Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

For those of you (in Cincinnati) wondering, we are dey.

Actually, with this being the 7th consecutive win by the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium (including the infamous Kimo/Palmer knee injury playoff game), the team should officially change their name to the Pittsburgh Deys. Pittsburgh fans have cheered the Steelers for 75 years, I can see another 75 years of rooting for the Deys.

Big divisional win for the Deys...I mean Steelers. Coming off the debacle in Denver, the team needed to prove that they could win on the road against a far inferior D. The 24-13 win appeared to prove that point.

Tale of the tape: Balanced, low-risk win. Underlying theme: Enough muscle to make Magnus Samuelsson proud.

Sure, the Denver game featured guys named Polamalu, Hampton and Ward, but they hardly showed up. The rust was gone for all of these players on Sunday.

There wasn't a bunch of highlight-worthy clips, just pure football dominance. Several of the post-game shows (CBS, Fox) merely mentioned the score, then moved to sexier highlights with tight scores and big plays. Go ahead, CBS and Fox, show those Peyton Manning or Brandon Jacobs highlights. We'll see how far those take their teams come late-December. Personally, I'll put my money in a D that still refuses to concede 100 yards to any particular rusher.

With that being said, we dissect.

Benji. Needs to be said...that movie ruled. It was on TV the other day and I watched it so hard. Cinematography at it's finest. On to our Benji...#7 made plays when he needed to against Cincy. Ben tried to go down field too much in Denver, and the risk/reward ratio is very slim with a D that houses Dre Bly. In Cincy, Ben toned down the passing attack, kept the deep ball to a minimum, and used his feet to extend plays. I don't care who you are, that recipe is perfect for Big Ben. The deep ball to San Antonio worked because Ben pulled the defender away with a solid pump fake. With that fake, the reward end of the risk/reward ratio skyrocketed. Ben kept the pump fake working all game, especially on Hines' first TD, when he was wide open in the front corner of the endzone. Mix all that with the beautiful escapability that caused the Bungles so many headaches, and Ben kept it simple enough to make the game manageable, then made the plays to put it away. 19/26 for 230 yards and 2 scores. The interception comes with the territory (escaping the pocket and forcing a play), so Ben ends with 4 out of 5 motorcycle helmets.

Heir-Bus. Saying this has gotten so old/cliche, but how did Willie Parker get no playing time at UNC and slip to free agency? I saw an interview with Art Rooney II, and he said that in today's NFL, a WR with John Stallworth's skill would not slip to the 4th round, as he did in '74. Apparently, Rooney was wrong, because no NFL team (aside from the Steelers) even knew who Willie Parker was when he left the Tar Heels. That allowed the team to pick up Parker without using a draft pick, and now every other team is left scratching their heads. 22 rushes for 126 yards and a score. Those are mind-boggling numbers for an undrafted free agent. The only active undrafted free agent RB with more career rushing yards than Fast Bill is Priest Holmes. Its only a matter of time before Willie overtakes Holmes. He deflated the Bengals with or without blockers in front of him, and his speed just destroyed any hope of a Cincinnati win. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for the Heir-Bus.

Dan Sepulveda. 1 punt. Little Sepulveda involvement means good things are happening. 4 of 5 helmets for the 37 yard punt.

Anthony Smith. Nothing but good things to say about Smith. Its unfortunate that Ryan Clark is battling spleen issues. However, games like this might ease the transition from Ryan Clark to Anthony Smith at Free Safety. Smith had 10 tackles, leading the team. Plus, when Anthony Smith hits you, you'll feel it. The dude was poppin' errbody that touched the ball, and even Ocho-Cinco was seen congratulating Smith on a solid hit. Troy Polamalu didn't want the team to get rid of Chris Hope after the Super Bowl, citing chemistry between the two safeties. Hopefully, Anthony Smith can keep playing at this level to create his own chemistry with #43. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for a well-executed game.

Everyone Else. Yeah, I usually only pick a few players to highlight, but the whole team played an outstanding game. Jeff Reed made the FG he was given, Casey Hampton was regularly spotted in the backfield disrupting plays, Hines had 2 TDs. James Harrison played an outstanding game, what with 5 tackles and the forced fumble/fumble recovery. All facets of the team were clicking, save for Special Teams coverage on ensuing kicks. I know Glenn Holt had 5 kickoff returns, but there is no reason that he should gain 141 return yards. As long as the entire team tightens up Special Teams coverage and gets more pressure on guys like Carson Palmer, then Pittsburgh needs to be looked at as an elite team in the AFC. None of that "Second Tier" bs behind Indy and New England. The Steelers are 5-2 and are looking good in the AFC North. 4 of 5 helmets for everyone else.

