In more grim numbers the give/take away stat is a lousy -5.  Opponents are converting 40% of third downs and a mind boggling 77.8% of fourth downs against the vaunted Steeler D.  On Offense, redzone efficiency has been poor and the offense struggles to sustain drives late in the game.

This is truly a team that can beat any team with a dominating performance or lay down to the lowliest team in the league.  Mike Tomlin has preached situational football his entire tenure as a coach but when the game is on the line, you never know if the champs or the chumps will come out of the huddle.

Tomlin has not sat idly by during the recent 4 game slide.  Personnel shuffling has continued the past few weeks.

Signed:  Corey Ivy, Rocky Boiman, Anthony Madison, Tyler Palko,  Donovan Woods

Cut: Donovan Woods, Keiwan Ratliff, Corey Ivy, Sean McDonald, Arnold Harrison.

Practice Squad has seen some turnover as well with Redman, Woods, Harris being replaced by Vincent, Palmer, and Gatewood.

Note that some of those names appear 2 or more times there!

Most of the cuts have been aimed at improving the quality and experience of the special teams players.  For the PS guys, Gatewood seems like a good project but I’m sorry to see Redman replaced by Vincent.  Vincent is allegedly more valuable on the scout team but Redman seemed to have some serious upside.

In Tomlin’s press conference today, he said that Rookie Corners Burnett and Lewis will see some action Thursday night versus the Browns.  Burnett will start in place of Gay who is out with a concussion.  Limas Sweed will see some action with Ward out with a hamstring injury.  The team will likely bring back McDonald in place of Palko.

Injuries this week:   Polamalu is still out with a PCL issue, Gay is out with a concussion, Ward is doubtful with a hamstring, Batch should be coming back to practice after breaking his wrist.

Two unbeatens still remain and three powerhouses fall in week 13, as the playoff plot thickens. The Saints nearly fell to a gallant effort by the Redskins, thanks to an incredible miss of a rather easy fieldgoal late in that game. Say goodbye to all the folks in Washington Mr. Suisham, as the Skins will probably no longer require your services. Pittsburgh continues its descent on defense, dropping yet another game and is now .500 on the season, while New England loses yet again on the road and the Vikings seemed rather inept on offense against the Cardinals Sunday night.

 
The Giants and Eagles take advantage of the Cowboys now that December has fallen once again, while Jacksonville, the Jets and Dolphins battle for the wildcard spots in the AFC. In the NFC, it’s wide open among a handful of teams for those wildcard spots, and the Packers must knock off Baltimore on Monday Night to stake their claim to one of the two.

Here’s a look at this week’s edition of Mac’s NFL Power Rankings

1. (1) New Orleans (12-0) – The Saints never led the Redskins the entire day…..until overtime. And two excellent moves by coach Sean Payton helped set up the final outcome. One, he brought Garret Hartley in as the Saints kicker to replace the struggling Jon Carney, and he called a timeout in overtime to allow the booth time to review the play that was ultimately ruled a fumble by Mike Sellers, giving New Orleans the ball in Redskin territory. The biggest play other than the missed field goal by Suisham was the strip of the ball by Robert Meachem from the DB who intercepted a Drew Brees pass. Oh yeah, speaking of Drew Brees, he just threw for over 400 yards and a couple of TD’s.

2.(2) Indianapolis (12-0) – Tied the NFL record for consecutive wins in the regular season and now can decide to either coast into the playoffs or continue playing for a perfect season. Perhaps they will go full tilt one more week as the Denver Broncos come to Indy next week. One thing is certain and that is the “Waiter” has been setting the table effectively for the Colts passing game lately. The Waiter? Pierre Garcon, who has to be one of the great underdog stories of the year. Peyton Manning now has at least 25 touchdown passes in each of his 12 years in the league, while the Colts defense holds MVP candidate Chris Johnson to a little over 100 yards but no scores on the day.

3.(3) Minnesota (10-2) – For the first time all year long Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and the Viking defense looked like an average football team at best, failing to keep pace with the Cardinal offensive output. Favre threw two picks in the same game for the first time this year, while Adrian Peterson could generate little on the ground. Meantime, the defense allowed Kurt Warner to torch them for 3 scores in the first half to effectively put the game away by halftime. More importantly the loss drops the Vikings two games back of New Orleans in the battle for home-field advantage in the playoffs. Minnesota will face the Bengals next week in the dome, so this team will have their hands full yet again.

4.(5) Cincinnati (9-3) – Some big plays to Ochocinco and the steady running game allowed the Bengals to control the clock and build a lead after spotting Detroit the early 7-0 lead. Interesting stat on the NFL Network during Gameday: The Bengals are running the ball over 49% of the time offensively, which is quite a difference than what had been the case the past two or three years.

5.(6) San Diego (9-3) – . Nine straight years that Ladanian Tomlinson has rushed for multiple TD’s in a season and the Chargers stay a game ahead of Denver in the AFC West division by holding off a pesky Cleveland team. While the game against the Browns may have been a bit closer than many expected, San Diego had the game in hand and probably had a subconscious eye on the coming battle with the Cowboys in Dallas.

6.(14) Arizona (8-4) – The Cardinals are pretty inconsistent but definitely pounded the Vikings like no other team has this year. Arizona’s defense was the big story in this game, swarming and smothering the Viking offensive machine at all angles, rendering it nearly useless. Kurt Warner looks to have a clear head and was on target throughout the first half when the Cardinals jumped out to a big cushion, then dared Minnesota to try and come back. They couldn’t and they didn’t. Now we’ll see if they can remain consistent for another week as they travel to face division rival San Francisco.

7.(9) Philadelphia (8-4) – The big story wasn’t the return of Vick to the ATL, but rather the Eagles facing a nearly decimated Falcon offense. But Philly’s offense was just fine, and so did Michael Vick who scored a rushing TD and threw for his first TD pass late in the 4th quarter to help blow Atlanta out of its own dome. Mc5 and the Eagles overcame key injuries to its own offense, playing without DeSean Jackson and Brian Westbrook. The Eagles now have a divisional road matchup with the Giants which will certainly have playoff implications.

8.(10) Denver (8-4) – It’s the best the Denver running game has looked since early in the season, as rookie Knowshon Moreno teamed up with Buckholter to pile up over 260 yards rushing. However, the koolaid drinkers should be mindful that it was the KC Chiefs that they dropped the 40-burger on. Then again, didn’t the Chiefs whip the Steelers and almost upend the Cowboys? So maybe it’s a bit better win than all the pundits will give Denver credit. And one final “Mile High Salute” to the “Bucket Man”, who passed away this week in Denver.

9.(12) Green Bay (8-4) – The Pack overcome several turnovers and penalties to stop the Ravens, 27-17. Green Bay’s defense was reminiscent of the Ravens D of old, holding  Baltimore to just 185 yards of total offense while Aaron Rodgers fought through two interceptions to deliver 3 touchdown passes to give Green Bay its fourth win in a row. Now we’ll see if they can maintain focus when they travel to Chicago to face their arch-rivals the Bears.

