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News » Pittsburgh Steelers Strategy and Personnel 2008-10-01


Pittsburgh Steelers Strategy and Personnel 2008-10-01


Pittsburgh Steelers Strategy and Personnel 2008-10-01
PLAYER NOTES


--WR Santonio Holmes caught his first touchdown pass of the season and returned punts on a fulltime basis for the first time in a game in 2008.

--LB James Harrison had 2.5 more sacks to give him 5.5 after four games. He led the Steelers with 8.5 last season, his first as a starter.

--LB LaMarr Woodley added 1.5 sacks Monday to give him 3.5 in his first season as the starter on the left outside. Clark Haggans had four as the starter all last season.

--QB Ben Roethlisberger does not have a 200-yard passing game this season. His 191 yards Monday vs. Baltimore is his season high.

--RB Mewelde Moore had no receptions and one carry before Monday night, when he carried eight times and caught three passes.

REPORT CARD VS. RAVENS

PASSING OFFENSE: C -- Considering they had to go against the Ravens, it's a strong grade. Pittsburgh, though, could do little in the first half when Ben Roethlisberger was sacked three times, threw an interception and fumbled (recovered by a teammate). However, he connected on third down with Santonio Holmes on a play that brought the Steelers to life and catapulted them to a win, a 38-yard TD pass when they trailed 13-3 in the third quarter. Roethlisberger finished 14 of 24 for 191 yards and an 80.4 passer rating. He was not sacked in the second half and completed two big third-down plays on the winning drive in OT.

RUSHING OFFENSE: D -- Not terrible when considering they ran against the Ravens without injured Willie Parker and by the fourth quarter were left with one healthy running back, Mewelde Moore. They ran 28 times for 69 yards, an average of 2.5 yards per carry with no touchdowns.

PASS DEFENSE: B-plus -- Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass and no interceptions, but he was harassed all game. The Steelers sacked the rookie quarterback five times, scoring on one when LaMarr Woodley picked up a James Harrison-caused fumble by Flacco and scored a go-ahead TD. Flacco completed 16 of 31 for 192 yards and had an 81.7 rating.

RUSH DEFENSE: B -- Down two starting offensive linemen to injuries, the Steelers held their own against a good running team. Baltimore managed 103 yards rushing and a 3.1-yard average with one touchdown but had no run longer than 12 yards and never really gouged the Steelers' defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B -- Other than their punter, the Steelers played a near perfect kicking game. Jeff Reed made all three of his field-goal tries, including his 46-yard winner in overtime. Baltimore returned four punts for an average of just 1.8 yards and six kickoffs for an average of only 20 yards. Mitch Berger, though, got off a couple of bad punts late in the game that jeopardized their chance to win.

COACHING: C -- Mike Tomlin cost his team a touchdown that would have put them up by 11 in the fourth quarter when he called a time out just before Ben Roethlisberger threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Mewelde Moore. They wound up with a field goal on that drive. However, Tomlin and his staff did a decent job and once again Dick LeBeau showed why he's one of the most renowned defensive coordinators in the league. The best play calling of the day, however, came from Roethlisberger in the no-huddle offense that produced his team's first touchdown.



Author:Fox Sports
Author's Website:http://www.foxsports.com
Added: October 1, 2008

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Travis Kirschke Name: Travis Kirschke
#90
Position: DE
Age: 33
Experience: 12 years
College: UCLA
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