Bring on the Ravens and Jesus Lewis. I can't wait for the divisional lead to be even greater.

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

1 and 0, baby! All around, that was a fantastic way to start the regular season. I actually felt weird during the game, because I couldn't find many faults to criticize in this, the regular season premiere of MMCNY. Honestly, any/all criticisms are ridiculously minor this week. If we continue to play like this week in and week out, there should be no excuses/losses.

Tale of the tape: Cleveland Steamer. Underlying theme: Highlight plays = Comfortable wins.

I've never been a fan of the showboat-y types, and would rather see smash mouth football played by humble warriors. However, the highlight plays (interceptions, sacks, fumble recoveries, deep passes, breakaway runs, etc.) are a great way to separate a good team from a dominant team. A team can be comfortable with close games and just doing enough to win, but I want to see my team absolutely destroy the opposition. I don't want to have to worry about the sheer possibility of losing. A Steelers loss means I am in a horrible mood for the entire week (and that will reflect in my writing). Now, this is PSaMP's first go-around for Steelers season, so you (the reader) have yet to experience that. I can assure you, though, that I will not be a happy camper if/when (I'm emphasizing if) the Steelers put up an L. The highlight plays really put this game away.

No, Troy Polamalu didn't intercept Charlie Frye on the Brown's opening possession, but the D stepped up, and the O took over right away in Cleveland territory. Actually, that happened a lot this game. With all the short fields, Big Ben's passing yards were down, but his touchdowns were way up.

So let's look at the highs and lows. Here's a bit of foreshadowing...there aren't many lows when you absolutely dominate your rival (can we still call them that?)

Ben Roethlisberger. Did '06 happen? Large Ben showed everyone why '07 will be more like '05 rather than '06. Finishing 12 for 23 for 161 yards...eh. However, when 1/3 of those completions are touchdowns, then you know something is working. Ben created a healthy blend of downfield passes with underneath check-downs. The check-downs outweighed the bombs, a main reason why he only threw for a buck sixty. That, and he barely played in the fourth quarter. In the first quarter, Ben would've gotten 5 helmets. However, to end the second quarter, Ben missed his last nine straight pass attempts. The receivers were to blame on several of those nine, so Ben gets one helmet per touchdown toss. 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets for Enormous Ben.

San Antonio Holmes. (How many times did Kevin Harlan call him that?) This guy is gonna be a beast. Simple as that. The dude's a weapon, and displayed his sophomore maturity all game. He threw a few keen blocks, had an 11 yard run (I'll forgive the fumble at the end if it isn't repeated) and got wide open for a 40 yard touchdown catch. We haven't had a speed receiver like Santonio since Plax, and the combo uses of Homes and Wilson lets Bruce Arians call 'Twaan-like gimmick plays. Holmes is a component of this offense that can really make the team dynamic. Hold onto the ball, and the you can help the Steelers compete in the rough AFC North. 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets for the beast.

D. Wow. I love when the experts put all their money behind excuses like "The loss of Joey Porter is really going to hurt this D." I don't know of anyone who said that specifically...its more of a general bone that I needed to pick. The D looked ferocious all day. 6 sacks by 6 different players and 5 turnovers...you can't really expect a defense to give (I guess take would be a better word) any more. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets. That was Super Bowl-winning defense being displayed. A closer look at two players below...

Deshea Townsend and Ryan Clark. Early on, I was impressed by Deshea and Ryan. Both guys have been on the hot seat, with the popular notion around Steelers Nation being that Bryant McFadden and Anthony Smith, respectively, would step into their starting roles. Deshea played some tight coverage, and benefitted from a poorly-thrown Charlie Frye pass attempt. The old cat showed some moves, and was able to return it for 21 yards. Clark, on the other hand, came flying in on Frye's blind side, recording the sack and forcing the ball out of the QB's throwing hand. He added 3 tackles, and put a couple of hits on Kellen Winslow. For keeping the younger guys at bay, Deshea and Ryan each get 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets...or a combined 8 of 10!

Dan Sepulveda. Does anyone want to question the Steelers for drafting a punter to replace Chris "The Unblockable" Gardocki? This Aussie-style punter is showing why he was chosen as the Gardocki replacement by continually pinning the Browns deep. His style is different from the majority of NFL punters, but how often do rookies come in and pin 4 of 6 punts behind the 20? He's getting some massive english on the ball, and its bouncing how he wants it to bounce. I can't do that. Neither can you. Sepulveda gets 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets. Good job, rook.