10.(14) New York Giants (7-5) – The GMen sweep the Cowboys on the season and find their running game. And despite some bad drops by Stephen Smith, they got just enough passing offense to help parlay a good defensive effort to stop the previously streaking Cowboys in a critical division game in New Jersey. The win for New York sets up a wild race to the finish in the NFC East, as Philly and Dallas are deadlocked at 8-4, while the Giants are right behind at 7-5 with four games to go. And speaking of the division race and the Eagles, Philly is up next for the New York at Giants Stadium.

11. (7) Dallas (8-4) – It’s December and you know what that means for the Dallas Cowboys. Well, so far so good on the recent tradition of dropping big games in the holiday month. Speaking of months of the year, November (of 2007) was the last time we witnessed Roy Williams snag two TD passes in a single game – whe he was a member of the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately for Dallas, the running game and the defense fizzled against New York.

12.(4) New England (7-5) – The Pats lose for the second week in a row, drop their 5th of 6 road games and the 3rd when leading by 10 points at one time. The so-called potent offense of the Patriots showed little power while the Dolphins scratched and clawed (or should it be flipped and swam) their way back into the lead late in the game. Methinks they’ll get a much needed breather next week at home against the Panthers. New England has now split the season series with both the Dolphins and the Jets, with a game remaining at Buffalo looming big. There is also a tough matchup with Jacksonville and a seaon finale at Houston. Next up, however, is Carolina.

 13.(19) Jacksonville (7-5) – David Garrard, tossed two TD passes and threw for over 238 yards on just 15 completions, while getting hit hard and often. Maurice Jones-Drew added 76 yards on the ground, but it was the Jags defense that clamped down enough to edge the Texans and hold onto the wildcard playoff spot for another week. Next up is a home game against in-state rival Miami who is also fighting for an AFC playoff spot of their own.

14.(7) Pittsburgh (6-6) – Hell was unleashed in Pittsburgh Sunday, and it came in the form of Pittsburgh native Bruce Gradkowski. Now the Steelers will have to do what they did a few years back – regroup and make a strong run into and through the playoffs. However, after four losses in a row, that resolve will be strongly tested. They’ll begin that test with a short week and a visit to Cleveland on Thursday – a team they have beaten the last 12 times they’ve met. But then they have tough contests at Green Bay, Baltimore and home to Miami to end the regular season.

15.(11) Baltimore (6-5) – Baltimore could not move the ball against Green Bay when it counted and the defense was missing two of its most important players on Monday night. Those two problems combined to give the Packers a decided advantage as the Ravens fell to .500 on the season, and dangerously close to out of the playoff hunt. Joe Flacco had a horrid night at QB, throwing 3 picks against one TD pass, completing only half of his passes. The running game wasn’t much better, not even reaching 100 team rushing yards, and fumbled the ball away once. The Ravens have a chance to change course starting next week as they host the Detroit Lions, then follow up with Chicago.

 16.(20) Miami (6-6) – Back to .500 and still hunting for a post-season berth, the Dolphins rebound from a 14-0 deficit to upend New England. The defense held in key moments in the 2nd half, while Chad Henne and the offense came back to get the go-ahead field goal late in the game. Next up is a huge battle with Jacksonville that will have a direct impact on who plays in the playoffs.

17.(18) Atlanta (6-6) – With the Falcons medical staff working overtime, it was fortunate for the Falcons to even be able to field a team against Philadelphia. But even though they had players on the field, it just didn’t look anything like the Falcon offense we’ve been accustomed to since Matt Ryan arrived on the scene. Looks like it’ll be a wait-till-next-year venture unless the Dirty Birds upset New Orleans.

18.(21) N.Y. Jets (6-6) – Can’t believe the Jets coach and others criticize Mark Sanchez for trying to make a play on 3rd down. Talk about knuckleheaded. He should’ve slid and accepted 4th down, huh? Yeah, I guess that’s pretty much the way we ALL learned to play the game over the years. The Jets come out a winner over Buffalo and travel down to Tampa Bay for a warm vacation, er, a matchup with the Buccaneers.

19.(15) Houston (5-7) – With Steve Slaton out the Texans had to rely mainly on the arm of Matt Shaub. And give some props to Schaub for playing through a possible shoulder separation and trying to lead Houston to their own version of the 17-point comeback that they allowed Indy to do twice in two years. But it wasn’t to be and they fell a little short against Jacksonville, 23-18. It probably will seal the fate of coach Gary Kubiak, who has now had the exact same amount of time ( 4 years ) as Dom Capers had to get Houston to the playoffs.

20.(16) Tennessee (5-7) – Okay, can we now dispense with all the glorious talk about Vince Young and the unstoppable Tennessee Titans already? It was the most hyped 5-6 team in the history of sports, derailed by the most under-the-media-radar (and 12-0 team) in the history of sports. While Vince Young played well and Chris Johnson ran for over 100 yards, the Titans could not put the ball in the endzone enough, including a 1st and goal series that ended with an incomplete pass on fourth and goal.

21.(17) San Francisco (5-7) – Alex Smith threw for over 300 yards and two TD’s, but when the defense stopped Seattle late in the game the 49ers could not come up with at least a FG, and dropped a division game against the Seahawks that means no playoffs again this year. That’s both a shame and a surprise, as this team has lost to Minnesota, Houston, Indy, Tennessee and Green Bay by less than a TD in each game.

22.(22) Chicago (5-7) – Booed at various times by the home fans in the game, the Bears get just enough out of their offense and defense to hold off St. Louis and help to lower the decibel level of said booing. It was the Bears first win in the past five games and might give them a spark to help play spoiler next week when Green Bay comes to town.

23.(26) Seattle (5-7) – Seattle outlasts division rival San Francisco by taking advantage of the 49ers not taking advantage of Seattle, who did not take advantage of San Francisco mistakes earlier. Got all that? Despite the win over San Fran, I can’t move them up any further because they split with the Niners and lost to Chicago.

24.(27) Buffalo (4-8) – The up and down Bills go to Toronto to endure another down, this time to the Jets. By the way, what the hell is the deal going to Toronto for an NFL game? Canada has hockey and the CFL already, so isn’t this like trying to bring soccer to the U.S?  What’s that? We have soccer ?

25.(21) Carolina (5-7) – Is it a coincidence that Jake Delhomme doesn’t play and the Panthers win behind unknown QB Matt Moore? Moore threw ZERO interceptions, while the defense clamped down on the Bucs all day long. I think it was no mere coincidence. Matt will likely do battle in camp next summer with Colt McCoy or Tony Pike.

26.(27) Oakland (3-9) – Aright everybody, get off your butts and stand up…..and give a round of applause to QB Gradkowski and the surprising Oakland Raiders for one helluva comeback against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. ‘Ol uncle Al must surely be proud of that group out there for the silver and black.  He’s probably not the long-term QB solution for Oakland, but he sure did do the franchise proud with his 3 touchdown performance. This team really has nothing at all to play for except each other and the future, the latter of which perhaps became just a tad bit brighter. Maybe.

27.(28) Washington (3-9) – Were it not for a blown “chip shot” FG by kicker Suisham, we would be talking about the Saints first loss and a tremendous day for Jason Campbell. As it stands now, this is just another example of how Jim Zorn is going to be fired for a whole lot of on-field play that just isn’t his fault while the team gets a standout peformance from the much-maligned QB.

