heels, sox & steelers
I'm here. But my wife wants me to go out later, so my constant presence this day is a matter of negotiation.
Not only is it Steeler Sunday but also Kickoff weekend - not open to negotiation....
Anyone get a chance to hear Sirius NFL Radio this morning (The Sirius Tailgate Show with Adam Schein)......I could not believe the amount of stuff being talked by Browns fans about how they are going to 'run all over the Steelers' and how 'we won't be able to pass on the best db's in league'......that's it...let's play!
Looks like the forecast is calling for some rain today in Cleveland...
I heard that Adam....
Looks like the O-Line will have to step up.
I'm predicting a 20-10 victory. Although I base this on gut feel from the Cowher era...keep it close and win late....who knows with the new regime....
Here are the inactives. Oh, and this is my first experience with DirecTVs Sunday Ticket. Let's just say I am sufficiently psyched.
Ryan...tell me you picked up SuperFan....
Just wait until you see all 8 games on the screen at one time....
SteelerBill,
Yes, yes I did. MDS, who I think might work for DirecTV, has been giving me advice on how to make my viewing experience as awesome as possible.
I think it would be sweet if Allen Rossum returned the opening kickoff, maybe 94 yards, for a touchdown.
Yeah.
That would rock.
Good news, nerds:
Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon are your CBS announcers today. I don't know if this is good news or not, just passing along the info.
Bill Hillgrove just asked Coach if the good preseaon stats means the Browns are better than last year. Tomlin says "I'm sure they think they are."
LOL!!
I'm so psyched, I'm heading over to my Steelers bar in a few minutes.
If he plays well in the first two or three games, I'm gonna have to pull the trigger and get a Sepulveda jersey.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/
eBayISAPI...em=260155596848
Follow this link. This guy is selling his allegiance to the Browns to the highest bidder. The highest bid is 61 dollars so far.
I'm watching Cowher on the pregame show and I'm 51 percent certain he got the Ben Affleck treatment (new teef ... or at least whitened the old ones). Don't ask me why I pay attention to such things.
Hey thanks Ryan...I don't remember a thing he's saying - all I can look at are those teeth...
Love the photo! Let's just paste Charlie Fry into the photo in place of the Browns fan and we'll be all set.
Nice kickoff. Field pass is a good half minute behind GameCenter.
The teeth on Cowher are freaky.
The Browns are who we thought they were. By the way, that was Larry Timmons running by Ernster.
Four fouls! Awesome. We're going to destroy this team.
4 penalties and a fumbled snap.....I'm not going to say it...
Gentlemen...
Ben threw both passes to Santonio and to Hines early.....and on the money....I want to hug him....(oh is it too early for that?)
139.58
Eric Wright, you're in for a long day. A very long day.
Two good plays by Timmons already.
Great hit by Timmons on Special teams.
Great throw! Great throw!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Deshea Townsend is the man! We're going to see Brady Quinn in this game.
He looked at the wrong guy, he had Jamal Lewis underneath..for at least a short gain...
Is our converage that good? Or is Charlie that bad?
Love CBS' new ticker that shows not only the score, but where the ball is on the field..
We need this 3rd and inches!
Ben forced that one....
I wasn't thrilled by the throw on 3rd and inches.
Why not run it twice there? If we turn it over on downs, the Browns aren't going anywhere.
I was confused there. That third and inches shows up on Game Cemter as first and goal from the eight.
It was third and inches.
Yes, but I needed you guys to tell me that!
It was third and inches - Ben rolled out right and if he would have lofted it to Tuman it was a TD, he gunned it and the DB knocked it town. Following which Willie Colon got into it with the Browns DB - offsetting penalties....
Who missed the tackle on Vickers?
I think that was Ike Taylor.
Lots of lineup changes on the Defense....
I've seen Hoke, Hampton, Nick Eason, A Smith among others in there....
It says here that Ike made the tackle, but Hillgrove saud someone missed one first. Never mind.
Sack of Fry by Troy!
On the interference call Winslow tacked Polamalu....
Sorry, it was by FArrior
Nice return by Rossum...
He didn't drop it, so I'm satisfied!
A year ago, that punt would have been dropped and the Browns would have recovered it...
Did Davenport move out of the way of Wimbley on that 3rd down play?
I think that last one was a slip screen to Najeh...Ben went the other way with it....
