This blog will contain thoughts and info on the Pittsburgh Steelers and what ever else I have on my mind . HERE WE GO STEELERS ...HERE WE GO!!!



Sunday, November 4, 2012

A defining moment

Steeler nation this week marks the half way point of the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers season as they take a 4-3 record on the road to meet the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. Roethlisberger VS. Manning this should be a great match up and give us just a little bit better idea of the identity of this year's Pittsburgh Steelers.


So what have we learned so far ?  After a slow start ( 2-3 ) and a rash injuries ( Polamalu, Harrison ,DeCastro, and Mendenhall to name a few. ) The Steelers have bounced back to win their last two games and now find themselves 4-3 right back in the thick of things.

During the slow start many questioned everything from defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau's expertise to the Steelers draft and scouting department.

There are many reasons for the Steelers slow start one being key injuries  to key players .When you lose two Pro Bowl caliber players on defense such as Polamalu and Harrison there's bound to be a big drop off.
Many forget the loss of  LB James Farrior a great leader and the guy who called the defensive adjustments for so many years. This may explain some of the miscommunications on and defensive breakdowns early on.

It seems to me that the Steelers are making less and less mental mistakes on defense as everyone settles into their roles on defense. During this transition you must have players step up. Lets take a look at some of the  key players that have stepped up during this turn around.

Cornerback Keenan Lewis: Lewis has really grown this season and shown the skills the Steelers had hoped  he would develop when they drafted him in 2009. He has played at a high level and seems to be ready  to secure his starting position for years to come.

Linebacker Larry Foote: Foote has settled in to Farrior's role well and leads all linebackers in tackles with 50  and sacks with 3.  Larry Foote is a great leader and lately has been leading by example.

Safety Will Allen: Ryan Mundy proved not to be the answer filling in for the injured Troy Polamalu . The Steeler's coaching staff decided to let Will Allen have a shot at the starting job and the change seems to have payed off. Allen adds another veteran hard hitting presence and seems to helped sure up the secondary.

Cornerback  Ike Taylor:  Taylor seems to have turned things around since last year's playoff disaster and it began in the Cincinnati  game when Taylor shut down wide receiver A.J Green. The Steelers will need Taylor to continue this high standard of play the rest of the year.

Now lets take a look at who has stepped up on the offensive side of the ball ...

 Guard Willie Colon:  Colon has really stepped it up and is really starting  to settle in  at his new position . He has really brought a new tenaciousness and fire to the line especially in the running game. I see him getting even better as the year goes on.

Tackle Mike Adams: After an injury to Marcus Gilbert Adams has taken over the position and has not disappointed.

Running back Jonathan Dwyer: Rashard Mendenhall has been down with injury and Dwyer has stepped up and had back to back 100 yard games. He has been running strong with power and getting a lot of yards after contact. Dwyer is developing into a very good player and must keep growing in this role.

Guard Ramon Foster : After DeCastro's injury Foster has came to the rescue and has not missed a beat. Foster has been a great asset to have with all the injuries on the line.

So maybe it took awhile for this offense to adjust to the new playbook and coordinator. Maybe a rash of injuries took their toll early on. Maybe players are settling into their roles and starting to jell and new leaders are emerging . The offensive line's starting five has gotten to play together a lot as of late and are really starting to develop into a line to be reckoned with.

One thing we know for sure is this will be a great test on the road against the Giants and we will  know a lot about the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers and what kind a team they are by the end of this game.

This game is not only the half way point but may be a turning point and a defining moment for the 2012 Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steeler Nation thanks for reading. Please spread the word and feel free to comment about this blog.You can follow me and the blog on twitter @STEELERSNSTUFF.

Later Steeler Nation and Go Steelers!

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