secondary to play tighter coverage and shut down oppossing offenses.
If you've watched the Steelers defense closely since Troy's injury, Lebeau has ramped up the number of blitzes and the Steelers are getting gashed for big plays late in games. Teams are throwing screens and hot reads behind the Steelers blitz leaving our secondary in precarious one-on-one matchups.
Losing a player of Troy's caliber makes Lebeau's decision making understandable. Pass defense is two parts: coverage and pressure. Given the loss of the Steelers best play maker in the secondary it makes sense to increase the effort to pressure oppossing quarterbacks instead of playing coverage. However, it has not worked well. Lebeau needs to allow Woodley and Harrison to win one-on-one matchups with offensive linemen to sure up the coverage in the secondary. The Steelers are lucky that Daunte Culpepper plays QB for the Detroit Lions. Otherwise we might be 2-3 instead of 3-2 at this point of the season.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Aftermath of ND vs. Michigan: Did Officiating Cost ND the game?
In the aftermath of the ND vs. Michigan game, many Notre Dame fans were upset (including yours truly) with some questionable calls and non-calls by an all Big Ten officiating crew. All one has to do is visit the Four Horsemen Lounge on Irish Illustrated and read a few posts to figure that one out. Do the fans have a right to be upset about Armando Allen's TD being called back despite the lack of conclusive evidence showing him stepping out of bounds, Golden Tate being tackled while the ball is still in the air and no pass interference called when ND was trying to run out the clock, Sam Young being called for holding on what appeared to be a clean pancake block nullifying a 72 yard pass play, and other tough calls? Yes they do, but the officials did not lose this game for Notre Dame. Notre Dame lost this game.
In games of this magnitude, officials are going to make mistakes just like the players and coaches do. We are by our very human nature flawed, so it's impossible to think that the officials will get every call correct. Winning teams find ways to win games despite adversity and do not point the finger of blame at officials or bad luck. Sometimes the breaks go against you in football just like in life, but football teams just like people have to rise above the adversity that life throws our way.
"Upon further review", the officials had nothing to do with freshman kicker Nick Tausch missing a chip shot 28 yard field goal on the opening drive or Jimmy Clausen missing a wide open Golden Tate for a would be Touchdown just two plays before. Jonas Gray's fumble inside the Notre Dame 30 yard line which led to a Michigan touchdown wasn't knocked out of his hands by the officials. I wish I could blame Notre Dame's inept run defense on the officials, but unfortunately the reality is the poor run defense is a combination of inexperience in the ND front seven and great execution by Michigan and Nevada the previous week.
So where does Notre Dame go from here? There is still a lot of football to be played this season. many positives to build on, and some negatives to correct. Here are a few thoughts on some positive and negative trends to keep an eye on.
1.) Notre Dame's Offense is Dynamic: Jimmy Clausen and company are scoring lots of points and for the first time in the Charlie Weis era the offense is balanced. Sure Notre Dame's bread and butter is still the passing game, but Notre Dame is also averaging 4.7 yards per carry on the ground this season. Armando Allen looks great and who can cover Floyd, Tate, and Rudolph?
2.) Offensive Line and Coach Verducci: After two games, the addition of Frank Verducci to the Irish coaching staff as o-line coach and running game coordinator is paying off. Jimmy Clausen is the least sacked quarterback in the country so far after two games and the running game looks to be much improved.
3.) Run Defense: On the down side, every Notre Dame fan's worst nightmare is coming true. The inexperience in Notre Dame's front seven which includes two true sophomores, a red-shirt freshman, and one true freshman has resulted in opponents averaging over five yards per carry. As long as Notre Dame is playing with a lead, this weakness is neutralized somewhat, but as we saw against Michigan last Saturday playing from behind will be a tough challenge if Notre Dame cannot stop the run. Look for some lineup changes along the front four including Ethan Johnson to defensive end and some adjustments schematically in the next couple of games in an effort to slow down the opposition's running game.
4.) Special Teams: In the return game, there is a lot of promise with Golden Tate returning punts and Theo Riddick on kick returns. On the flip side, the kick coverage unit gave up a big return for a touchdown against Michigan last Saturday providing a huge emotional lift to the Wolverines. After watching the replay, it was clear that the Irish coverage unit did not stay disciplined in their respective lanes which allowed Stonum to run virtually untouched to the endzone. This was somewhat of a surprise considering Notre Dame was the number one team in the country last season in this area. Hopefully, Notre Dame can return to there elite form on kick coverage for the rest of the season.