That was a pretty bad series on offense. On the bright side the Sepulverizer just punted it to the 30.
It's official....I want to hug him.....
144.94. Yardage component is lacking.
Interesting thing of note: Two of Reed's kickoffs have gone into the endzone, and the Browns have taken the touchback.
Just sent a text message to my buddy, a Browns fan, 'love Ohio schools'......for those of you who didn't catch that (Miami of Ohio to OSU)....
I love how both Browns safeties were crying as Holmes caught the ball in the end zone. Nothing like team bickering in the first quarter of Week 1. Portends good things for the Browns.
I realize it's early, but for those of you that questioned the Steelers offensive strategy - this is it - just like the playoffs in 2005 - get a lead and now pound their a**!
I would like to see a little more run-blocking. But even if ROBO-PUNTER's punt to the 2 is overturned, it's good to see the possibility of pinning the team deep -- whoops, the play stands. God, Cleveland sucks.
For the record...I have not had anything to eat or drink yet..too tense, too nervous....I may need to relax a little....
Shouldn't the NFL invest in a camera on the goal line for replay? If you are at an angle, there's often no way to have conclusive proof of where the ball is.
Did the ref say Nate re-established himself in the field of play?
I agree Ryan...I'd like to see more from the run game....
Umm nevermind....there goes FWP
Willie!!!!!!! &^%$#)!!!!
Well, we just saw "more" from the run game.
Parker ran for 25 yards on one play, and then on the next play, fumbled and the Browns recovered.
I guess that's "more."
No no calig, that's not more, that was poor...
My bad. Maybe the Steelers should hire Tom Coughlin after he gets canned in New York. Look what he did for Tiki's career.
The good and the bad of FWP back to back. Gotta hold the ball with a 17 point lead, or else Tomlin won't go 6 million-1-1 with 11 point leads like Cowher...
I love the Neal Patrick Harris commercials with him winking as the lady's man. It's like watching Jeff Garcia and his Playboy wife interviewed...
It's time for my obligatory Willie Parker fumbles too much comment. Now everybody remind me how he scored 13 TDs and 1300 yds. Doesn't matter, still fumbles too much!!!
Time for a William Gay big play. Has he seen the field yet?
Charlie Frye must really sleep easy the night before playing the Steelers.
We're going to have twenty sacks this game. Ike Taylor's first ever sack!
Browns offense to the rescue.
The funny thing about that sack was that Ike actually stopped for a second.....it will not be this easy the rest of the Season.
Let's get this running game going
The pace for the season: Ben about 80 TD passes, the D about 150 sacks. If we played the Browns every week, those numbers might be possible.
Derek Anderson warming up on the sidelines...
We should still go after them though...it is only 17-0
Yeah, SteelerBill, another TD would be nice. Charlie Frye's hold on the starting QB job might be only a few plays more than Jim Miller that year for the Steelers.
Too bad Sepulveda isn't a "real player," Eddie B...
Nice throw by Big Ben on that last one...
This is Notre Dame all over again folks....how many QB's do you think Romeo Crennel will go through today? Maybe he should to go Jimmy Clausen...
I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if they use the same playbook!
Come on D - let's not get complacent here....
WE could use a real drive to give them a rest.
There it is!!! Attaboys!
We may have to give the Browns defense some credit. They look decent against the run and intermediate pass.
After those five straight incomplete passes, Ben is down to 105.9.
Two dropped passes by our RB's.....
The O-line really sucks.
Ben held the ball too long....and our offense needs to establish a drive....
That was a crappy punt...
That wasn't the o-line, he held the ball way too long....
I hope the Browns crappiness isn't contagious.
We get the ball first second half - good time for a long sustained drive.
Ohhh...Ryan Clark almost had that!
Wow, how many passes have the Browns dropped today???
Ok....find Santonio here....although one to Hines would be nice too
That was one of the dumber penalties I've seen a player take. Does he not know what the signal for calling a fair catch is?
Can Davenport catch?
Another drop! Dammit!
CAn anyone catch? Drop by Santonio.
Cribbs is a nimrod.
I'm already tired of four wideouts.
Our offense is bad. We'd better get better or we're in trouble.
Thank God for the Browns offense....or lack thereof...
Is the Browns best player Lee Vickers? And can anyone tell his post-Steelers story?