28.(26) Kansas City (3-9) – Were just blasted out of the stadium by the Broncos in all phases of the game. It’s the second week in a row they’ve been thumped, and it was by divisional opponents each time. Otherwise, the Chiefs have played everyone tough all year long.

29.(29) Detroit (2-10) – Like Oakland, big props to this team for battling and not just going through the motions and cashing a paycheck. They came out swinging (and scoring), kept fighting, but just couldn’t handle a clearly better team….but made the Bengals earn a victory in their own stadium.

30.(30) St. Louis ( 1-11) – The Rams, like they’ve done all year, made it more difficult for the opponent than many expect and like their fellow bottom-feeders, really have some talent to build upon. It’s just going to take that one exceptional player or coach or moment to get it started.

31.(31) Tampa Bay (1-11) – Could not get their offense untracked while the defense did a pretty fair job holding down the Panthers.

32.(32) Cleveland (1-11) – Brady Quinn came out on fire but the Chargers just have too much offense for the Cleveland defense to handle. Even so, the Browns hung in when they could’ve closed shop and allowed a blowout.

Drafttek Team Analysts have reviewed all the selections in the first 3 rounds of the 2009 NFL draft.   Below is a summary of each team’s selections, or in the situation of traded picks, how well the trade target has performed.   Of course it is still a little early to formally crown the winners – some teams have drafted players at positions where it is notoriously difficult to make an impact during the first season.  That said, a few teams have already reaped significant benefit from their 2009 draftees.

The link to the individual player evaluations is here:

http://www.drafttek.com/round12009Rvw.asp

Atlanta – 1^st rounder Peria Jerry could ultimately develop, but he’s spent essentially the entire season on IR.  Ditto 2^nd round  S William Moore.   A few starts by 3^rd round CB Chris Owens won’t hide the fact that the Falcons are likely a little disappointed with the group.  A few of the mid-rounders serve in backup roles, so there’s potential with the 2009 class.

Arizona RB Wells

Arizona – RB Chris Wells has been the only significant producer of the group.   2nd rounder Cody Brown has been out.  3^rd rounder Rashad Johnson gets secondary and Special Teams action. The group has potential, but Arizona is solid and there are not many opportunities to crack the lineup.   Picking at #31 can be a bear!

Baltimore – There was some concern that Michael Oher could play in the NFL, but he currently starts at RT.  Good value at #23.   Paul Kruger has made some nice plays at DE.  Lardarius Webb (3^rd rounder) has also contributed in the return game.  If letter grades were assigned, call it a “B” with potential for more.

Buffalo – Starting C Eric Wood (1^st) and OG Andy Levitre (2^nd) give the Bills OL a solid interior.   But it’s interception machine Jairus Byrd (8 to date) who highlights the Bills draft.   #11 pick Maybin has been a flop so far, but the Bills look to have a successful draft.

Carolina – The Panthers picked up Everette Brown in the 2^nd – he’s seen some situational PT.    They also added Sherrod Martin later in the 2^nd.  Martin has become the starter at FS due to injury, and may not give it up!  If we were assigning letter grades, call it a  C grade with upside.

Cleveland – The Browns got 2 starters: OC Mack (R1) and WR Massaquoi (R2).  They had 2 other picks in Rounds 1-3 who look like complete duds and will need to work to turn it around.  Hometown product WR Brian Robiskie being one of those.  Labeled a “can’t miss”, he’s been a major disappointment thus far.  Despite the two starters, the Browns need to do better.

Chicago – The Bears did get a starting QB out of the draft, although Cutler hasn’t led Chicago to success as expected.   But their two 3^rd round picks Gilbert and Iglesias have flopped.

Cincinnati – Rey Maualuga (2^nd round) was a great value and is a great starter during the Bengals resurgent season.   3^rd rounder Michael Johnson sees the field now and then.  But 1^st round pick Andre Smith and 3^rd rounder Chase Coffman have yet to provide any value.  Lotta people saying “told ya so” on Smith . . .

Dallas – The Cowboys had 8 picks in rounds 3-5 and continually frustrated their fans by reaching for players when higher rated prospects were out there.  The picks in Round 3: LB Jason Williams (#69) and Robert Brewster (#75) have been disappointing.   Several of their later picks have managed backup roles, but at this point this draft can not be regarded as successful due to the dearth of contributors.

Denver – grabbed what could be the next great Bronco RB in Knowshon Moreno with the #12 overall.   They picked up an additional 3 players who are contributing as rooks, although not yet starting or standing out:  DT Robert Ayers (R1), CB Alphonso Smith (R2) and Darcel McBath ( R3).  Could see this group moving up to an “A”  grade in a years time.

Detroit –Matt  Stafford look promising, although a little OL help will allow him time to find his weapons.  Such as fellow 1st round pick TE Brandon Pettigrew -  also  looking good after a rough start.    2^nd round pick Louis Delmas is a stud – we gave Delmas a “1” score. Despite some residual draft riffraff, the Lions got at least 3 impact players going forward.  Nice job.

Green Bay – #9 overall BJ Raji has been working into the Pack DL rotation – wouldn’t be surprised to see Raji in a Pro-bowl one day.  Fellow 1^st rounder Clay Matthews has taken over the starters role and has made some high profile plays.  Add in 7^th rounder Brad Jones (starting in place of injured aaron Kampmann, and this could be a grade “A” draft in a year,s time

Houston – LB Brian Cushing will be all rookie, a great pickup for the Texans.  And 3^rd round OC Antoine Caldwell will start soon.  Wait and see on Connor Barwin, he’s got a lot of talent in front of him and is having trouble getting on the field.  Not steller (yet) but not Houston got some quality personnel.

Indianapolis – Indy always seems to draft well.  RB Donald Brown (Round 1)  has done well in a shared backfield – when healthy.    DT Fili Moala (Round 2) has not been productive, but as a DT, Moala gets a pass for a year.  Pick #92 (Round 3) Jerraud Powers was a huge reach but has been starting for the Colts as of late!   Toss in WR Austin Collie (R4) for good measure.

Knighton

Jacksonville – The Jags got starting OT’s in Rounds 1 and 2 with Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton.  But reaching deep for Derek Cox (from William and Mary) and DT Terrence Knighton (Temple) shows the Jaguar scouting department is in a class by itself.  Jags brass were ridiculed after reaching for Knighton – Drafttek had him rated as a 7th round prospect.   Then then very next pick topped it by TRADING UP to select an unheralded player from William & Mary, of all places.    All four start for the resurgent Jaguars.   A++ this draft class is tough to beat.

Kansas City – #3 overall DE Tyson Jackson is still getting his feet wet, as is 3^rd round DT Alex Magee.  The 2^nd rounder was traded for QB Matt Cassel.  Kansas City fans are probably not too happy with these picks, but by no means can any of these three be referred to as a bust, or even a disappointment.

Miami – Got starting CB’s in Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, but it stops there.  Pat White and Pat Turner haven’t helped yet.  If, as it appears, that the Dolphins have bagged themselves two starting corners for the next 5 years, you would have to call the draft successful despite other shortcomings.