One disturbing trend on special teams is a weak punting game by Eric Maust a senior punter. His 28 yard punt at the end of the Michigan game provided excellent field position for Tate Forcier to work with. An extra 15 yards of field position probably eliminates Michigan's opportunity to score a touchdown and instead leaves them playing for a field goal and overtime. Maust also missed opportunities to pin Michigan deep inside their ten yard line but instead kicked the ball through the endzone. Freshman kicker Nick Tausch was given every opportunity to unseat junior Brandon Walker for the field goal kicking job. Here's hoping Weis allows freshmen punter Ben Turk the same opportunity to compete. I'm sure he can do better than 28 yards and with such a poor defense Notre Dame needs all the help it can get in the battle of field position.
Overall, Notre Dame still has a great opportunity to turn in a strong season. There goals are still obtainable, and I'm expecting them to bounce back strong next week against Michigan State. If Notre Dame can clean up their special teams miscues and improve their run defense, they can still win 10 games this season and qualify for a New Years Day bowl game.
In games of this magnitude, officials are going to make mistakes just like the players and coaches do. We are by our very human nature flawed, so it's impossible to think that the officials will get every call correct. Winning teams find ways to win games despite adversity and do not point the finger of blame at officials or bad luck. Sometimes the breaks go against you in football just like in life, but football teams just like people have to rise above the adversity that life throws our way.
"Upon further review", the officials had nothing to do with freshman kicker Nick Tausch missing a chip shot 28 yard field goal on the opening drive or Jimmy Clausen missing a wide open Golden Tate for a would be Touchdown just two plays before. Jonas Gray's fumble inside the Notre Dame 30 yard line which led to a Michigan touchdown wasn't knocked out of his hands by the officials. I wish I could blame Notre Dame's inept run defense on the officials, but unfortunately the reality is the poor run defense is a combination of inexperience in the ND front seven and great execution by Michigan and Nevada the previous week.
So where does Notre Dame go from here? There is still a lot of football to be played this season. many positives to build on, and some negatives to correct. Here are a few thoughts on some positive and negative trends to keep an eye on.
1.) Notre Dame's Offense is Dynamic: Jimmy Clausen and company are scoring lots of points and for the first time in the Charlie Weis era the offense is balanced. Sure Notre Dame's bread and butter is still the passing game, but Notre Dame is also averaging 4.7 yards per carry on the ground this season. Armando Allen looks great and who can cover Floyd, Tate, and Rudolph?
2.) Offensive Line and Coach Verducci: After two games, the addition of Frank Verducci to the Irish coaching staff as o-line coach and running game coordinator is paying off. Jimmy Clausen is the least sacked quarterback in the country so far after two games and the running game looks to be much improved.
3.) Run Defense: On the down side, every Notre Dame fan's worst nightmare is coming true. The inexperience in Notre Dame's front seven which includes two true sophomores, a red-shirt freshman, and one true freshman has resulted in opponents averaging over five yards per carry. As long as Notre Dame is playing with a lead, this weakness is neutralized somewhat, but as we saw against Michigan last Saturday playing from behind will be a tough challenge if Notre Dame cannot stop the run. Look for some lineup changes along the front four including Ethan Johnson to defensive end and some adjustments schematically in the next couple of games in an effort to slow down the opposition's running game.
4.) Special Teams: In the return game, there is a lot of promise with Golden Tate returning punts and Theo Riddick on kick returns. On the flip side, the kick coverage unit gave up a big return for a touchdown against Michigan last Saturday providing a huge emotional lift to the Wolverines. After watching the replay, it was clear that the Irish coverage unit did not stay disciplined in their respective lanes which allowed Stonum to run virtually untouched to the endzone. This was somewhat of a surprise considering Notre Dame was the number one team in the country last season in this area. Hopefully, Notre Dame can return to there elite form on kick coverage for the rest of the season.