All but one of Sepulveda's punts have been good.
How has the split been between Davis and Kreider?
Really concerned about offense..D looks good. We miss Kreider and the smash run game
Not one sustained drive in our territory.
TD to Spaeth.
So there's Matt Spaeth!
Nice drive...nice drive....good play calling...
103.07
OK cross that off the list.
That's what I'm talking about! MAtt Spaeth!
That drive immediately makes me feel way better.
impressive
Timmons has really been good on special teams. In fact special teams has been really good in general!
Impressive, bkp? It's the Browns!
Matt Spaeth owns you all. I wonder how Eddie B. will spin this.
The Browns are still paid to play too....
FWP is up to 79 yards rushing....I guess I should learn to be patient...
Food watch...I'm finally eating and drinking (non alcoholic) and have ordered a pizza...
The Bills are looking good against Denver..
How about "Tuman could have caught it."
I think the Steelers' D decided to take the rest of the afternoon off...
Ouch...Ryan Clark was lit up
Hmmm...we may not get the shutout
Vickers TD
Ummm did Vickers just dance???
Yes, he danced.
Could someone please point him toward the scoreboard and then point out the uniform he is wearing....
Shades of Bobby Shaw?
Atleast Winslow told him to shut down the dance. Unexpected class from that guy. Or Embarrasment
What's up, homies? (end of my lame attempt at ghetto speak..we now return you to my white bread roots)
Man, like the score but what's with the 9/20 Ben stats? lots of drops I gather but is he that inaccurate as well? It's an area he has to improve on (accuracy) if we are to do anything this year.
I got stuck gameless today..long story..to say I am in a foul mood would be accurate..lol..
Nice effort by Davenport on that play. I think he broke 3 or 4 tackles.
Great RAC (and I'm not talking about the cheerleaders!) and Hines jacked someone up!
Rob...Najeh dropped 2 passes, FWP dropped one and Santonio dropped one....watch the highlights, Ben made some sick passes (that's a good thing)
Rob D,
Shitload of drops -- Santonio dropped an easy one, something I'd never seen before -- but the O looks out of synch at times. Luckily the Steelers have been granted six preseason games.
Oh, and Najeh just crapped all over the Browns. Embarrassing.
and Hines jacked someone up!
And got penalized for it...
No matter. Ben to Miller, TD.
um, yeah, maybe the refs shoulda called a 40-yard penalty on Hines. Too easy, that TD. Too easy.
Where's Israel? (I mean tthe person not the Country smart asses)
114.31
Reed's third touchback. How many did he have all of last season?
I think Skippy needs to be steroids tested. He's got three touchbacks today.
So much for the Jets this year - 31-14 Pats....I believe Pennington was shaken up...
Oh and next week's opponent..Buffalo leads Denver 14-12
Thanks boys.. i am watching Bills/Broncs and Pats/Jets. The Bills Ko Simpson is out for the season..one of those gruesome "why is his foot pointing the wrong way" deals. Poor dude..Cutler looks great one play, a bonehead the next..young guy can play though.
Pats Brady hasn't been touched. He could smoke a cig back there, drop it, stomp it out with his foot, ponder his place in the universe for a minute..and STILL look up and hit the wide open receiver..
When Kevin Harlan said it was raining in Cleveland, I immediately looked for Adam Jones...
>> So much for the Jets this year - 31-14 Pats....I believe Pennington was shaken up
Yeah, he was, but he's a gamer. Limped back onto the field and drove for a TD. The only reason the game is a close as it is is because of Pennington.
But the Pats look like absolute maneaters. Yikes.
Gotta love LeBeau (Happy birthday by the way)...only one down lineman on that last one...
Sorry to be a pest..but any new wrinkles on D today? Keisel? i LOVE the one down lineman thing SteelerBill mentioned..hee hee
Well, it takes the O longer than the D to get it together I guess. I noticed that FWP fumbled again..good god...that needs to stop like NOW..
Prediction: They'll get FWP to 100 yards and then pull him....
Rob D,
I didn't notice anything special. Just typical LeBeau chicanery. Of course, it's the Browns, so maybe the Steelers don't want to waste an effort on this team.
Rob...It looks like we have about 15 guy's out there...no kidding, we are everywhere...and we are rolling a lot of guys in and out....plus I've seen a couple of 4-3 D's with Hoke and Hampton in the game at the same time....
