Steelers Preseason/NFL CBA
Well, football fans, you’re withdrawal is now officially over. Despite the fact football began two weekends ago with the Hall of Fame game, it actually began around here for most folks with the Steelers playing the Detroit Lions last Saturday evening. It was an eventful game, to be sure, what with the weather delay, the question surrounding whether Ben Roethlisberger would play, how the other quarterbacks would look, and how the 2010 Steelers would begin their preseason.
There is going to be an argument about whether Dennis Dixon should get the start the first four to six games of the season over Byron Leftwich. The theory seems to be that Dixon has not shown the coaching staff he is capable of working the entire offense and they have to downsize the playbook in order to get him on the field. There is no question he delivered against the Lions, yet it was against the second and third teams. This will be an ongoing situation - Leftwich or Dixon?
Having said that, Leftwich had a mixed bag of a night, seemingly spending more time on his back than throwing passes. He is not the most mobile quarterback, which may be a hindrance behind this offensive line. This is still going to be a question as camp continues (camp ends on Friday August 20) and how the preseason unfolds. Flozell Adams got the start at right guard, yet it was the entire line that looked okay and at times mediocre.
Behind that line, Rashard Mendenhall only saw one series, as was expected, and he very nearly lost a fumble after an initial sizeable gain. He was not the only one who had ball control issues. Isaac Redman also had a problem holding onto the ball, even though he again showed promise during his playing time, scoring a touchdown on a goal line short yardage play. Antonio Brown also showed flashes of brilliance by catching a crossing route and turning it into a touchdown late in the game. Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged his performance with “Nice start” during his post game press conference, meaning it was way too early to give props to a rookie.
The Steelers kicked field goals on their first two possessions and added another one later in the game. In between, the Lions scored a touchdown on a pass play to take a lead for a short period of time before the Steelers got their feet under them. One thing to remember about the first preseason game is that the Super Bowl is not won in August. But the preparations do begin now.
I have always been disappointed with how the Steelers settle for field goals after sustaining drives, only to come away with three points. This has been going on for years. There is a time and a place for field goals. The Steelers had to do this three times Saturday night, getting nine points instead of 21. Yes, the defense gets paid to stop the offense. But, the offense needs to show a sense of urgency and be more aggressive in getting the ball into the end zone.
The fumbling was probably addressed this week in camp and the running backs will likely have been reminded that losing the football by carelessly carrying the ball is practically giving the it to the oppostion. A team cannot do that. The back must secure the ball between his forearm, his bicep, and his body. These is Football 101.
So, after breaking camp, the Steelers will travel to New York and help break in the new Meadowlands Stadium by facing the Giants this Saturday evening. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Roethlisberger is likely to see playing time this week, although that is yet to be determined.
*Much talk is being generated by contract status and those players who will have to wait until the end of the season, if at all, to see if they will be given new contract extensions. However, with the lack of a new collective bargaining agreement and the possibility of a lockout looming, there are a lot unknowns.
There is one thing to keep in mind. The NFL has television contracts with Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN. The league is raking in billions every year and the teams split that money. This money is then put up against the salary cap and that determines contracts for the players. The owners always negotiate for money to line their pockets and the players are always looking for their share.
Based on the talk taking place, this isn’t about owners against players. It is owners versus owners. There are those who want to split the money and those who do not. Add in what the teams are generating from licensed merchandise and products and there is a ton of money involved in this whole situation.
When you hear of a player signing for an exorbitant amount of money, mind you that agents and front office personnel are involved. It becomes a negotiation of how much money the player wants and what the team can afford against the cap. This is an uncapped year in the NFL, yet teams have not spent as expected due to the CBA being a great unknown. Players are being told to take care of their money.
Yes, this is a tremendous amount of money that escapes the reality of the average person. There is an awful lot of money being shelled out to play a sport. But, this is the reality of the situation, like it or not. Owners command a lot of money, on average, and the networks are all too willing to pay it. They want to broadcast football games because they use this vehicle to promote their primetime lineups during the week. There is no wider audience than that of a football fan. Games on Sundays, Sunday night, and Monday night generate a lot of people and a lot of exposure.
So, this whole deal is really complicating a lot of things and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. This might be the last season of football we see, for at least a year, and it could end up affecting a lot of things down the road. Imagine Heinz Field being quiet next fall, save for Pitt football? Not something we wish to see happen, but it’s a possibility.
Given all of this, let’s focus on the 2010 season and see where it takes us. Not much veteran play last weekend, nor was there expected to be. There never is in the first preseason game. Veterans normally see the most time during the third game to get into game conditions. Coaches will not risk a veteran to injury if they can help it. The other side of that coin is that defenses are going to be very vanilla, so don’t expect to see much trickery from Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau. This is smart. Don’t show your playbook this early.