One disturbing trend on special teams is a weak punting game by Eric Maust a senior punter. His 28 yard punt at the end of the Michigan game provided excellent field position for Tate Forcier to work with. An extra 15 yards of field position probably eliminates Michigan's opportunity to score a touchdown and instead leaves them playing for a field goal and overtime. Maust also missed opportunities to pin Michigan deep inside their ten yard line but instead kicked the ball through the endzone. Freshman kicker Nick Tausch was given every opportunity to unseat junior Brandon Walker for the field goal kicking job. Here's hoping Weis allows freshmen punter Ben Turk the same opportunity to compete. I'm sure he can do better than 28 yards and with such a poor defense Notre Dame needs all the help it can get in the battle of field position.
Overall, Notre Dame still has a great opportunity to turn in a strong season. There goals are still obtainable, and I'm expecting them to bounce back strong next week against Michigan State. If Notre Dame can clean up their special teams miscues and improve their run defense, they can still win 10 games this season and qualify for a New Years Day bowl game.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Superbowl Champions Prepare to Defend their Title
Get your grill ready, buy your HD flat screen television, and map out the quickest route home from your church on Sundays. Football season is here again!
In Pittsburgh, the baseball season mercifully ended early again this season with the arrival of Steelers Training Camp in beautiful Latrobe, PA. The Steelers Nation is primed and ready to watch a much anticipated encore performance following a season in which the most decorated franchise in NFL history won a record breaking 6th Lombardi Trophy. On the heels of watching our beloved Steelers win their 6th world championship, the Pittsburgh Penguins won a 3rd Stanley Cup Championship reminding everyone inside and outside the glorious city of Pittsburgh who the real City of Champions is! With all do respect to the city of Boston and the New England Patriots (did someone say spygate?), the Boston Red Sox (performance enhancing drugs anyone?), and Boston Celtics (is basketball a real sport anyhow? Seriously: have you ever seen a basketball player fight? Reminds me of a cat fight in high school.), there isn't a better sports town in America than Pittsburgh.
As the Steelers enter the 2009 season, there is only one goal in mind and that is to win a 7th Superbowl. The question is, "Can they do it?" After watching the first three preseason games, the Steelers appear to have all of the pieces in place to repeat. They return all of their starters on offense minus an injured Darnell Stapleton at RG and nine out of eleven starters on defense. Of the three new starters, the only concern may be Lawrence Timmon's ability to be consistently stout against the run like his underrated predecessor Larry Foote was. On special teams, the addition of Stefan Logan formerly of the Canadian Football League gives the Steelers a weapon in the return game they have been missing since number 82 Antwaan Randle El was in town, and the much anticipated return of punter Daniel Sepulveda should help improve field position.
Despite these positive signs, repeating as Superbowl Champions is no easy task. The Steelers will have a target on their back as the defending champions the entire season and their schedule is not as easy as once thought. Games against the Vikings and Bears for example certainly provide a tougher challenge than anticipated with the additions of Brett Favre and Jay Cutler at the respective teams' quarterback positions. Add to that the fact that each season there are teams in the NFL who come out of no where to become a playoff team just like the Miami Dolphins did in 2008. Could the Green Bay Packers whom the Steelers host on December 20th be that team this year? What about the Oakland Raiders? At some point one has to think all of those top 10 draft picks will pay off. The bottom line is there's no such thing as an easy schedule in the NFL especially when you're the NFL champions.
If the Steelers are going to repeat, here are five keys to success:
1.) Remember Superbowl XL: Following the Steelers victory against the Seahawks in Superbowl XL, the Steelers started the 2006 season on a downward spiral which was mainly attributable to Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident and appendectomy but also in part because the Steelers got a little fat and happy in the off season whether they will admit it or not. The Steelers got off to a 2-6 start and were never able to recover in time to make the playoffs. Many of the Steelers on the 2009 roster were a part of the Superbowl XL victory and need to use the 2006 season as motivation to perform better following their Superbowl XLIII victory.
2.) Protect Big Ben: The offensive line was abysmal in 2008. Most would say the Steelers won the Superbowl in spite of their offensive line. If the Steelers expect to repeat, Big Ben has to remain upright in order to find talented receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes downfield on a consistent basis. The Steelers were the exception to the rule last year leading the league in sacks allowed and still winning a Superbowl. This statistical anomoly will not repeat itself.
3.) Time to Step Up: Last season, linebackers Lawrence Timmons and Lamaar Woodely stepped up to the plate to be big time contributors in their second seasons. This year its RB Rashard Mendenhall's and WR Limas Sweed's turn. If these two talented young players can have a similar impact, the Steelers offense may become a top 10 offense in the league again. If that happens, the Steelers will be a dominant team this season considering their top ranked defense.