I will say that Ryan Clark has played well....
Nice "double" reverse by Wilson, but it gets called back because of holding.
despite nate dub's hold, i love the reverse, and i love how big ben fake blocks on the play.
That almost looked like a horse-collar on Davenport, but it wasn't a very good one, because Davenport just kept going.
Oh by the way, the Steelers have 150 yards rushing....
Ryan, yes.. looks like the sixth preseason game.
For those of you watching DirecTV NFL Game Mix - it still has the score at 24-7 with 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. I guess it's the first game for everyone
William Gay has a nose for the ball!
Anthony Smith!!! Nice hit!
There's the William Gay showing. He recovers Edwards' fumble.
Timmons, check. Gay, check. Has Woodley done anything?
They turned off Field Pass' audio before the fumble, so I am left with gameCenter and you guys.
Nice punt...like the bounce...
Nice punt by Sepulveda.
William Gay..I love that guy..does that sound OK? lol..
Yes its Woodley's turn for a cameo.
By the way, Bills/Broncs is very entertaining. At least, thats what I keep telling myself.
For the record, J. Harrison has 7 tackels and a sack. I never like it when cornerback leads the team in tackles (I. Taylor) but the Browns have been playing from behind...
Tackle by Woodley.....
I must have missed it - they just said Deshea was hurt early in the game...
Yahoo has a quick play by play if youre wired-deprived like me.
Ike actually held on!
INT by Ike! Actually it was more of a reception...
SWEET ! interreception
Heh, he did run a pretty good route on that pass...
Ike caught it? cool!
How is that a penalty?
What is with the Mr. Yuk sticker on QB's helmet? Is that new?
Coupla answers...
New rule in the NFL this year - you cannot spike the ball after a non-scoring play
Second, the green sticker indicates that they have a radio in their helmet - you'll see it on QB helmets this year.
Nice game Coach - welcome to Pittsburgh.
*Golf clap*
Well done gentlemen. Well done.
Long time lurker, first time poster. Enjoyable game, guys. May make it a habit.
If they had lost,,i would have blamed myself! Shows you how much they need me. they win big without my support. Ungrateful, I calls it!
A whole week to enjoy this one. Hope they replay it on NFL Network.
Thanks for the answers today guys. You are better than ESPN..wink
Hey Guys, Greetings from your german Steeler-Fan.
Boy, is that lonely frustrated german Browns-Fan from our message board PISSED 
He´s a ...how do you call it ? "Sore loser" ? Bad Loser ? He knew that they would lose before the game, with the reason "oh so many injuries".
Priceless, there will be some fun weeks to come.
Bad thing is, that "we" dont know how good the Steelers really are, because in my opinion the browns weren´t any kind of serious opponent today. Not NFL-worthy.
So much for me... see you in the next days.
1-0, Baby !
Greetings, MaG
Granted, our victory over the Browns should be tempered, but are we to dismiss the Pats 38-14 victory over the Jets? What about the Colts 41-10 victory over the Saints?
You can only play the team that they line up across from you - we did what we had to do to win. We are 1-0, nothing more, nothing less. Now, let's concentrate on Buffalo.
Hey boys (I don't think any girls post here),
This thread is the best. I don't post during the game b/c I'm so freaking nervous, even when it's 24-7, that I couldn't even type my name.
OK, rule questions:
Why was Ike flagged? He didn't spike the ball, he just pitched it backwards.
Also, on Ced's run, shouldn't a hold bring the ball back and make it 3rd & 16?
Ike was flagged for delay of game, which he did of course by making the ref go get the ball.
Also, some thoughts:
1. DirecTV HDTV is great! However, the updates are seriously behind. Also, the 8-game screen shows 8 different scores, but 2 games were shown multiple times. My only guess is the blackout rule. Would never happen in Pittsburgh.
2. That Parcells Coors Light commercial is hilarious
3. Is Crennel on the hotseat? Done answer that--who cares?
4. Ryan beat me to the punch. Cowher got a tooth job, probably paid for by CBS.
5. O-line: 1st half, bad; 2nd OK
6. As long as Ben doesn't throw picks, his % is a minor concern
7. Sunny day, HDTV, Steelers win, it's gonna be a great week!
Like you SteelerBill, I'm starving, time for lunch.