Offensively, we’ll see who starts Saturday night against the Giants at quarterback and whether the running backs have a better time holding onto the ball. The offensive line will also be monitored to see how well they can protect Leftwich this weekend. A look at Maurkice Pouncey in the second half showed some promise. Another look during week two of the preseason will continue the story of the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers.
There is going to be an argument about whether Dennis Dixon should get the start the first four to six games of the season over Byron Leftwich. The theory seems to be that Dixon has not shown the coaching staff he is capable of working the entire offense and they have to downsize the playbook in order to get him on the field. There is no question he delivered against the Lions, yet it was against the second and third teams. This will be an ongoing situation - Leftwich or Dixon?
Having said that, Leftwich had a mixed bag of a night, seemingly spending more time on his back than throwing passes. He is not the most mobile quarterback, which may be a hindrance behind this offensive line. This is still going to be a question as camp continues (camp ends on Friday August 20) and how the preseason unfolds. Flozell Adams got the start at right guard, yet it was the entire line that looked okay and at times mediocre.
Behind that line, Rashard Mendenhall only saw one series, as was expected, and he very nearly lost a fumble after an initial sizeable gain. He was not the only one who had ball control issues. Isaac Redman also had a problem holding onto the ball, even though he again showed promise during his playing time, scoring a touchdown on a goal line short yardage play. Antonio Brown also showed flashes of brilliance by catching a crossing route and turning it into a touchdown late in the game. Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged his performance with “Nice start” during his post game press conference, meaning it was way too early to give props to a rookie.
The Steelers kicked field goals on their first two possessions and added another one later in the game. In between, the Lions scored a touchdown on a pass play to take a lead for a short period of time before the Steelers got their feet under them. One thing to remember about the first preseason game is that the Super Bowl is not won in August. But the preparations do begin now.
I have always been disappointed with how the Steelers settle for field goals after sustaining drives, only to come away with three points. This has been going on for years. There is a time and a place for field goals. The Steelers had to do this three times Saturday night, getting nine points instead of 21. Yes, the defense gets paid to stop the offense. But, the offense needs to show a sense of urgency and be more aggressive in getting the ball into the end zone.
The fumbling was probably addressed this week in camp and the running backs will likely have been reminded that losing the football by carelessly carrying the ball is practically giving the it to the oppostion. A team cannot do that. The back must secure the ball between his forearm, his bicep, and his body. These is Football 101.
So, after breaking camp, the Steelers will travel to New York and help break in the new Meadowlands Stadium by facing the Giants this Saturday evening. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Roethlisberger is likely to see playing time this week, although that is yet to be determined.
*Much talk is being generated by contract status and those players who will have to wait until the end of the season, if at all, to see if they will be given new contract extensions. However, with the lack of a new collective bargaining agreement and the possibility of a lockout looming, there are a lot unknowns.
There is one thing to keep in mind. The NFL has television contracts with Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN. The league is raking in billions every year and the teams split that money. This money is then put up against the salary cap and that determines contracts for the players. The owners always negotiate for money to line their pockets and the players are always looking for their share.
Based on the talk taking place, this isn’t about owners against players. It is owners versus owners. There are those who want to split the money and those who do not. Add in what the teams are generating from licensed merchandise and products and there is a ton of money involved in this whole situation.
When you hear of a player signing for an exorbitant amount of money, mind you that agents and front office personnel are involved. It becomes a negotiation of how much money the player wants and what the team can afford against the cap. This is an uncapped year in the NFL, yet teams have not spent as expected due to the CBA being a great unknown. Players are being told to take care of their money.
Yes, this is a tremendous amount of money that escapes the reality of the average person. There is an awful lot of money being shelled out to play a sport. But, this is the reality of the situation, like it or not. Owners command a lot of money, on average, and the networks are all too willing to pay it. They want to broadcast football games because they use this vehicle to promote their primetime lineups during the week. There is no wider audience than that of a football fan. Games on Sundays, Sunday night, and Monday night generate a lot of people and a lot of exposure.
So, this whole deal is really complicating a lot of things and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. This might be the last season of football we see, for at least a year, and it could end up affecting a lot of things down the road. Imagine Heinz Field being quiet next fall, save for Pitt football? Not something we wish to see happen, but it’s a possibility.
Given all of this, let’s focus on the 2010 season and see where it takes us. Not much veteran play last weekend, nor was there expected to be. There never is in the first preseason game. Veterans normally see the most time during the third game to get into game conditions. Coaches will not risk a veteran to injury if they can help it. The other side of that coin is that defenses are going to be very vanilla, so don’t expect to see much trickery from Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau. This is smart. Don’t show your playbook this early.
Offensively, we’ll see who starts Saturday night against the Giants at quarterback and whether the running backs have a better time holding onto the ball. The offensive line will also be monitored to see how well they can protect Leftwich this weekend. A look at Maurkice Pouncey in the second half showed some promise. Another look during week two of the preseason will continue the story of the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers.
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