4.) Status Quo on D: When was the last time you heard a team say they wanted to maintain the status quo? Never. However, this season if the Steelers maintain their level of play on defense, nobody in Pittsburgh will be disappointed becuase it will mean they are the best defense in the NFL again.
5.) Regain Offensive Identity: The Steelers running game last season was ranked 23rd in the NFL in yards per game. That's not acceptable for a team that prides itself on being a physical running team. The Steelers have proven over the last couple of years that Big Ben is good enough to win games throwing the football, but a running game would make this team more balanced and difficult to defend. A running game wears opposing defenses down and makes the play action game a more viable option. The responsibility here falls on the shoulders of the five men up front again as the Steelers have plenty of talent in the backfield. There will be no excuses for the offensive line regarding an inability to develop cohesion this season as the starting five in training camp should be the starting five throughout the season barring injury.
Season Prediction 13-3 Regular Season, AFC North Champions, 7th Superbowl Championship: Looking over the Steelers 2009 schedule I was hard pressed to find three losses in the regular season. In fact, one of the losses is the last game of the season and that's only because I expect many of the Steelers starters to be sitting on the bench resting having wrapped up the AFC North Title and a first round bye as the second seed in the playoffs the week before. The Steelers will start the season 6-0 while passing tough tests against the Titans (the curse of the Terrible Towel bites LenDale White), Bears (whose Jay gonna throw to?), and Chargers (not in Pittsburgh Rivers) and handling the hapless Bengals, Lions, and Browns. I see the Steelers losing their first game of the season against Brett Favre and the Vikings, splitting the season series with the Baltimore Ravens by losing in Baltimore on November 29, and losing the season finale in Miami to the Dolphins who will still be competing for playoff positioning.
This sets up a heavyweight rematch in the AFC Championship game against the hated New England Patriots. The Patriots and Steelers have won a combined 5 Superbowls this decade while meeting twice in AFC Championship games at Heinz Field the Patriots the "victor" both times. Revenge will be sweet for the Steelers as Spygate can't help the Patriots survive the Steelers defense this time around. Tom Brady will be harassed all day by James Harrison and Lamaar Woodley as the Patriots offensive line, which has shown some chinks in its armor since Superbowl XLII, will not be able to protect the pro bowl QB. The Steelers win 24-16 and move on to play the Philadelphia Eagles in a Keystone State Superbowl. In the Superbowl, hard luck quarterback Donovan McNabb loses again this time to Big Ben and the stingy Steelers Defense 27-20. With a seventh Superbowl victory, the only concern in Pittsburgh will be what to do when we start running out of fingers to put rings on!
In Pittsburgh, the baseball season mercifully ended early again this season with the arrival of Steelers Training Camp in beautiful Latrobe, PA. The Steelers Nation is primed and ready to watch a much anticipated encore performance following a season in which the most decorated franchise in NFL history won a record breaking 6th Lombardi Trophy. On the heels of watching our beloved Steelers win their 6th world championship, the Pittsburgh Penguins won a 3rd Stanley Cup Championship reminding everyone inside and outside the glorious city of Pittsburgh who the real City of Champions is! With all do respect to the city of Boston and the New England Patriots (did someone say spygate?), the Boston Red Sox (performance enhancing drugs anyone?), and Boston Celtics (is basketball a real sport anyhow? Seriously: have you ever seen a basketball player fight? Reminds me of a cat fight in high school.), there isn't a better sports town in America than Pittsburgh.
As the Steelers enter the 2009 season, there is only one goal in mind and that is to win a 7th Superbowl. The question is, "Can they do it?" After watching the first three preseason games, the Steelers appear to have all of the pieces in place to repeat. They return all of their starters on offense minus an injured Darnell Stapleton at RG and nine out of eleven starters on defense. Of the three new starters, the only concern may be Lawrence Timmon's ability to be consistently stout against the run like his underrated predecessor Larry Foote was. On special teams, the addition of Stefan Logan formerly of the Canadian Football League gives the Steelers a weapon in the return game they have been missing since number 82 Antwaan Randle El was in town, and the much anticipated return of punter Daniel Sepulveda should help improve field position.
