Remember the last time the Steelers won a game? Yeah, it’s been awhile. The last time this team won they beat the Denver Broncos on a Monday night to move to 6-2. Since then the season has been a complete disaster, losing five in a row and basically ending their season with losses to lightweights like the Chiefs, Raiders and Browns.
Sunday at home they have a chance to put a positive spin on this awful run, as they take on former coordinator Dom Capers and the Green Bay Packers. The Packers come in with a very solid group, and they are playing pretty good football, going 9-4 on the season. They have a solid defense led by Capers, and on offense, QB Aaron Rodgers is about as good as they get.
So can the Steelers finally end this awful losing streak and turn things around for the final three weeks of the regular season? Or will the poor play and streak of losing games continue? Here are a couple of keys as to what the Steelers need to do to walk out of their home stadium with a win on Sunday:
1. Commit to the run – Cold and snow is in the forecast for Sunday in the Steel City, and unlike the poor planning for the weather in Cleveland 10 days ago, the team should simply run, run and run some more. Rashard Mendenhall and Willie Parker should combine to see the ball at least 40 times and Ben Roethlisberger should not be in the shotgun on many third and one’s like he was on the first series vs the Browns. Let this O-line which was beat up early and often vs Cleveland have a good day run blocking.
2. Keep the heat on Rodgers – Rodgers has been sacked a league-high 47 times, but just four over the last three games. The Packers O-line has done a better job, but the Steelers need to throw some blitzes and him, and make sure he doesn’t have a ton of time to sit back in the pocket and throw. The Steelers D even made Brady Quinn look like a decent QB in the last game vs Cleveland. And Rodgers is way better than Quinn, and that’s scary.
3. Don’t Give the Packers Easy Chances – The Packers have forced 33 turnovers, including nine interceptions over the last three games, to rank second in the league behind New Orleans. In order to beat them, they are going to have to have sustained drives and not give the Packers easy chances with short fields. Even in defeat last week the Steelers didn’t turn the ball over, and they can’t do it here either.
4. Come out with some Emotion – For whatever reason with the season on the line this team came out totally flat vs Cleveland last Thursday. How about in front of your home crowd give them an early Christmas gift with some Steeler football by coming out and scoring quickly, and playing the type of championship football that we all saw last season? While it’s not likely, this team actually still has a shot at the postseason, so play like it.
Prediction:
Despite the awful five weeks of football, the Steelers still have one shot to turn it around. With a lot of time off to think about it, they get things turned around, at least for one week at home vs a Packers team that comes in after a big win last week vs the Bears – Pittsburgh 24 Green Bay 16
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Thomas Crowley
December 20, 2009 at 12:04 am
Your not beting green bay sunday aaron rodgersis going to torch your d. And the packers d qill knoc around big jen thats right big jen all day hahahahahaha. Lets go ravens.
steve
December 20, 2009 at 4:24 am
http://talksportsphilly.com/?p=1465
^^^ Week 15 Nfl Picks and analysis against the pointspread
DrGeorge
December 20, 2009 at 10:46 am
Matt, you’ve got the game plan right, but Arians is still the OC. He’s commited to the spread, not power football. I don’t think he’s called three straight running plays in his life. My guess is that he won’t be able to resist the lure of Ben’s big-play arm and our splendid receivers. Maybe he will at least use a blocking back for a change. But if he sends our offense into 5-wide, with no running back to block or present the threat of running, the Packer’s D-line will lick their chops. My Steelers banner is flying, like always, and I hope you’re right, Matt. But with Arians, you’re playing a long shot.
Ravens Blogger
December 20, 2009 at 11:59 am
There was a time last year when I feared when the Baltimore Ravens played the Steelers. This year I look forward to spanking the Steelers again. Last year I would pick the Steelers at home every week. I lost respect for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they lost to the Cleveland Browns.
Prediction: Packers 17 Steelers 10
Baltimore Ravens Blog
mark
December 20, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Ravens blogger, I cant blame you for feeling that way last year. But, I don’t think the Ravens are that much better than the Steelers this year. Matter of fact, would you be shocked if the Steelers beat the Ravens next week in Pittsburgh? The Steelers have been a disappointment this season for sure, but they have been a play or 2 away from actually being 8-5 or so. Not an excuse, but that’s why I doubt the Ravens are that much better than the Steelers this year.
jay
December 20, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Ya know, the lack of character really shows with these Ravens pricks….comes from living in Baltimore and eating all those skanky crabs…and I ain’t talking about seafood! I don’t think any of us respectable Steelers fans (at least I don’t) jump on someone else’s team site when their team is sucking and our team is doing well….Stick to your own site OR come and congratulate us, as you so aptly put “last year”, when we’re doing well…You can only hide behind bad character for so long…oh no wait, you’re Ravens fans, you take after your team!
Mary
December 20, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Suck it Thomas and Ravens Blogger . . .
The Steelers beat the Packers.
Thomas Crowley
December 20, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Wow jay really u talk abour bad character on the ravens. What about cheapshot artist ward or women beater harrison or ben rapelsberger. U want call out thee raavens for having bad character dude look at your own team.
jay
December 21, 2009 at 5:38 pm
You’re so uninformed, Thomas Crowley. Your retorts don’t even elicit emotion because I feel sorry for morns like you who get the facts skewed. Maybe I should add idiot-retard having low IQ to the bad character rep of Ravens and their fans. Ward is anything but a cheap shot artist and when Hall of Famers like Ditka as well as countless others say they’d take eleven Ward’s on their team, I tend to agree. I didn’t hear Ditka mentioning any Ravens unless he was cross-referencing a police blotter. Ben had consensual sex with that broad and where are the actual charges or indictments against Harrison. Stay off the Goddamn site, brah!