Loadholt

Minnesota – Teams weren’t really sure about Percy Harvin going into the draft, but he’s one of the few guys we’ve got with a “1” rating – exceedingly rare for this stage of an NFL players career.  Congrats to the Vikings for researching a player with a specific usage in mind, and succeeding.  And starting RT Phil Loadholt was plucked in the 2^nd round.  There were many questions about Loadholt as well, but why does this guy succeed and Andre Smith flops?  Viking scouting and player evaluation!!

New England – I guess when you have 6 picks in rounds 2 and 3, and you are (allegedly) one of the league’s elite teams, it cannot be expected that all 6 will stick.   Still we expected a little more.  OT Sebastian Vollmer (late 2^nd round)  looks like a quality Offensive Tackle.   Butler and Chung (early 2^nd rounders) have contributed in the secondary, but the other 3 have not made any impact.  We’ll see how this group shapes up down the road.

New Orleans – The Saints grabbed the #1 CB in the draft in Malcolm Jenkins.  Jenkins hasn’t quite cracked the starting lineup, but we suspect he will soon find his way there.   The Saints traded away their 2^nd and 3^rd rounders for TE Jeremy Shockey and LB Jonathan Vilma, which on the surface appear to be excellent usage of those selections.  Both are key cogs in the Saint juggernaut of 2009.

NY Giants – The G-men had 5 draft picks in the first 3 rounds.  Only 1^st round WR Nicks has contributed much – he’s found playing time and has stood out in a quality Giants WR group.  Would not be surprised to see a couple of others (OT Beatty, LB Sintim) moving into starting roles in the future. Like the Patriots above, when your tean does not have many holes to fill, its hard to make an impact.

NY Jets – Mark Sanchez and Shonn Greene.  Sanchez appears to have a bright future despite recent travails, but Greene has acquired most of his yards in non-critical situations (re: Oakland).  Both look promising but we’ll need to re-evaluate in a years time.

Oakland – WR Heyward-Bey in the 1^st, S Mitchell in the 2^nd, DE Shaunessey in the 3^rd.   None have done more than spot contribution, although DHB is a technically a starter.   4^th rounder Louis Murphy gives Oakland some consolation – sorta like scoring that late TD to take the edge off a 40-3 drubbing.

Billboard: I-880 in Oakland

Pittsburgh – late 1^st rounder Ziggy Hood could one day be a force in the middle, but fine 3^rd round pick WR Mike Wallace is sufficient to keep the Steelers draft squarely in the black (and gold).  When you’re the world champs, getting any contribution at all from the draft is a positive.

San Diego – 1^st rounder Larry English can’t get on the field with Phillips and Merriman in his way – by no means a dissapoinment though.  3^rd rounder Vasquez starts at RG – nice find!

San Francisco – Michael Crabtree finally showed up and validated the 2009 draft for the Niners.  And 3^rd round RB Glen Coffee modestly contribute.  Additionally, San Francisco traded their 2^nd and 4^th rounders to Carolina for the 2010 1^st rounder – quite possibly a  top-10 pick.

St Louis – Stud 2^nd round LB James Laurinaitis singlehandedly makes this draft a success.  Can’t miss 1^st round OT Jason Smith is starting, but has not been overwhelming.  Promising CB Bradley Fletcher in the 3^rd has been injured since week 6.

Seattle - #4 overall LB Aaron Curry hasn’t yet provided a Patrick Willis style impact (yet), but he’s starting and contributing.  2^nd rounder (from Chicago)  C Max Unger a great pick and solid starter.   We considered moving Seattle to an A by virtue of trading their own 2^nd round pick to Denver for a 1^st round pick in 2010, however the Broncos fine play is keeping this pick in the 20’s for now.

Tampa Bay – At this point, Josh Freeman looks like a winner.  Playing at the level of Stafford and Sanchez (if not better), time will tell.  3^rd rounder Roy Miller is a contributor, rare for a rook DT.  The Buccaneers cement an A grade by fetching all-pro TE Kellen Winslow II for a 2^nd rounder.  It would be difficult to envision how bad the Buccaneer offense would be without K2 (Hint: Winslow’s former team), and we might be tagging the “B” word onto Freeman instead.

Tennessee – The Titans first two picks are at WR ( Britt 1^st Round) and DT (Marks 2^nd round)  – two positions notorious in terms of limited rookie year success.  Britt has proved he belongs with several highlight plays and a decent rook statline.   The rest wait and see.

Washington – Brian Orakpo

Orakpo

singlehandedly lands the Redskins into the B column with excellent all-rookie play.  The Skins should be penalized for giving up their 2^nd rounder for Jason Taylor, but Orakpo’s selection overcomes that transgression and gives the Redskins draft a “Success” stamp.

Let’s take a closer look at the roster moves:

1.  Cut CB Keiwan Ratliff and sign Corey Ivy — Ratliff has been an insurance policy player this year.  He’s basically the 4th corner and the 4th FS.  As an aging veteran he could be relied upon to make some tackles and be in position.  He really wasn’t much of one for making a play on the ball and he was a little slow.  Ivy i sprobably not much better or worse but has been a good ST player for many teams  so I think this is probably a good move.  Also note that there are 2 rookie corners on the team who may have developed enough to make Ratliff expendable.

2. LB Donovan Woods was cut a week after being brought up from the PS.  He’s been replaced by veteran LB Rocky Boiman.  Boiman is a nine year vet who’s likewise been productive on special teams.

3.  Practice sqad moves:  offensive lineman Jonathan Palmer was added to the PS in place of Justin Vincent.  Vincent has been on the squad for a while, producing next to nothing in two preseasons.  Palmer is likely insurance as  LG Kemoeautu is out for the next game.

4.  Former Pitt QB Tyler Palko was reported to be added to the PS bu the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.  No confirmation from the team on that move or on who would be cut to make room.

Injury status:  LG Kemo is out, SS Polamalu is questionable, QB Roethlisberger is probable (supposely with no concussion symptons hours after the game), LDE Kirschke is probable

The Batch injury and the ringing of Ben’s bell kind of segways into a review of the QB situation:

Starter Big Ben Roethlisberger.  Not sure we need much analysis here, he’s a top 5 QB in the league and getting better every year.

Backup Denis Dixon is a second year player out of Oregon.  He’s been pretty good in the pre-season.  After you’re used to seeing Ben in the backfield, Dixon looks downright small.  He’s an athletic guy who should be the backup in years to come.  He’s technically third on the healthy depth chart but his physical game is far better than Batch’s at this point.

Injured Backup Charlie Batch is working on completing his transformation to Robo-QB with a metal plate in his wrist.  It’s never clear when the Steelers are going to hang up Batch.  Every year they take a look at some rookies and if they can find a better guy they’ll go with him.  So far Batch has been the guy and he seems to be ok with the arrangement.  As an experienced backup he’s second on the depth chart.  He’s a hometown guy who’s deeply involved in the community and has been transformational in the development of Big Ben as well.

The Steelers QB situation is adequate.  As in years past, I expect them to sign some UDFA camp arms to compete with Batch.  I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if they looked for another backup in rounds 6 or 7 this coming year.  If Palko does sign to the PS, he might be the competitor with the inside track to oust Batch.