Despite these positive signs, repeating as Superbowl Champions is no easy task. The Steelers will have a target on their back as the defending champions the entire season and their schedule is not as easy as once thought. Games against the Vikings and Bears for example certainly provide a tougher challenge than anticipated with the additions of Brett Favre and Jay Cutler at the respective teams' quarterback positions. Add to that the fact that each season there are teams in the NFL who come out of no where to become a playoff team just like the Miami Dolphins did in 2008. Could the Green Bay Packers whom the Steelers host on December 20th be that team this year? What about the Oakland Raiders? At some point one has to think all of those top 10 draft picks will pay off. The bottom line is there's no such thing as an easy schedule in the NFL especially when you're the NFL champions.
If the Steelers are going to repeat, here are five keys to success:
1.) Remember Superbowl XL: Following the Steelers victory against the Seahawks in Superbowl XL, the Steelers started the 2006 season on a downward spiral which was mainly attributable to Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle accident and appendectomy but also in part because the Steelers got a little fat and happy in the off season whether they will admit it or not. The Steelers got off to a 2-6 start and were never able to recover in time to make the playoffs. Many of the Steelers on the 2009 roster were a part of the Superbowl XL victory and need to use the 2006 season as motivation to perform better following their Superbowl XLIII victory.
2.) Protect Big Ben: The offensive line was abysmal in 2008. Most would say the Steelers won the Superbowl in spite of their offensive line. If the Steelers expect to repeat, Big Ben has to remain upright in order to find talented receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes downfield on a consistent basis. The Steelers were the exception to the rule last year leading the league in sacks allowed and still winning a Superbowl. This statistical anomoly will not repeat itself.
3.) Time to Step Up: Last season, linebackers Lawrence Timmons and Lamaar Woodely stepped up to the plate to be big time contributors in their second seasons. This year its RB Rashard Mendenhall's and WR Limas Sweed's turn. If these two talented young players can have a similar impact, the Steelers offense may become a top 10 offense in the league again. If that happens, the Steelers will be a dominant team this season considering their top ranked defense.
4.) Status Quo on D: When was the last time you heard a team say they wanted to maintain the status quo? Never. However, this season if the Steelers maintain their level of play on defense, nobody in Pittsburgh will be disappointed becuase it will mean they are the best defense in the NFL again.
5.) Regain Offensive Identity: The Steelers running game last season was ranked 23rd in the NFL in yards per game. That's not acceptable for a team that prides itself on being a physical running team. The Steelers have proven over the last couple of years that Big Ben is good enough to win games throwing the football, but a running game would make this team more balanced and difficult to defend. A running game wears opposing defenses down and makes the play action game a more viable option. The responsibility here falls on the shoulders of the five men up front again as the Steelers have plenty of talent in the backfield. There will be no excuses for the offensive line regarding an inability to develop cohesion this season as the starting five in training camp should be the starting five throughout the season barring injury.
Season Prediction 13-3 Regular Season, AFC North Champions, 7th Superbowl Championship: Looking over the Steelers 2009 schedule I was hard pressed to find three losses in the regular season. In fact, one of the losses is the last game of the season and that's only because I expect many of the Steelers starters to be sitting on the bench resting having wrapped up the AFC North Title and a first round bye as the second seed in the playoffs the week before. The Steelers will start the season 6-0 while passing tough tests against the Titans (the curse of the Terrible Towel bites LenDale White), Bears (whose Jay gonna throw to?), and Chargers (not in Pittsburgh Rivers) and handling the hapless Bengals, Lions, and Browns. I see the Steelers losing their first game of the season against Brett Favre and the Vikings, splitting the season series with the Baltimore Ravens by losing in Baltimore on November 29, and losing the season finale in Miami to the Dolphins who will still be competing for playoff positioning.