Oh, and Mason Crosby, PSaMP's pick in AA's Sportsblogger's Mock Draft, kicked the game-winning field goal for the Pack over the Eagles (as well as an earlier 53 yarder). I told yinz that he was gonna be good. Compliments will be accepted at any time.

These are the players/aspects that stood out the most in my mind. Feel free to add your own thoughts and observations (and there's plenty more, I know) from the hellhole that is Cleveland.

Monday Morning Chrysler New Yorker

Three cheers for a special Friday edition of MMCNY!

Hip hip! _________
Hip hip! _________
Hip hip! _________

Thanks for participating, ya jerks.

This is going to be a semi-condensed version of MMCNY, seeing as how the game was awful to watch, the starters barely played and it was the final preseason game.

Tale of the tape: Steelers won, 19-3. Underlying theme: Dan Sepulveda and Jeff Reed are tired.

Oh, and flags were flying like they were going out of style, and both offenses were sluggish to say the least.

With that being said, let's look at some parts of the team that stood out.

Jeff Reed. Shaft (I might just call him that now) connected on all 4 of his FG attempts, and prior to Tyrone Carter's interception return for a touchdown, he provided the only Steeler points of the game. And Carter's int came with a little over a minute left in the game. The Carolina game was a great regular season tune up for Mr. Reed. Special teams are oftentimes overlooked and sometimes under-practiced. Tomlin is stressing special teams, and Jeff came through when needed. Anything less than 4 of 4 would have caused some doubt in my mind about Jeff going into the season opener, but he was perfect, and we couldn't ask for anything more. 5 of 5 motorcycle helmets for Shaft.

Mike Lorello. "Who?," you might ask. Lorello is #45, and played primarily special teams and in the 2nd half of games throughout the preseason. However, last night, Lorello came up with the kind of game-changing play that I want to see out of every player. After a Dan Sepulveda punt (and there were a few of those), Lorello came charging after the punt return specialist. He took a crappy angle, and was beat by the much faster returner. Lorello refused to give up, and continued to tail the speedy return man. Once the Panther made a few too many jukes, Lorello caught up from behind, blindsiding the returner and forcing a fumble. Sepulveda (what!?) recovered the dropped ball. I was miffed when Lorello took such a bad angle, but kept watching him as he turned and followed his missed target. His determination paid off, and he finished the play that he was originally supposed to make. And he forced a turnover in the process. 5 of 5 helmets for the spectacular display of will.

Gary Russell/Carey Davis. Both still on the bubble. Russell had a few decent runs, but one or two were called back due to offensive holding. My favorite run of his was when he took the ball, and just crammed it up the middle for 12 yards. There were Panthers and Steelers all around, but he bowled through the masses to get the first down. The final RB/FB spot might be between Russell and PSaMP fave Carey Davis. Davis impressed me by taking a pass in the flats, and refusing to go down after being hit by multiple Panthers. Russell showed a little bit last night, but nothing that clearly distinguished between the two players. 3 of 5 helmets combined for the duo, only because both players are still on the bubble. We will find out this weekend if Russell and/or Davis makes the team.

Tyrone Carter. He's not on the bubble, which is why I was surprised to see him playing so late in the fourth quarter. He'll probably be Polamalu's primary backup, and showed why he will make the team with his interception to seal the game late. In my Second Quarter Observations from last night, I mentioned that Carter was everywhere. He was involved in plenty of tackles early, and played some strong coverage. Carter validated my statement by being in the right spot at the right time with just over a minute left in the game, and he sealed a previously touchdown-free game with a pick-6. carter gets 4 of 5 motorcycle helmets for a game well played.

There wasn't a whole lot to be discouraged about, aside from the slow-developing offense. The starters on both sides of the ball barely played, so most of my concerns fell on the shoulders of backups and likely cuts. The defense did step up this week, and provided plenty of turnovers to please my appetite.

Since it was the final game and we got little to no looks at the starters, I'm refraining from pointing out too many blemishes in this edition. I can assure you, that will not be the case once the regular season gets underway.

I hope you enjoyed the preseason installments of MMCNY. It was a learning experience, but also tons of fun. When the games are for real, be sure to add your own critiques, either in the comments, or emailed directly to psampmail@gmail.com. If they're good enough, they might even make the final cut as MMCNY points of interest. Til then...