Sorry, one more thing, I no longer worry about muffed punt returns, but I do worry about FWP holding on to it. Did you see that stat where he led all NFL RB starters with 7 fumbles last year?
David, holding is ten yards from the spot of the foul. since the hold occured after ced had picked up the first down so the penalty didn't negate it.
FYI, according to FO blowing out lesser opponents is the strongest predictor of great teams.
Thanks Farf and Eric.
That was great. I was a little worried about the offense after the 1st half but Ben and co. picked it up. BTW if there are any fans in Boulder, Co the Lazy Dog is the place to watch the game. Lots of Steelers fans.
Anyone have the stat on Steelers' number of drops today?
About the not doing so hot after the Steelers went up 17-0. I've got a theory on that (humor me... we won.)
I think good staffs don't waste their best stuff when they get s substantial lead. Sort of like how Lebeau doesn't go hog wild when its 1&10 on the oppenents 30. They lure the opponent into thinking their going conservative. Just my $.02. But then again as someone said earlier, the Browns are paid to play too.
Couple observations:
1. I think all the turnovers and crappy plays by the Browns in the first half affected the rhythm of our offense a little. When you're up 3 TD's in Madden and you haven't needed more than a 20 yard drive, it's easy to slack off a bit. I was very encouraged by the opening or the second half.
2. Ben looked good, even in the red zone. It was nice to see us throw a fade instead of just the other teams. I only saw one near pick (on the pass to Tuman), but even that wasn't that close.
3. Didn't like the fumbles drops and missed blocks, but those may improve as the season goes on. At least we didn't have 4 penalties on the same play and have that not be the worst part.
personally, i was really pleased with roethlibergers decision making. he didn't hold the ball too long and threw it away when nobody was open. that's a huge improvement over last year.
Roethlisberger's numbers would have been even better had it not been for the FOUR STRAIGHT DROPS in the second quarter.
On the first drive, he made two absolutely perfect throws. The first one was his first past of the game to Santonio, the ball was out there and in the right spot before Holmes even made his cut...it was perfect. And then obviously the TD to Ward. Everything about that play was perfect. The throw. The catch. The feet. Perfect.
I'm not buying my Super Bowl tickets after today, and i'm not going to take away from what they did because it was, "only Cleveland," either.
They lined up across from the team the NFL told them to line up across from and they beat them the way they were supposed to beat them.
I am extremely, extremely pleased.
Highlights can be found here:
http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?se...1&
game_id=29197
The Vickers dance is phenomenal. Reminds me of Chad Johnson against the Steeler a few years ago.
And here are someBen and Tomlin post-game video comments:
http://www.nfl.com/videos?
videoI...9000d5d8022bfd6
Plus, a whole bunch of other older clips can be found here:
http://video.aol.com/video-searc...urgh%
20Steelers
ELSM, thanks for the links!
The best part of the whole game was when they showed that nimrod in the stands pointing at the camera after a sack of Ben while his team was down 17-0.
Have another beer Sparky. Tomorrow's gonna hurt.
We threw to the tightends. I think every sportswriter in Pitsburgh needs to apologize to Tomlin and Arians. They've pretty much called them liars earlier when they said they would throw to the tight end more. Two TDs (Miller and Spaeth) and Tuman had a chance at a third.
Who's everyone rooting for tonight? Bengals or the hated Ravens?
How about a tie?
tonight is a classic meteor game.
as in, the only way i'd consider it a victory is if a meteor hit the stadium while they're playing.
The real problem with tonight's game is that someone actually has to win; and, when they do they will instantly be proclaimed a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
Grumble, grumble.
well, u can always hope for injury..
(did i say that?)
Ed Bouchette makes it clear what we expect from Ben this year when he says that he "finished with a healthy passer rating of 114.3.
"
"Healthy" is a wild understatement for 114.3, especially considering the drops.
Just noticed in the stats that Heath Miller lead the team with 4 receptions.
Lost in the excitement of Mike Tomlin's first win, Sepulveda planting three punts inside the ten (three more than Chris Gardocki hit ALL OF LAST SEASON) and Heath Miller being the leader receiver, is the fact that yesterday's win put the Steelers ahead of the Browns in the all-time series.
Eat it, Cleveland.
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