This sets up a heavyweight rematch in the AFC Championship game against the hated New England Patriots. The Patriots and Steelers have won a combined 5 Superbowls this decade while meeting twice in AFC Championship games at Heinz Field the Patriots the "victor" both times. Revenge will be sweet for the Steelers as Spygate can't help the Patriots survive the Steelers defense this time around. Tom Brady will be harassed all day by James Harrison and Lamaar Woodley as the Patriots offensive line, which has shown some chinks in its armor since Superbowl XLII, will not be able to protect the pro bowl QB. The Steelers win 24-16 and move on to play the Philadelphia Eagles in a Keystone State Superbowl. In the Superbowl, hard luck quarterback Donovan McNabb loses again this time to Big Ben and the stingy Steelers Defense 27-20. With a seventh Superbowl victory, the only concern in Pittsburgh will be what to do when we start running out of fingers to put rings on!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Here Come the Irish 2009 Edition
The 2008 version of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team rode a roller coaster of emotion. The Irish came racing out of the gates winning four of their first five games; a promising start for a young but talented Fighting Irish squad. As with many talented young teams, inexperience turned the season's tide resulting in a 2-5 record over the last seven games as the Irish stumbled through the stretch run including three losses in which the Irish blew double digit second half leads (North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Syracuse). Hopes of a bid to a New Years Day bowl vanished and what little solace was left for the young Fighting Irish squad was taken in a bid to the Hawaii Bowl.
The Irish could have mailed in the season and simply enjoyed the fun and sun of Hawaii. Instead, the Irish took advantage of the extra month of practice to pick themselves up off the mat and pummel the defenseless Rainbows 49-21 on their home field ending a 15 year postseason victory drought. The dominating performance left many Irish fans, players, and coaches buoyed with confidence believing the growing pains of 2008 will lead to a strong performance in 2009 similar to the coming out party Brady Quinn and company enjoyed during the 2005 season when the Irish went from mediocrity to BCS challengers in one season.
Is it reasonable to expect such a strong turn around in one season? If history and the Hawaii Bowl are any indication, the answer is yes, but failures fresh in the minds of the Irish Nation from the 2007 and 2008 seasons leave many doubts. Rest easy Irish fans. Here are 5 reasons why the Irish will return to the BCS in 2009.
1. Talent infusion continues: Irish fans are getting tired of hearing about the potential of great young talent and want to see production on the field. With 3 top ten recruiting halls and a 4th recruiting hall ranked in the top 20 under Charlie Weis's leadership, the lack of patience by Notre Dame fans is understandable given the team's record over the last two seasons. However, you can never have enough talent and the incoming class of freshmen figure to contribute early. Players like Manti Teo, Cierre Wood, and Shaq Evans figure to see significant playing time for the Irish this season while adding more athleticism and speed to the roster.
2. Improved O-line Play: Arguably the most important area which needs to improve this season is the play of the offensive line. After posting the worst single season sacks allowed total and the two worst rushing offense performances in school history over the last two seasons, the offensive line needs to have a dramatic turn around. Enter Frank Verducci the new offensive line coach and running game coordinator. Early indications are that Coach Verducci is a stronger teacher of fundamentals than his predecessor John Latina and it has showed with strong ground game performances in the Spring Game and throughout fall camp. If the Irish are going to reach their potential in 2009, the experienced offensive line needs to learn fast.
3. Offensive Firepower: If the offensive line upholds its end of the bargain, the Notre Dame skill players will take advantage. It all starts with Jimmy Clausen. The Junior quarterback appears poised to have a breakout season as he enters his third season in Charlie Weis's pro-style offense. Clausen will have plenty of targets to throw to including arguably the best wide receiver tandem in college football Golden Tate and Michael Floyd as well as super sophomore tight end Kyle Rudolph. At running back, the do it all junior Armando Allen has his burst back which made him a top recruit three years ago. Allen should form a nice one-two punch with talented sophomore tailback Jonas Gray. With a maturing leader in quarterback Jimmy Clausen and Charlie Weis taking over the play calling reigns once more, this Notre Dame team should average more than thirty points per game.
4. Faster More Athletic Defense: Notre Dame's defense will have to overcome youth and inexperience in the front seven most noticeably the defensive line. However, when was the last time Notre Dame fielded a defense which has as much overall team speed and athleticism as this one? You would have to go all the way back to the Lou Holtz era to find one. The secondary is the strength of this unit with proven talent and depth. The return of Darren Walls at corner back is an added boost to a depth chart which already boasted top recruits Raeshon McNeil, Gary Gray, Robert Blanton, and Jamoris Slaughter not to mention veteran safeties Harrison Smith and Kyle McCarthy. Coach Tenuta should have plenty of weapons to use in his blitz heavy scheme at the linebacker position including defensive captain Brian Smith, freshman sensation Manti Teo, and up an coming sophomore Darius Fleming. The key will be if the inexperienced defensive line can hold the point of attack against the run and generate an occasional pass rush without having to send the house on every play leaving the secondary exposed. Coach Randy Hart and graduate assistant Bryant Young have a lot of work to do in a short period of time with this group but have plenty of talent to work with. Under Tenuta's leadership, this defense has the talent to be ranked among the top 35 defensive units in college football. Given the talent on offense, that should be good enough.