Following the Denver game, backup Safety Tyrone Carter was the defensive player of the week for his 2 INT performance.   He was basically in the right place to pick up some poorly thrown balls and made the most of it.  Ziggy Hood started seeing some decent playing time in Denver.  He has some pressure and was not challenged much by the running game.  Sunny Harris however has been inactive and the team has gone with only 5 D-linemen the last two weeks.  This may be a sign that Harris does not know the scheme enough to contribute or a sign that the Steelers are trying to stack the special teams units to somehow stop giving up touchdowns.

In the Cincinnati game, the offense and Ben largely were unable to establish a rhythm and sustain a drive.  Ben was throwing short without touch and kept under throwing the long balls.  The offense was toothless in the red zone.  A very frustrating game altogether to see Ben continuing to throw 30 yards downfield instead of focusing on making a first down.  During this game Polamalu tweaked his PCL and will miss one or two games as a result.  That should bring him to roughly a whole half season injured.  This underscores the need to have the best backup safety in the league.  And no, despite his performance in Denver, Tyrone Carter is not that guy.

I’m guessing the Steelers should bounce back against the punching bag Chiefs this week.  Following that, they’ll have a good gut check versus the Ravens.  Kirschke and Polamalu are out this week.  Carey Davis is questionable with a minor injury from the Denver game.

In roster moves, The Steelers cut Arnold Harrison and signed Donovan Woods from the practice squad at linebacker.  Harrison has made a few tackles on special teams but is allegedly responsible for losing his lane responsibility on two of the TD the coverage units have given up.  Arnold Harrison had some versatility to play inside or outside backer.  He seems to have lost a step, perhaps due to injuries the past two years.  Woods was a standout on special teams last year.  He also played ILB well during pre-season. 

This move makes the Steelers thin at OLB with Andre Frazier the primary backup and ST guys Bailey and Woods a step behind.  Timmons can play outside as well.  If one of the OLB goes down, it’s a possibility that the team might move Timmons outside and put Fox in the middle. 

The team has signed Curtis Gatewood to the practice squad in Woods’ spot.  At 6-2, 245 lb Gatewood looks like an OLB/ST guy.  He’s in his second year in the league and has spent time with the Redskins, Lions, Chiefs and most recently the Eagles.  With the Eagles, for what it’s worth , he was listed as a 4-3 OLB.  He’s a DE converted to OLB so he could be a diamond in the rough who was unable to find a spot on those 4-3 teams.

Position Review – Wide Receiver

Starter Hines Ward – Super Bowl MVP, Fierce Competitor, All-World Blocker, Veteran Team leader, Community Service All-star – What more can you say about Ward?  He’s persevered through probably a dozen receivers drafted to compete with him.  He’s aged fantastically and is having as productive season as ever.  His infectious smile and spirit lift the team and fans alike.  While some think he’s on the fringe, I think there’s a spot in Canton for Ward.  He’s got a few more years left in the tank for sure.

Starter Santonio Holmes is the second Super Bowl MVP receiver on the squad.  He’s coming into his own and is probably mid-pack for a #1 receiver on an NFL team.  He’s signed through 2011.

Starter Mike Wallace is a promising rookie the team picked up in the third round this year.  He’s lighting fast, has good hands and is a very coachable player.  The sky appears to be the limit for this guy.  Wallace’s emergence is key in my opinion as it allows the team to take some chances with the #4 and 5 receivers down the road instead of signing a veteran insurance policy.

Backup Sean McDonald is a fine veteran receiver and the aforementioned insurance policy.  I don’t think he has the physical tools to start on this stacked squad but he should be considered a reliable fill-in in case of injury.

Backup Limas Sweed has so much potential but has yet learned to consistently catch the ball.  He’s fast and tall and can be found open in the endzone, but if Sweed can’t make the catch, there’s no room for him on the team.  As a second round pick he’s on the verge of being considered a bust.  At best, he’s been unacceptably slow to become a dependable receiver.  Look for him to get a few more chances this year to show something.  If he can’t get his head on straight, his next camp might be his last.

Practice Squad player Tyler Grisham could potentially find a roster spot down the road as a slot receiver and special teams ace.  He was a special teams captain at Syracuse.  The Steelers have a tradition of #5 receivers who are special teams dynamos.  Perhaps Grisham can be the next such player in the mold of Chidi Iwuoma and Sean Morey.

The Steelers swapped out Tight ends on the practice squad.  Perrenial PS feature Dezmond Sherrod was exchanged for Kevin Brock.  Brock was released from the Jets PS Sept 4.  He’s a blocking TE who converted from playing DE at Rutgers.

DE Kirshke is out for this week and perhaps next.  Timmons is questionable with another ankle injury.

The Steelers have a very good record after a bye week and also on Monday night.  I’m not sure of the numbers — but trust me they’re ridiculous. 

Some things to look for this week vs. Denver

Steelers on Defense:

Debut of the Ziggy and Sunny show:  Rookie DEs Sunny Harris and Ziggy Hood will see significant play time in relief of Nick Eason and Brett Keisel.  We might see Hoke over there as well.  The D-line will go against one of the better O-Lines in the league. 

Casey Hampton could potentially have a very disruptive game versus LG Hamilton and C Wiegman.  They are weak at the point of attack and the Big Snack could be collapsing the pocket on the Broncos.

The Broncos are expected to start second year man Tyler Polumbus at right tackle.  This will be his first start.  He was an undrafted free agent picked up out of Colorodo.  He’ll face Lamar Woodley in a key matchup.  Woodley has not had the same production as last year.  He could have a big impact in this game.  On the other side, Harrison will be in a good matchup versus Ryan Clady.

Ryan Clark’s status or even if he’s traveling to Denver won’t be revealed until game day.  The expectation from the Pittsburgh media is that Tomlin will not play Clark.  One key question is whether or not Dick Lebeau will be more conservative in scheme without Clark back there.  Earlier this year, conservative defensive approaches have not been very successful.

Expect Ike Taylor to cover Brandon Marshall all day and to and largely shut him down.

The Steeler linebackers and Polamalu have the opportunity so seal the deal in this game.  Orton has a fairly low YPA stat.  The ability of this group to make up for any weakness in the front 3 and cover the underneath passing could effectively shut down the Broncos Offense.

Steelers on Offense:

Denver looks to be an interesting team on paper.  They’re the top team in total yards per game and rushing yards per game defensively – a stat accomplished with very limited star power.  Outside of Champ Bailey and a dinged up Brian Dawkins they’re having good success with very average talent.  To me that means they’re playing well as a team so it will be difficult to exploit them.

The Broncos start former Steeler Draft bust Ryan McBean at Left Defensive End.  A pulling Kemoeatu will be barreling towards McBean Monday night.  If the Steelers O-line can impose their will on this defensive line, it could be a statement game from a unit that has shown huge improvement already this year.

The Broncos linebackers are a fairly average group.  Coupled with some underwhelming performance from the nickel back, it could be a productive game for Heath Miller and Hines Ward over the middle.  Likewise if Arians dials up some bubble screens and short pass plays for the backs, there could be some good success there.

 Last week the Steelers took care of the Vikings thanks to some splash plays from the defense.  The game was an odd one for the Steelers on Offense due to some strange play calling.  However at the end of the day, Pittsburgh went up early and never gave up the lead.

