Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl Preview

LARRY FITZGERALD IS THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN.

TROY POLAMALU IS VENOM.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD,

AS WE KNOW IT,

IS AT STAKE.

TO BE CONTINUED....

AFC Championship Game Preview: Baltimore Ravens at the Pittsburgh Steelers

Next weekend, CBS will premier the film Step Brothers, starring Troy Polamalu and Ray Lewis.



The following plot synopsis comes courtesy of IMDB:

Ray Lewis and Troy Polamalu are both about 40 when Ray's mom and Troy's dad marry. The sons still live with the parents so they must now share a room. Initial antipathy threatens the household's peace and the parents' relationship. Dad lays down the law: both slackers have a week to reach the Super Bowl. Out of the Super Bowl search and their love of smash mouth football comes domestic disarray.  Can a champion come from such discord?

". . . it's shark week."

LCB NFL Picks of the Week: Week 14

+3 Atlanta Falcons(8-4) @ New Orleans Saints (6-6): Langston's Pick: The Falcons have continued to succeed expectations while the Saints have been consistently inconsistent. The Falcons have had a tough time on the road en route to a 3-3 record and the Saints are almost unbeatable in the NOLA with a 5-1 record. I like the Saints and their number one ranked offense to tear apart the Falcons and their 22nd ranked pass defense. Saints by 7. LCG's Pick: I doubted the Falcons for most of the season, yet they keep proving me wrong. Matt Ryan has made me a believer. The Falcons rookie QB, Roddy White, and Michael "The Burner" Turner will have a big day against the suspension filled Saints. Falcons by 8.

+1 Miami Dolphins (7-5) @ Buffalo Bills (6-6) In Toronto: Langston's Pick: J.P. Losman is in at QB for the Bills because of injury to Trent Edwards. Meaning Lee Evans will have a huge day. But Losman will undoubtedly throw a costly interception late in the game. Allowing Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown to lead the Phins to the victory over the sliding Bills. Dolphins by 3. LCG's Pick: The Dolphins don't amaze on offense, but they are terribly consistent. They don't make those head scratching mistakes that a lot of defenses live on. Which will be detrimental to the Bills on Sunday, since their QB JP Losman is turnover prone. I like the Dolphins and Ronnie Brown to control the clock and win this game by 7.

+3 Dallas Cowboys (8-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3): Langston's Pick: For the past couple weeks the Steelers have played dominant smash mouth football. They also have looked like the class of the AFC. While the Cowboys have rebounded since Romo's return, I don't think they can hang in the cold confines of Heinz field. I like the Steelers to pound the Cowboys into submission. Steelers by 10. LCG's Pick: The Steelers have the better defense, home field advantage, and Ben Roethlisberger. Steelers by 7.

+5.5 Washington Redskins(7-5) @ Baltimore Ravens (8-4):Langston's Pick:Much like the Falcons the Ravens have played beyond expectations this season, due in large part to a rookie QB. Flacco locks in on Derek Mason far too often and I expect that to lead him to making a couple big mistakes in this Sunday night game. I like Jason Campbell to take this game over through the air, helping to lead his team to the win with a late field goal. The win should vault the Redskins right back into the playoff race with just three weeks left to play. Redskins win the Beltway Battle by 2. LCG's Pick: Everyone knows who I am going to pick. So I figured I would take this moment to share this Sean Taylor tribute song presented by 93.9 WKYS. It features some of DC areas better known rap, R&B, and Go-Go artists; most notably Wale and Big G of the Backyard Band.

Go Skins!!

+3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) @ Carolina Panthers (9-3): Langston's Pick: Both teams are well balanced on offense and defense, making this game a toss up. I expect the home field advantage to be the factor in this game. RAWR..... Panthers by 4. LCG's Pick: Langston has it right, this game is a toss up. So I flipped a coin and Tampa Bay won. Bucs by 7.

Redskins sign Hall

The NFL Network is reporting the Washington Redskins have reached agreement on a one-year contract with cornerback DeAngelo Hall.

In under a week, Hall has gone from a celler dweller of the AFC West to a contender in the NFC East. According to ProFootballTalk.com the contract is said to be the same prorated $1 million salary he would have received if he had stayed in Oakland. It also contains a commitment that the Redskins won’t use the franchise tag on Hall in 2009.

The Skins should welcome Hall with open arms as Shawn Springs has struggled with injuries this season, and has managed to only play in four games. The Redskins have a bye this week and will host the Cowboys on Nov. 16.