5. Rocket Who?: The special teams coverage units were one of the best in college football last year not yielding a single touchdown. With the return of fifth year senior and special teams captain Mike Anello, look for the Notre Dame coverage units to be exceptional again this year, but what about the Irish return game? For most of last season, the Irish returners looked more like snails stuck in their own sludge than top collegiate athletes playing for the most storied college football program in the country. But then on Christmas Eve in Hawaii, the ghost of bowl games past appeared in the form of Golden Tate and Armando Allen all the while having Irish fans swearing they saw the Rocket Ismail in an Irish uniform that day. Armando Allen's 98 yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Golden Tate's punt return for a touchdown (which was called back due to a penalty) give Irish fans hope for more happy returns in 2009. Coach Weis has already indicated that Tate and Allen will split time on punt returns in order to keep them fresh on offense while the kick returning job appears to be open for one of Notre Dame's talented young freshmen. Cierre Wood and Shaq Evans appear to be the front runners for the kick return position, but if they falter Notre Dame has a capable man for the job in Armando Allen.
Coach Weis has never had a team with as much talent and depth as this year's team. One of the residual effects of having this much talented depth is improved blocking on special teams which should provide plenty of opportunities for this talented group of return men to take it to the house that Rockne built.
Season Prediction 10-3 with BCS Bowl Game: The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish have many reasons for optimism this season. Former Coach Lou Holtz and super fan Beano Cook have already predicted an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game against the University of Florida. While I respect their opinions, Notre Dame is still a year or two away from playing on the National Championship stage. Notre Dame's two toughest opponents this season on paper are Michigan State and USC. The odds of Notre Dame winning or losing both of these games is slim, so the Irish will take a split here. Notre Dame will be favored in their remaining 10 games, but odds are they'll slip up at least once against a traditional rival like Boston College or a tough Pittsburgh team on the road. The Irish will continue their positive trend upward improving their regular season win total by four games and give a valiant effort in their BCS appearance. However, they will fall short against a stronger team leaving Charlie Weis 0-3 in BCS games. In 2010, the Notre Dame defense will catch up to the offense priming Notre Dame for a run at the National Championship.
The Irish could have mailed in the season and simply enjoyed the fun and sun of Hawaii. Instead, the Irish took advantage of the extra month of practice to pick themselves up off the mat and pummel the defenseless Rainbows 49-21 on their home field ending a 15 year postseason victory drought. The dominating performance left many Irish fans, players, and coaches buoyed with confidence believing the growing pains of 2008 will lead to a strong performance in 2009 similar to the coming out party Brady Quinn and company enjoyed during the 2005 season when the Irish went from mediocrity to BCS challengers in one season.
Is it reasonable to expect such a strong turn around in one season? If history and the Hawaii Bowl are any indication, the answer is yes, but failures fresh in the minds of the Irish Nation from the 2007 and 2008 seasons leave many doubts. Rest easy Irish fans. Here are 5 reasons why the Irish will return to the BCS in 2009.
1. Talent infusion continues: Irish fans are getting tired of hearing about the potential of great young talent and want to see production on the field. With 3 top ten recruiting halls and a 4th recruiting hall ranked in the top 20 under Charlie Weis's leadership, the lack of patience by Notre Dame fans is understandable given the team's record over the last two seasons. However, you can never have enough talent and the incoming class of freshmen figure to contribute early. Players like Manti Teo, Cierre Wood, and Shaq Evans figure to see significant playing time for the Irish this season while adding more athleticism and speed to the roster.
2. Improved O-line Play: Arguably the most important area which needs to improve this season is the play of the offensive line. After posting the worst single season sacks allowed total and the two worst rushing offense performances in school history over the last two seasons, the offensive line needs to have a dramatic turn around. Enter Frank Verducci the new offensive line coach and running game coordinator. Early indications are that Coach Verducci is a stronger teacher of fundamentals than his predecessor John Latina and it has showed with strong ground game performances in the Spring Game and throughout fall camp. If the Irish are going to reach their potential in 2009, the experienced offensive line needs to learn fast.