 Despite Mendenhall averaging 6.9 yards per carry, the Steelers did not choose to grind it out versus the Vikings.  Nor did big Ben continue his over-the-top passing attack — he only averaged 6.7 yards per attempt in this outing.  The offense humming along thusly in second gear put up 13 points over the game.  One can only assume that this game plan was to minimize the chances for the vaunted Viking D-line to have an impact on the game.  That end was accomplished to some extent with no sacks for Jared Allen.  However Ben was still sacked 4 times and hit 3 more times.

 The real star of this game was a fired up and swarming Steelers defense.  The defense, as expected, shut down Adrian Peterson so well that with a 1^st and goal on the Steelers 1 yard line, the Vikings only gave him one shot to get a touchdown before trying Favre against the Steeler D.  Favre had no better luck and the Vikings were held to a field goal on that drive. 

Defensive captain James Farrior had a monster game with 15 tackles and a sack.  Whenever the team was in a critical situation, they held their responsibilities beautifully.  Farrior was instrumental in containing Peterson as well as the underneath passing attack.  Of course the highlights of the game were two defensive returns of turnovers for touchdowns.  Those plays are notable for the players’ hustle in getting down field to block.  On the second return, this year’s first rounder Ziggy Hood could be seen sprinting alongside Ryan Clark as they escorted Keyaron Fox to the endzone. 

From an injury standpoint, Timmons and Kirschke were nicked up a bit.  Considering the bye week both I believe are expected to return for the Denver game.  Ryan Clark’s status for the Denver game is still up in the air.  The Free Safety had life threatening medical issues after a previous trip to Denver that resulted in the removal of his spleen and gall bladder.  I think it’s likely he will not play and the position will be filled by backup Ryan Mundy with help as needed from Deshea Townsend and Keiwan Ratkiff.  This should be a good opportunity for Mundy to prove himself.  The performance could be pivotal with Clark entering free agency after this year.

 After the game, Steelers party-boy and place kicker Jeff “Skippy” Reed was arrested for interfering with some cops who were in the process of issuing TE Matt Spaeth a citation for public urination.  It’s an odd situation.  Apparently Reed came out of a car driven by his dad and the cops thought he assumed a “fighting pose” whereupon they tackled him, cuffed him and charged him with several things.  The Steelers are investigating the situation.  Reed will certainly play this week.   My guess is that some charges will be dropped and Reed will pay a fine.  This might make the Steelers think twice about re-signing Skippy after this season as he becomes an UFA.

 This coming week should be a good matchup as the Steelers host the Minnesota Vikings.  The Vikings have several excellent aspects of their game.  Adrian Peterson is the consensus number one back in the league.  Jared Allen is a premier talent at left end.  The Williams boys at DT are very formidable against the run and collapse the pocket well on pass plays.  Lastly silver haired Saint Favre is at the helm of the offense.  While I’ve never been a Favre booster to put it mildly, he’s an improvement over Tavaris Jackson.

 The most critical challenge will be the Vikes D-line.  Expect Max Starks to be overmatched against Allen.  Expect the O-line to scheme to give him better protection.  Hopefully protection will not come in the form of poorly blocking TE Matt Spaeth.  The Williamses at DT and the 4-3 scheme should contain the run in the center of the field.  Due to those two factors, Ben hitting receivers on the hot routes is going to be critical to success in this game.  Antoine Winfield is doubtful for the game so that should ease things somewhat for the Steeler passing attack.

 On the other side of the ball, the Steelers stand a good chance of containing Minnesota.  The defense is notoriously stout versus the run so Peterson should be held in check.  Lamar Woodley should get some pressure on Favre going against rookie Tackle Phil Loadholt.  As for Favre himself, he’s looked good this year – but keep in mind that 4 of the 6 teams they played have pass defense rankings of 20^th or more.

 Position Analysis:  Offensive Tackles

 Starter Max Starks has been with the team since 2004.  It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the mammoth (6’8, 345lb) Starks.  He started the Season at RT in 2005 through the Super bowl XL victory.  Since then he was beaten by Willie Colon for the job at RT, was given both the transition and franchise tags, finally receiving a big extension this offseason and securing a starting job at left tackle.  The rub on Starks has been that he’s a hot and cold player with some slow footwork.  This year his consistency is greatly improved. 

 Starter Willie Colon has been a fixture at right tackle since filling in for an injured Starks late in the 2006 season.  He plays with a mean streak that the coaches love.  He’s somewhat of a fan goat for some ill timed penalties last season.  After this year Colon is a free agent.  If there is no CBA he’ll be a restricted free agent.  The team thinks very highly of Colon so expect them to work on extending him.

 Backup Ramon Foster was picked up this year as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee.  He quickly impressed the coaching staff with his stout blocking abilities.  He’s the gameday active backup for both tackles and left guard.  In coming years he should push for a starting role on the line.

 Inactive Backup Tony Hills was drafted in the 4^th round last year.  He’s one of several Steelers players that were picked up on an injury discount (Limas Sweed, Dennis Dixon…) In his preseason rookie action he looked to be physically overmatched.  This year it looks like he’s made a quantum leap and should be a serviceable player next year.  Hills has more left tackle skills as far as quickness etc compared with Foster who’s a mauling blocker.

 Team needs at Tackle are moderate.  Starks is not ideal as a left tackle.  It’s not clear that Hills will be a standout starter.  If there is a new CBA and Colon is an UFA, then there is definitely a need for starter talent.  The Steelers have been very reluctant to draft linemen high in the draft in recent years.  Of the 11 players on the 53 man roster, IR and practice squad there are three 3^rd rounders, two 4^th rounders, a sixth rounder, a seventh rounder one free agent and 3 undrafted free agents.  As things stand, the Steelers could take a project tackle in rounds 3-4

For the week ending October 19th (Week 6 of action in the NFL) The strong got stronger and the weak ….hey, wait a minute, some of the weak got ……uhhhhh, less weak? Surprising wins from Oakland and Kansas City on Sunday raises those two bottom dwellers up a little bit. They were helped out by a team that decided not to show up for the snow party in New England.

Meantime, the undefeated Saints didn’t have to march very far – but they did keep marching up and down the Superdome field – all over the previously unbeaten and formerly #1 ranked Giants, 48-27, to move to 5-0 on the season. While a big win for New Orleans, the Vikings had a big win of their own, keeping Minnesota unbeaten at 6-0, one game better overall than the Saints.

But the team folks will probably now admit they’ll need to keep a much closer eye on is the surprising Denver Broncos, who are kicking butt and taking names through 6 games of this young NFL season. If anyone doubted them through the first five weeks, this win over San Diego should put those doubts completely to rest.

So Mac’s Power Rankings has a few changes in the order after week six in the NFL.

1.(2) Minnesota (6-0) – Looked like the Vikings were celebrating a little prematurely after taking a 27-10 lead late in the 4th quarter. It almost did them in. But the HOF’er came in and led them on yet another game-winning drive, while the defense finished them off one final time late. The Viking defense is starting to get a little leaky and I haven’t quite decided yet whether it’s  letdown when getting a good lead, or just poor play at critical times. They’ll have to button it up over the next two weeks with road games against Pittsburgh and Green Bay.