Other NFL news:

• Brady Quinn looked spectacular in his debut, throwing for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns. However his effort wasn't enough as Cutler tore apart the Cleveland secondary by throwing for 447 yards and 3 touchdowns. Cutler did most of his damage in the fourth quarter, which included a 92 yard TD pass to Eddie Royal and a 11 yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall with 1:14 remaining. The Broncos won the shoot-out 34-30.
  


• Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Cardinals’ first-round draft pick out of Tennessee State, is slated to start this weekends game at corner. Rodgers-Cromartie has started three games this season when the Cardinals used their nickel package to start the game, but now Rodgers-Cromartie will be a fixture in the base defense.
  


• Steelers running back Willie Parker, who returned to action on Monday night after missing several games with a knee injury, won’t play on Sunday against the Colts, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The injury is to his should which Parker sustained in the game against Washington.

2008 NFL Season Previews: #10 Pittsburgh Steelers

Division: AFC North
2007 Record: 10-6
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin
Offensive Coordinator: Bruce Arians
Defensive Coordinator: Dick Lebeau

Key Additions:
C Justin Hartwig
RB Rashard Mendenhall
LB Keyaron Fox

Key Losses:
G Alan Faneca
LB Clark Haggans
RS Allen Rossum
TE Jerame Tuman
WR Cedrick Wilson

Breakdown of the offense:
Last season Pittsburgh won their 18th division championship since the NFL-AFL merger. They tied with the Cleveland Browns with a record of 10-6, but won the tie breaker thanks to their two wins over the Browns. Reaching a 19th division crown is going to be a lot tougher in an improved AFC North. The Browns added more pieces while the Steelers didn't do much after adding Rashard Mendenhall in the first round of the draft. They lost the glue of their offensive line, Guard Alan Faneca during free agency to the Jets. All of this to go along with the toughest schedule in the NFL, where their two "wild card' opponents are the Chargers and Patriots. Meaning it will be a tough road for the Steelers to get back to the playoffs.

Last season Mike Tomlin showcased Ben Roethlisberger and their stable of receivers, leading Roethlisberger to 32 touchdown passes and a 104.1 passer rating(both franchise records). Roethlisberger was rewarded with a monster 8 year $102 million dollar deal. Tomlin and Arians unleashed Ben on the league last year, and you can expect them to do it even more this season. Charlie Batch suffered a broken collarbone in the first preseason game, he is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. So the Steelers went out and signed Byron Leftwich to compete with Dennis Dixon for the job as backup to Big Ben.

Willie Parker would have won the NFL rushing title last season if he could have managed to stay healthy. His health will not be an issue this season as he was running 4.4 40s in spring drills and running the ball well in training camp, expect him to vie for the rushing title again this season. He is a productive workhorse who gained 1300 yards on 300+ carries last year, has over 1200 yards rushing in each of the last three seasons, and two Pro Bowl selections vaulting him to the upper tier of running backs in the league. During the draft the Steelers were expected to grab an offensive lineman, but all of the top tier prospects were gone by the 23rd pick. So they drafted Rashard Mendenhall out of Illinois, which changed the dynamic of the offense almost immediately. Allowing them to implore the running back by committee approach. He adds versatility to the backfield and the Steelers will not experience a drop off when Parker needs rest. Carey Russell will be the starting full back. Gary Russell and Mewelde Moore will battle for the 3rd running back spot.

Big Ben wished for a tall receiver and the management delivered by drafting Limas Sweed out of Texas. The 6'4 receiver should fit right in with this fantastic core of receivers. Santonio Holmes has come into his own in the league, developing into a deep threat while averaging 18.1-yards per catch (league leader). Hines Ward has been the most consistent piece of this offense since their Super Bowl run, he is getting older but you can't tell if you watch him play. The future hall of famer is a 4 time pro-bowler and holds all of the franchise career and regular season records for wide receivers.Nate Washington will compete with Sweed for the third wide receiver position. But didn't take advantage of the spot when Sweed wasn't there so don't expect him to now. Heath Miller is a consistent tight-end in the passing game and as a blocker. He is also a favorite of Roethlisberger in the red zone, expect bigger numbers for Miller in 2008. Matt Spath is a fantastic second tight-end, he was having a fantastic rookie season before slowing down towards the end of the season. Spath will be used much more in this pass happy offense.

