He's Back !

Don't say that you don't have Carey Davis to kick around anymore, when now you do have Carey Davis to kick around. In a move of band aid fashion, the Steelers re-signed the lackluster fullback to rejoin an already depleted backfield stable.

One can only wonder how much longer until the team places yet another call to the incomparable Najeh Davenport.

clearly a joyous reunion

Gut Check Time

Sorry about another long lay off! I figured I needed to get a post up to let those of us who have not already thrust ourselves off the Clemente Bridge have an opportunity to sound off on the team's sluggish start. Ok, so 1-2? Tomlin's first stint at sub .500. The team's first 2 loss September since the dreaded 2006 season. Complete disarray. Complete disaster. Write off the season. Tune in to the Bucs' epic drive for 63 wins.

Not quite yet. So the Black and Gold are little more Black than Gold these days. Let's break it down before we get ourselves into a total funk.

• 2 losses - 2 road losses to decent teams.
• Both losses in winnable games, in fact, both games basically decided in the waning moments.
• If Limas Sweed holds that ball in the end zone, or if Ben manages one more first down on the next drive, the bungle in the jungle probably goes down as a win.
• Should Jeff Reed not push BOTH 4th quarter FGA's, the game in the Windy City is probably also a win.
• Most importantly, if the world renowned defense makes a stop in both contests, when it really mattered, the team is sitting at 3-0.

So, why the funk? Is this Superbowl hangover? Not really. These are not cases of ill prepared defending champs getting socked in the face by eager underdogs. These losses are simply the result of a team desperately missing their superstar playmaker, and just not quite finishing out drives and defensive stands.

There are some positives that can be taken out these first three games. First, the passing game looks to be shaping into something that could be downright lethal as the season progresses. Rookie Mike Wallace looks to be the playmaker he was drafted to be. Hines Ward looks like, well, like Hines Ward usually looks. After taking away a few picks, The Large One looks to be in mid season form already. The highly scrutinized offensive line seems to be giving Ben the time to do his thing, and it actually looks interested in opening an occasional hole for a tailback to squeeze through. With that, the running game is gaining some ground, no pun intended, and once Mr. Mendenhall can finally find a way of staying on the field, it could provide that elusive 'balance' that offensive coordinators always talk about. The trick now is finding the offensive identity. When I say this, I mean getting that overall rhythm and knowing when to be a passing team and when to be a running team. One must assume that Bruce 'Air' Arians shoulders the bulk of that mission.

The offense is filling up the stat sheet, but not the scoreboard, and last time I checked, the scoreboard counts a little more. I truly believe that these bugs will get worked out, as well as I believe that the defense will figure out a way to strengthen the garrison as it awaits the triumphant return of #43.

Panic? Not yet. Let's give these champs one more night. If a smack down gets laid on the San Diego Lightning Bolts, and the record gets shored up at 2-2, I think that sigh of relief can be exhaled. If Sunday Night produces L number 3, then I'd say it's time for that panic button.

Open to your always colorful thoughts...

No Country for Old Men...Really?

30 is the new 20, at least in Pittsburgh. With yesterday's 11th hour contract extension to defensive end Brett Keisel, the Steelers have now locked up their fourth 30+ greybeard longterm over the last two off seasons.

Clearly, the statement is obvious: with Big Ben coming into his prime years, the front office is purely committed to maintaining the integrity of the current roster over the next several seasons, with the expectations of a few more Lombardi Trophies displayed in the Great Hall by, let's say, 2013.

This logic is somewhat of a reversal of old Steeler thinkology, with the previous mentality placing focus on acquiring and developing young, undervalued talent, grooming these players to be starters in their mid to late 20's, and then eventually replacing them with new youth once they hit their 30's. The previous strategy is excellent for maintaining a consistently competitive product. Consider that the Steelers have only experienced 3 losing seasons since 1992, while qualifying for the post season 12 times during the same period, and you would agree that the crop rotation strategy employed by the Cowhers and the Donahoes of the past has yielded good fruit.

This philosophy is why the team rarely used the franchise player tag or sought after high profile free agents. It's also the reason for that old tired argument of how the Steelers let all their 'good' players leave via free agency. The logic was simple: why overpay for a high mileage vehicle when the system will produce a low priced, low mileage vehicle ready to fill that spot in the driveway? The Rooneys, contrary to the not so humble opinion of the throngs of armchair GM's throughout Steeler Nation, are not cheap. They are, however, smart with their money, and above all else, employers of smart guys who understand how to work the NFL salary cap.

Remember names like O'Donnell, Lake, Thigpen, Kirkland, and Gildon? These were all guys that the Steelers let get away as they approached senior status, with considerable ire from Steeler Nation in most of these cases. How many Pro Bowl seasons did this group collectively yield in their post Black and Gold years? The number is ridiculously low.

So why the change in course? Perhaps it all started with Jerome Bettis, and his re-structuring to finish out his career in Pittsburgh. Perhaps it was Hines Ward's highly publicized tantrums in 2005. I think it has a lot to do with #7, and the belief that when he's on your team, and healthy, your team will always have the potential to win a Superbowl. Like I stated earlier, I think the front office boys truly believe that Ben and his core group is so strong that it's worth risking the future developmental piece for a chance at some more hardware.

With that comes my final point. This new philosophy does not come without a price tag attached to it. The downside to retaining so many longbeards is lack of locker room space for the young guys. We've all heard about how the team's recent drafts are busts once you factor out 1st rounders and undrafted free agents. Are these drafts really busts, or is the problem that the team has little or no room for the picks? A guy like Bruce Davis is a classic example. A second year OLB (3rd round pick) out of UCLA. The guy simply can't get on the field due to depth at that position. Should he get cut this year, it'll go down as another bust. I guess this is the plight of the sapling in the rain forest.

Time will only tell how the new philosophy will stand up. For today, I praise the team for retaining one my favorite players and one of the core pieces in a great defense.