2.(3) Indianapolis (5-0) – BYE

Drew Brees

3.(4) New Orleans (5-0) – Completely manhandled the Giants from start to finish. A bit shaky on defense the first series, but really got it going after that. Drew Brees got a little lucky on a pass in his first series, as it looked like Corey Webster had a pick sail right through his hands for a reception by the Saints. After that, it wasn’t even close as New Orleans racks up over 500 yards in offense on the top rated defense in the NFL while the Saints D did some damage of its own.

4.(5) Denver (6-0) – If there’s a better defense in the NFL, I don’t know if I’ve seen it yet. The Bronco D went on the road to San Diego and held that potent offense to just 23 points – only THREE after halftime – enroute to a 34-23 whipping of their arch-rivals in the AFC West.  What’s more, Kyle Orton was able to guide the Bronco offense up and down the field behind one of the best offensive lines in the league, converting the majority of their 3rd downs to keep the ball moving and the Charger offense on the sidelines.

It is extremely difficult for me not to move the Broncos further up the ladder in Mac’s Power Rankings, but I think I’ll wait and see what happens with this club after their bye in week 7. After that, they go on the road to Baltimore, then host the Pittsburgh Steelers on another MNF showdown. One thing is for sure, Josh McDaniels is leader of the pack for Coach of the Year at this point.

5.(1) New York Giants (5-1) – Was this on purpose? I mean, did the Giants allow the Saints to march up and down the field on them in order for New York to get a good game film on them come playoff time? It just nags at me that this team looked not at all like it usually does defensively. The offense didn’t do all that much better, but didn’t look AS messed up. Now that Brees has torched them for 4 touchdowns, they get to face Kurt Warner in the Big Apple.

While the Giants are no doubt a good quality team, the rather weak early schedule has hurt them.  Fortunately for them the NFC East isn’t as strong as some other divisions in the NFL this season, so they shouldn’t stumble in the East. ( Unless you consider Oakland a powerhouse by beating Philly, or KC clubbing Washington and almost beating Dallas last week.)

6.(8) Atlanta (4-1) – Great stands by the Falcon defense throughout the game as they kept the Bears out of the endzone on several trips inside Falcon terrority. Jonathan Babineaux’s big hit and forced fumble was key as the Bears tried to get the ball in the endzone. Matt Ryan continues to impress, throwing two TD passes with nearly two hundred throwing yards. Next up is a trip to Big D.

7.(7) Cincinnati (4-2) – Kinda saw this coming after the roller-coaster ride the Bengals have been on the last week with the passing of Coach Zimmer’s wife, the funeral and then a kind of “trap” game against Houston. Not that you don’t take the Texans seriously – that’s my point, they did – but it just looked like everyone in the orange and black was one step slower and one second off their timing. They are still atop the division even though both the Bengals and Steelers have identical records.

8.(9) New England (3-2) – And just like that, the Pats are back on top of the AFC East division. Can’t move them up too far, after all, the Titans didn’t even bother showing up. However, it looks as if Brady is back, the defense is coming along and the running game showed up along with the snow. While this all looks and sounds good, we still might want to consider this was against a Tennessee Titans team that wreaks right now.

9.(13) Pittsburgh (4-2) – It looks like the Steelers might be getting out of their funk, but it might also be awhile still. At least Polamalu is back and the Steelers handled their business against an inferior divisional opponent. But Pittsburgh hasn’t been kicking the crap out of anyone either (except for the 3 quarters against San Diego), edging Tennessee by 3, Detroit by 8 and now the Browns by 13. I do, however, see a pattern developing here.

10.(6) N.Y. Jets (3-3) – Losers of three in a row, the Jets were rocked with even more bad news when they found out NT Kris Jenkins is out for the season. No reason to panic with QB Mark Sanchez, who tossed 5 picks in the loss to Buffalo. Much of it is still timing and knowing his receiving corp, and he just got Braylon Edwards on board a little over a week ago. The defense now bears watching with the loss of Jenkins in the middle.

11.(10) Baltimore (3-3) – Used to be you could count on the defense to hold opponents down and allow their field goal kicker to win close games for them. Not anymore. Now it’s an offense based on throwing (why, I don’t know, when they have Ray Rice, McGahee and McClain running for them. But yeah, Joe Flacco is the real deal – too bad his “D” didn’t have his back as the Ravens (and the D) tumbled for the 3rd consecutive week.

12.(11) Chicago (3-2) – The Bears blew several opportunities to put points on the board, but penalties and turnovers did them in. Just when you thought the team had turned the corner, they implode on national TV. They need to correct their course pretty quick, as they face the surprising Bengals in the Queen City next week.

13.(12) Philadelphia (3-2) – ROTFLMAO @ the Eagles. Nuff said.

14.(14) San Francisco (3-1) – BYE

15.(16) Dallas (3-2) – BYE

16.(17) Green Bay (3-2) – Nothing to get all ecstatic about, as the Packers SHOULD be able to go out and dominate the Lions at home in Lambeau. Which they did, and Donald Driver and Aaron Rodgers had outstanding games. Rodgers passed for an amazing 350+ yards and 2 TD’s while Donald Driver surpassed Sterling Sharpe for the career reception record (956). Let’s see if the Packers can keep from looking ahead to the Minnesota rematch and not forget the Browns are next on the schedule.

17.(18) Arizona (3-2) – Moved back within striking distance of the 49ers at 3-2, with a 27-3 thrashing of Seattle. Warner was hitting his big play targets and racked up 276 yards passing with 2 TD’s, while the running game was just “okay” but not all that big a factor even though the ‘Zona offense had the ball for 42 and a half minutes of the 60 minute game.

18.(15) San Diego (2-3) – Could not keep the Bronco pass-rush from creating havoc in the backfield, and never could establish a running game of any kind on offense. All the while the Bronco offense ran the clock with long, time-consuming drives that eliminated the usual second and third opportunities for the Charger offense to get back on the field. It is quite apparent at this point that San Diego has problems in several areas. 1) Their running game is non-existant. 2) Their pass rush isn’t what it used to be at all. 3) The offense would be dead in the water if it weren’t for Antonio Gates and Rivers.

19.(19) Houston (3-3) – Matt Schaub, doing his best Peyton Manning imitation, tossed 4 TD passes and hit seven different wideouts. He also racked up 390+ passing yards as he led his team to a triumphant 28-17 win over the Bengals. Big game coming up next week against the 49ers at home.

Samurai Schaub

20.(20) Miami (2-3) – BYE

21.(22) Jacksonville (3-3) – Evidently Jack del Rio didn’t want his decoy sitting around doing nothing this weekend, and decided to give him the ball. He only responded with 3 TD’s with 133 yards on 33 carries. David Garrard, meanwhile, threw for nearly 400 yards but almost cost the Jags the game with two picks – one returned for a game-tying TD by the Rams Leonard Little.

22.(23) Carolina (2-3) – Before commenting on the win, let me just say that the NFL should suspend Dante Wesley indefinitely for that atrocious hit on the Bucs Clifton Smith. That was completely uncalled for AND worse, it was premeditated as he clearly ramped up to strike him with the forearm. At any rate, that’s just a personal thought on a ridiculously stupid action.