The Post-Gazette Uses Tricky Headlines

The Post-Gazette caught my eye with a headline about Steelers running back Najeh Davenport. The headline reads:

Steelers' Davenport Feeling More Comfortable.

First thing that went through my mind was, "Oh no, Najeh took a shit in someone's closet again." I know dropping the kids off in a closet definitely makes me more comfortable. (Side note: Yes, I have taken a crap in a closet, much like Najeh. Unlike Najeh, however, it was the 1980s, I was about 3 years old, had just got done taking a bath, and my 2 older sisters felt the need to play hide and seek at that exact moment. What else was a naked 3-year old who had to take a dump to do? Side note over. Back to Najeh.)

Instead, the article, written by Chuck Finder, describes the differences between Davenport's current ability to learn the offense and last year's "on the fly" techniques by the RB who joined the team after the start of the season. This yeay, Davenport has the chance to participate in minicamps, OTAs and training camp before actually taking the field with the Steelers. After being cut by the Packers, Najeh was not afforded these privileges last season. He was thrust into a backup role, and was counted on to catch screens, run the ball when Bill Parker was getting a breather and also run back kicks. While he hardly excelled in any of these facets, he did a good job of providing capable hands/legs to a team that desperately needed aplayer to fill the Bettis void. Davenport is no Bettis, and doesn't appear to be a future HOFer, but he can play a vital role in a running game that has a Pro-Bowler and a bunch of question marks.

Davenport knows his position as Pro-Bowler Willie Parker's backup is far from set in stone, especially with the arrival of Kevan Barlow. Davenport, though, is used to competition. Here is a list of running backs who were teammates of Davenport at the University of Miami:

Edgerrin James (10,385 career NFL rushings yards).
James Jackson (1,082 career NFL rushing yards).
Willis McGahee (3,365 career NFL rushing yards).
Clinton Portis (6,453 career NFL rushing yards).
Frank Gore. (2,303 career NFL rushing yards).

Combined total: 23,588 career NFL rushing yards.

Najeh played some fullback at Miami, just with hopes of getting playing time with other future stars in his midst. In essence, Davenport knows how to compete, and how to go above and beyond typical RB duties (I smile every time I get to use the word "duties." Haven't used it since Sepulveda was given the punting duties). Now that he has more time to grasp the Steelers' playbook and learn more of the offense, I expect bigger things from the Dump Truck (I love that nickname) this season.

BREAKING NEWS: Sepulveda Officially Steelers Punter

Who cares about punter with no career punts blocked? Apparently, not the Steelers!

The Gardocki-era is over, and Scott Brown of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the 16-year veteran was released by Pittsburgh today. Punting duties are now handed to the Steelers' 4th round pick, Daniel Sepulveda. And I got to use "punting duties" in a post, which is under a BREAKING NEWS headline... about a punter.

Sepulveda was the recipient of the Rudy Guy award, which is handed out to the top punter in Division 1-A, twice in his career at Baylor. He will compete with Mike Barr for the starting position. I don't think Barr will pose any threat to the punter that the Steelers traded up to select.

Bill Cowher was never a fan of dressing two punters for a game, but I don't know Mike Tomlin's perspective. I'm guessing that Sepulveda is "the guy."

After selecting Sepulveda, it was apparent that Chris Gardocki would not be continuing his unblocked-punts streak in a Pittsburgh uniform.

The stat is impressive (1,177), but I like the decision to go with the highly-touted Sepulveda.

Mini Pony of the Day 4-29-07

Today's MPotD is actually 5 cool tiny horses, one for each of the Steelers' 2nd day draft picks. I guess that's Daniel Sepulveda on the left, Ryan McBean next to it, Cameron Stephenson in the back (slightly obscured), William Gay in the shadow of the foreground, and Dallas Baker on the right.

Name one other sports site that has a cooler picture of its day 2 draft picks. I'll wait...

4th Round, Steelers Select Daniel Sepulveda

Yesterday, PSaMP brought you unprecedented (note: "unprecedented" doesn't necessarily mean "good") access to all of the Steelers' first day selections. Today, PSaMP will look to continue this fine tradition.

In the 4th round, with the 112 overall pick, the Steelers selected Daniel Sepulveda, Punter from Baylor. Honestly, when I chose Mason Crosby in the Sports Blogger's Mock Draft, I looked into taking Sepulvelda. The 4th round is kinda high for a punter, but it is a position that the Steelers needed to address.

And Crosby has yet to be picked. Great job calling him a sure-fire first day pick, Mel Kiper.

More "unprecedented" coverage as the picks filter in.