3. Offensive Firepower: If the offensive line upholds its end of the bargain, the Notre Dame skill players will take advantage. It all starts with Jimmy Clausen. The Junior quarterback appears poised to have a breakout season as he enters his third season in Charlie Weis's pro-style offense. Clausen will have plenty of targets to throw to including arguably the best wide receiver tandem in college football Golden Tate and Michael Floyd as well as super sophomore tight end Kyle Rudolph. At running back, the do it all junior Armando Allen has his burst back which made him a top recruit three years ago. Allen should form a nice one-two punch with talented sophomore tailback Jonas Gray. With a maturing leader in quarterback Jimmy Clausen and Charlie Weis taking over the play calling reigns once more, this Notre Dame team should average more than thirty points per game.
4. Faster More Athletic Defense: Notre Dame's defense will have to overcome youth and inexperience in the front seven most noticeably the defensive line. However, when was the last time Notre Dame fielded a defense which has as much overall team speed and athleticism as this one? You would have to go all the way back to the Lou Holtz era to find one. The secondary is the strength of this unit with proven talent and depth. The return of Darren Walls at corner back is an added boost to a depth chart which already boasted top recruits Raeshon McNeil, Gary Gray, Robert Blanton, and Jamoris Slaughter not to mention veteran safeties Harrison Smith and Kyle McCarthy. Coach Tenuta should have plenty of weapons to use in his blitz heavy scheme at the linebacker position including defensive captain Brian Smith, freshman sensation Manti Teo, and up an coming sophomore Darius Fleming. The key will be if the inexperienced defensive line can hold the point of attack against the run and generate an occasional pass rush without having to send the house on every play leaving the secondary exposed. Coach Randy Hart and graduate assistant Bryant Young have a lot of work to do in a short period of time with this group but have plenty of talent to work with. Under Tenuta's leadership, this defense has the talent to be ranked among the top 35 defensive units in college football. Given the talent on offense, that should be good enough.
5. Rocket Who?: The special teams coverage units were one of the best in college football last year not yielding a single touchdown. With the return of fifth year senior and special teams captain Mike Anello, look for the Notre Dame coverage units to be exceptional again this year, but what about the Irish return game? For most of last season, the Irish returners looked more like snails stuck in their own sludge than top collegiate athletes playing for the most storied college football program in the country. But then on Christmas Eve in Hawaii, the ghost of bowl games past appeared in the form of Golden Tate and Armando Allen all the while having Irish fans swearing they saw the Rocket Ismail in an Irish uniform that day. Armando Allen's 98 yard kickoff return for a touchdown and Golden Tate's punt return for a touchdown (which was called back due to a penalty) give Irish fans hope for more happy returns in 2009. Coach Weis has already indicated that Tate and Allen will split time on punt returns in order to keep them fresh on offense while the kick returning job appears to be open for one of Notre Dame's talented young freshmen. Cierre Wood and Shaq Evans appear to be the front runners for the kick return position, but if they falter Notre Dame has a capable man for the job in Armando Allen.
Coach Weis has never had a team with as much talent and depth as this year's team. One of the residual effects of having this much talented depth is improved blocking on special teams which should provide plenty of opportunities for this talented group of return men to take it to the house that Rockne built.
Season Prediction 10-3 with BCS Bowl Game: The University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish have many reasons for optimism this season. Former Coach Lou Holtz and super fan Beano Cook have already predicted an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game against the University of Florida. While I respect their opinions, Notre Dame is still a year or two away from playing on the National Championship stage. Notre Dame's two toughest opponents this season on paper are Michigan State and USC. The odds of Notre Dame winning or losing both of these games is slim, so the Irish will take a split here. Notre Dame will be favored in their remaining 10 games, but odds are they'll slip up at least once against a traditional rival like Boston College or a tough Pittsburgh team on the road. The Irish will continue their positive trend upward improving their regular season win total by four games and give a valiant effort in their BCS appearance. However, they will fall short against a stronger team leaving Charlie Weis 0-3 in BCS games. In 2010, the Notre Dame defense will catch up to the offense priming Notre Dame for a run at the National Championship.
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