The Panthers did just enough to beat Tampa Bay after looking to have the game in hand early on. Luckily, Carolina turned away from Delhomme’s arm and got the running tandem going – to the tune of 252 yards rushing. Up 21-7 at one point, the Panthers allowed Tampa Bay back in the game and were fortunate to pull out a seven point win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

23.(21) Seattle (2-4) – For the Seahawks, this game should’ve been a big one for the offense against the Cardinal pass defense. Or lackthereof. However, Seattle could manage only a measley 112yards passing, their rushing attack was even more inept. At least it wasn’t a shut-out. The big hit came after the game with news that Seahawk LB Lofa Tatupu is out for the year.

24.(24) Washington (2-4) – Watching paint dry can probably be more entertaining than watching the Redskins these days, but I doubt then I can’t figure out why that should even be a possible comparison. It’s gotten that bad. Jim Zorn says he’ll give up play-calling duties. And focus on what, the defense? Special teams? Cheerleading? Okay, okay, it’s not all Zorn’s fault. Can someone help clue us in and what IS the problem then?

25.(29) Buffalo (2-4) – I’m not sure, but I think Buffalo has invented several new ways to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. But THIS time, they reversed trend and captured a close one – in OT. Although it looked like it was a game destined to end in a tie. The win temporarily gives their head coach, Dick Jauron, another week on the job.

26.(31) Oakland (2-4) – I don’t bet much, but I ALMOST put money on this game for some strange reason. I just had that feeling that the Raiders would be “up” and the Eagles “down” a bit. And that’s the way it played out much of the day. Oakland’s defense was dominating most of the day and the lone TD ( a hilariously long, 10-bottom-plow-dragging rumble run after catch by TE Zach Miller) gave the Raiders their only touchdown.

27.(27) Kansas City (1-5) – Congrats to a ballclub that has been “right there” in most games this season but couldn’t quite get over the hump. Until today. Now let’s see if that can carry over into a home contest against the Chargers next Sunday at 1 p.m.

28.(25) Detroit (1-5) – Probably the only game they’ve been “out of” from start to finish this year. Culpepper going out early had something to do with it, but I expected more out of the Lion defense. Then again, they DID hold the Packers to four FG’s after the 1st quarter and left Green Bay with a 20% mark in redzone efficiency. It was just that all the yardage (and time) the Packers consumed didn’t leave much time for the Lions to do anything. Well, that and the fact Detroit was 0-10 in 3rd down conversions.

29.(28) Cleveland (1-5) – Except for Big Ben, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Rashard Mendenhall, I think the Browns did a pretty good job of containing the Steelers. Well, except for that 17-point barrage in the 2nd quarter that Pittsburgh put on ‘em. And there WERE those 4 turnovers, 3 by Derek Anderson. Next up for Cleveland is a Dawg Pound visit by Green Bay.

30.(30) Tampa Bay (0-6) – Trailing 21-7, the Buc’s Sammy Stroughter returned a kickoff 97 yards for a TD and gave Tampa Bay new life heading into the final quarter. Then the Bucs tied it on an pick-6 by Jackson and the stage was set for the Bucs to pull off their first win of the season. However, it wasn’t meant to be as the Panthers scored one more time and Tampa Bay couldn’t answer.

31.(32) St. Louis ( 0-6) – That was painful to watch as the Rams were oh-so-close to nailing down their first win of the season, only to see it slip away. Of course, if SOMEONE had stopped MJD a couple times, it may have made the difference. That said, the Rams DID pick off Garrard twice and forced a fumble, so they had their chances. I was listening to someone talking about an idea of the Rams trading away Stephen Jackson for multiple draft picks….and I’m thinking that’s a pretty sound idea.

32.(26) Tennessee (0-6) – Yeah, that’s right, I’ve got this team dead last. At least the Bucs, Rams, Chiefs, Lions and Browns show up to play every weekend knowing that they likely will get their heads handed to them. For the Titans to not even show up for the game with New England proves their lack of mental toughness. They just quit before the game had started. It looked like they didn’t want to be there, didn’t like the weather and probably didn’t like playing in the Houston throwbacks again. Poor babies. Jeff Fisher has some serious problems in Tennessee.

A rare successful Titans play

After watching every play of all 5 games, there are a number of things that jump out. I’ll be writing a bit about each as well as some positives I see with the Rams so far this season. Here are the problems I see so far that I will be addressing:

The biggest issue I see contributing to the Rams losses this season is Discipline… it’s really simple, limit the penalties, turnovers and mental errors. The good news is improvement is evident as the season progresses and I’ll outline that at the end.

Week 1 – The Rams had penalties on each of their first 4 drives, including two 5 yard penalties on 1st and 10 from the Seahawks 9 yard line ending in a missed field goal. On the ensuing Seahawks drive the Rams were flagged for unnecessary roughness which helped Seattle score their first touchdown. Then Seattle sets up for a field goal with less than a minute in the half, the Rams block it… but have 12 men on the field negating the only Rams score of the game. Seattle takes the first down and converts it to a TD for a 14-0 halftime lead.

Week 2 – The Rams, up 7-6 in the 2nd quarter, recover a Redskin fumble at their 30 yard line with 1:12 left. On 2nd down the Rams get a screen pass to the 46 yard line called back for a hold ending the half a play later. At the start of the 4th quarter the Rams have the ball 3rd and 4 from the Redskin 9 yard line behind by 2 points. Avery makes the catch a yard short and is stripped trying to get the 1st down ending the drive.

Week 3 – The Rams first possession ends on a blocked kick, the second on a Bulger sack and fumble, the third on a Steven Jackson fumble.

Week 4 – The Rams are set to receive a punt with 5:30 to play in the 2nd quarter of a scoreless tie, Quincy Butler muffs the punt which is recovered in the end zone for the 49ers first score.

Week 5 – The Rams first possession ends with a sack of Kyle Boller and a fumble return for touchdown by Jared Allen. 1st and goal from the Viking 1 to start the 2nd quarter, Steven Jackson loses a fumble to end the drive. On 2nd and goal from the Viking 8 at the end of the half, Daniel Fells fumbles after a catch at the 3. To start the 4th quarter, Boller is intercepted in the end zone from the Viking 9.

Now I’m not saying the Rams should have won all of these games, far from it. I do believe the Rams beat the Redskins and Packers… possibly even the Seahawks. In any case all 5 games would have been closer and the Rams could easily be 2-3 at this point just by limiting the penalties and turnovers. The Rams are -7 (32nd) in takeaways and have committed 39 penalties (T-30th) for 325 yards (28th) in the league.

Now for the positives I’ve seen in the last few weeks. The attitude of the Rams players, but more importantly the coaching staff has been very encouraging. No matter what the situation the play calling and overall team attitude says “we are in this to succeed.” I believe that Coach Spagnuolo is instilling in the team a winning attitude starting with competing on every down, regardless of score, time or situation. There is no quit in this team and it shows. Even into the 4th quarter on Sunday, behind 38-3 the Rams were working to get the ball in the end zone. The Rams are not the most disciplined team in the NFL, but of the all the struggling teams this season in the NFL, the Rams have the positive attitude and winning mentality starting with the coach that tells me that there is definitely a light at the end of this tunnel.

Drafttek Rams Correspondent – Robert Occhipinti