How will the team play without the centerpiece of their line for the past six seasons? That is the question that has been worrying Steelers fans all off-season. Alan Faneca demanded to be paid like an elite lineman and he deserved it. The Steelers are well known for not ponying up the dough for players, and it usually pays off. But will it this time? It barely did last year after the departure of center Jeff Hartings, the line struggled late last season even with Faneca. So the task of replacing the six-time pro bowler at guard has been given to Chris Kemoeatu, the native of Tonga and former Utah Ute is a 6’3”, 344-pound left guard. He will not replace Faneca this season, but may blossom in time.

Justin Hartwig will be his inside partner, he is a strong, well-sized center at 6’4”, 312. He is mediocre in pass protection, which is partly why he was released after just two seasons in Carolina, one of which was lost to injury. Last year’s starting center, Sean Mahan, is still on the roster but working as a backup to Kemoeatu and Hartwig. Right guard Kendall Simmons is reliable and offers good mobility in the run game.

The Steelers add even more question marks at tackle, where they have four well-sized, mostly qualified players to fill two starting positions: Marvel Smith, Max Starks, Trai Essex and Willie Colon. The questions build due to the fact that all but Colon are in the final year of their contract. Marvel Smith is an outstanding left tackle when healthy, but dealt with back problems last season. Starks held a starting job in his second and third seasons as a pro, but last year he was beat out by the promising Willie Colon. Yet the Steelers still decided to use the transition player tag on him. Colon is an immovable force in pass protection, and should continue to improve as long as he works on his awareness. Essex handled the left side duties in Smith’s absence down the stretch last year. He fought hard but showed too many flaws in his technique.

Breakdown of the defense:
Nose tackle Casey Hampton is a monster in the middle and a big reason why this defense ranks near the top year in and year out. But due to his enormous size endurance and durability are constant struggles. He is joined up front by defensive end Aaron Smith and Brett Kiesel. Smith is coming off of a quiet season where he had only 31 tackles and 2.5 sacks, but can still be effective at times. Kiesel is a very active player but there is nothing extraordinary about him, he is just average.

Larry Foote and James Farrior are expected to be the starting middle linebackers, but Lawrence Timmons may take Foote's spot after being moved from OLB to MLB in his second season. Foote is serviceable and few players can take on blocks as well as him. Farrior at 33 is losing a couple steps but is a very smart linebacker and is always in the right spot. James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley are the starters at OLB. Harrison led the team with 8.5 sacks last season and earned Pro Bowl honors. He got those honors not due to his sacks but mostly to his play in coverage and on run defense.

At the corners are Ike Taylor and Deshea Townshend. Taylor is a fantastic cornerback on the wrong defense, his biggest asset is in man-to-man coverage while the Steelers defense calls for a lot of zone. Deshea Townshend is an enigma, he is consistently inconsistent but hey he has his own tv show. Troy Polamalu is maybe the best strong safety in the league, atleast top three. He had a down year last season because of a bum knee, but he looks healthy and ready to lay the pain on opposing offenses. At free safety is Ryan Clark who lost his spleen and gallbladder to a blood disorder last November. Still, the Steelers think he’s a safer option than Tyrone Carter or Anthony Smith.

Season Outlook:
Before I did this preview I dismissed the Steelers from being a contender, but if their defense can manage to be average they could be dangerous. The offense is stacked at all of the important positions and they can attack you in a lot of different ways. The defense will be fine as long as Polamalu can stay healthy. They may have the toughest schedule in the NFL, but its not that much harder then the schedules of the other teams in their division. I see them winning 11 games and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs. But for the future, they need to start getting younger on defense or they will be average very soon. And if the defense cannot hold up this season, atleast they can watch Desheas' show.


Schedule:
Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 7 vs. Texans 1 p.m. (CBS)
Week 2: Sunday, Sept 14 @ Browns 8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 21 @ Eagles 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Week 4: Monday, Sept. 29 vs. Ravens 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 5 @ Jaguars 8:15 p.m. (NBC)
Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 12 Bye Week
Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 19 @ Bengals 1 p.m. (CBS)
Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 26 vs. Giants 4:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 9: Monday, Nov. 3 @ Redskins 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 9 vs. Colts 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 16 vs. Chargers 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Week 12: Thursday, Nov. 20 vs. Bengals 8:15 p.m. (NFL Network)
Week 13: Sunday, Nov. 30 @ Patriots 4:15 p.m. (CBS)
Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 7 vs. Cowboys 4:15 p.m. (FOX)
Week 15: Sunday, Dec. 14 @ Ravens 1 p.m .(CBS)
Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 21 @ Titans 1 p.m. (CBS)
Week 17: Sunday, Dec. 28 vs. Browns 1 p.m. (CBS)