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Week 11 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) at New York Jets (1-8)
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Saturday, November 17, 2007
9:53:00 AM EST
The Jets return to action this week. Gang Green has a date at the Meadowlands with the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Curtis Martin Day, the stadium is sure to be filled with fans of the opposition. A bad Jets team facing a Steelers team with a large fanbase in the New York area will probably make this a de facto road game after the team's de facto home game earlier this year against the Giants.
No Jets fan will ever forget the last time these teams met. It was a contest in the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoffs. The Jets had the 15-1 Steelers on the ropes in their home stadium, but a pair of missed field goals by Doug Brien late in regulation cost New York a shot at victory. The Steelers eventually won in overtime. Many faces have changed since that dreadful January evening in Pennsylvania. Both teams have hired new head coaches since then. It is still a memory that will never go away for hardened fans of this football team. It was one of the five most painful losses in franchise history, which is saying something.
The Jets also indirectly altered the course of Steelers franchise history last year. Eric Mangini's success displayed that young and bright yet inexperienced assistant coaches can thrive as head coaches. After Bill Cowher retired, Pittsburgh went with a guy who fit that description in Mike Tomlin. While Mangini has hit a sophomore slump, Tomlin has the Steelers playing exactly where Cowher left off.
The biggest difference between the coaches is the willingness to adapt. Tomlin has a background in 4-3 cover 2 defenses. However, he saw that he had players suited to run the 3-4, which the team had run with great success under Cowher. Instead of forcing his team to run his style of defense, Tomlin adapted. This status quo has the Steelers boasting the league's top defense. Pittsburgh is first against the run, first against the pass, and first in points allowed. They have the kind of physical defense that always gives New York's offensive line fits. Brandon Moore and Anthony Clement will likely be blown away by Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton, effectively limiting Thomas Jones. D'Brickashaw Ferguson will do his job in pass protection, but the Steelers can bring pressure from a number of places with Clark Haggans, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and former Jet James Farrior all capable of getting to the quarterback. This could look a lot like the Baltimore game with pressure coming at Kellen Clemens from all angles. Kellen will be under constant attack. Against the Ravens, he was very mistake-prone in the face of unbelievable pursuit. This could be the game that makes him look like the third time starter he is.
Offensively the Steelers have one of the most underrated running backs in the game in Willie Parker. Pittsburgh is just as big and physical up front on offense as on defense. The Jets are even weaker up front on defense than offense. Pittsburgh's offensive line will constantly hit the second level and blow away the only decent run stopper on this team, David Harris, with overwhelming force. The Steelers run to set up the pass. Ben Roethlisberger will have plenty of time to throw against New York's anemic pass rush. All he will need to do is avoid making mistakes and do enough to keep the Jets honest. This is a game where Parker will carry the offensive load himself.
A year ago the Jets came off their and shocked the Patriots in Foxborough with a brilliantly devised and executed gameplan. It certainly could happen again, but that team had a lot more confidence and had actually shown it could close games out. The story is quite different this year. If this game was close, it would be a major surprise.
Steelers 27
Jets 6
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9:53:00 AM EST
Week 11 Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) at New York Jets (1-8)
No Jets fan will ever forget the last time these teams met. It was a contest in the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoffs. The Jets had the 15-1 Steelers on the ropes in their home stadium, but a pair of missed field goals by Doug Brien late in regulation cost New York a shot at victory. The Steelers eventually won in overtime. Many faces have changed since that dreadful January evening in Pennsylvania. Both teams have hired new head coaches since then. It is still a memory that will never go away for hardened fans of this football team. It was one of the five most painful losses in franchise history, which is saying something.
The Jets also indirectly altered the course of Steelers franchise history last year. Eric Mangini's success displayed that young and bright yet inexperienced assistant coaches can thrive as head coaches. After Bill Cowher retired, Pittsburgh went with a guy who fit that description in Mike Tomlin. While Mangini has hit a sophomore slump, Tomlin has the Steelers playing exactly where Cowher left off.
The biggest difference between the coaches is the willingness to adapt. Tomlin has a background in 4-3 cover 2 defenses. However, he saw that he had players suited to run the 3-4, which the team had run with great success under Cowher. Instead of forcing his team to run his style of defense, Tomlin adapted. This status quo has the Steelers boasting the league's top defense. Pittsburgh is first against the run, first against the pass, and first in points allowed. They have the kind of physical defense that always gives New York's offensive line fits. Brandon Moore and Anthony Clement will likely be blown away by Aaron Smith and Casey Hampton, effectively limiting Thomas Jones. D'Brickashaw Ferguson will do his job in pass protection, but the Steelers can bring pressure from a number of places with Clark Haggans, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, and former Jet James Farrior all capable of getting to the quarterback. This could look a lot like the Baltimore game with pressure coming at Kellen Clemens from all angles. Kellen will be under constant attack. Against the Ravens, he was very mistake-prone in the face of unbelievable pursuit. This could be the game that makes him look like the third time starter he is.
Offensively the Steelers have one of the most underrated running backs in the game in Willie Parker. Pittsburgh is just as big and physical up front on offense as on defense. The Jets are even weaker up front on defense than offense. Pittsburgh's offensive line will constantly hit the second level and blow away the only decent run stopper on this team, David Harris, with overwhelming force. The Steelers run to set up the pass. Ben Roethlisberger will have plenty of time to throw against New York's anemic pass rush. All he will need to do is avoid making mistakes and do enough to keep the Jets honest. This is a game where Parker will carry the offensive load himself.
A year ago the Jets came off their and shocked the Patriots in Foxborough with a brilliantly devised and executed gameplan. It certainly could happen again, but that team had a lot more confidence and had actually shown it could close games out. The story is quite different this year. If this game was close, it would be a major surprise.
Steelers 27
Jets 6
Written by georgecoztanza Blog about this entry |
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