Announcement NEED YOUR TESTING HELP! Please bounce around PackerPeople.com using your same PackersHome login/password and let me know if it's good, bad, needs fixed, etc ... I wanna get some decent testing before going live.
Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago

Steelers' team unity being tested by decision to sit Roethlisberger
 

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH -- During the few rough patches the Pittsburgh Steelers encountered while winning the Super Bowl last season, they emphasized their camaraderie and selflessness pushed them through the tough times and set them apart from most teams.

Linebacker James Farrior said they were more like a family than a football team. Players campaigned for teammates -- not themselves -- to make the Pro Bowl. The team's season highlight film was called "Brothers and Champions."

The Steelers (6-5), drooping after two overtime losses in as many weeks, admittedly are a desperate team. The next 10 days might tell them if they're a divided team, too.

As former coach Chuck Noll once said, there are many problems and they are great, beginning with some rarely-seen-in-public infighting.

The Steelers' players were stunned and unhappy upon learning that Roethlisberger wouldn't play in the 20-17 overtime loss in Baltimore on Sunday night because of post-concussion headaches. Wide receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes suggested Roethlisberger was letting the Steelers down by forcing them to play the inexperienced Dennis Dixon in a critical game with limited preparation.

Ward: "This game is almost like a playoff game. It's almost a must-win. I could see some players or teammates questioning, like, 'It's just a concussion. I've played with a concussion before.'"

Holmes: "We would have liked for him to play. If he had the opportunity, he should have played for us, but he didn't. And we didn't get the job done."

Afterward, coach Mike Tomlin explained the last-minute decision wasn't made by Roethlisberger, as some players apparently thought, but was the team following a recommendation by neurologist Joseph Maroon.

Ward and Roethlisberger have had their moments before, such as when the quarterback lobbied for the team to draft a tall receiver last year and Ward objected. Still, this is the first time Roethlisberger has been so harshly rebuked in public by a teammate, and it comes just as the Steelers are trying to save their season.

Tomlin, always proactive in settling any issues, is convinced he doesn't have an estranged team.

"I'm not worried about a problem in the locker room," Tomlin said. "In that instance, maybe Hines was misinformed. I didn't give him the detailed explanation that went down in terms of the decision-making. ... I was more concerned with getting Dennis ready to play."

The Steelers faced nearly identical circumstances in 2005 -- a three-game losing streak and a season that appeared to be getting away from them -- only to win their final eight games and the Super Bowl. The danger is they can't realistically expect to mount such a late-season drive every time they suffer a late-season slide.

Three of the Steelers' final five games are at home, and they meet the Raiders (3-8) and Browns (1-10) in a five-day span starting Sunday -- a get-well-in-a-hurry stretch if there ever was one. They also play the Packers (7-4) on Dec. 20 and Ravens (6-5) on Dec. 27 at home and the Dolphins (5-6) on Jan. 3 on the road.

"I don't feel it (the season) is over yet," linebacker James Harrison said.

To get turned around, the Steelers badly need the NFL's No. 3 defense to quit allowing late scoring drives; they led or were tied in the fourth quarter during all five losses. They also could use the return of safety Troy Polamalu, although he could miss one or two more games with his left knee injury. It also might help if they got an interception or two by their cornerbacks, who don't have one all season.

"We will not go gently," Tomlin said. "We will unleash hell in December because we have to. We won't go in a shell. We'll go into attack mode, because that's what's required."

Tough words by Tomlin. He'll find out soon if he has a team tough enough to match them.



From the sidebar:

Lombardi: Doubting the defense

I realize the Steelers are going through a little slump right now, but more important than just losing three in a row is the fact the defense no longer looks dominant at stopping the run.

The Ravens ran the ball effectively on them, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and the Steelers' defense uncharacteristically allowed 393 total yards. There are cracks in the Steelers' defensive armor.

-- Mike Lombardi


UserPostedImage
IronMan
15 years ago
The Steelers made the correct decision going with Dixon. Nothing is worth more than someones well being/life. Definitely not a football game.
Nonstopdrivel
15 years ago
I agree. And it was obvious watching that game that Dixon has some serious talent. While he frequently looked overwhelmed by the constant defensive onslaught, some of those deep throws he uncorked were things of sheer beauty. With better protection and a little more experience, I could see him comparing favorably to almost any of the quarterbacks in this league.
UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (11h) : Soft hope plan is having fantasy football weekly on-site that i build. cannot do that with this setup.
Zero2Cool (11h) : It's older technology, resource hog, cannot be upgraded/changed. That's to start.
packerfanoutwest (11h) : Ok, but what is wrong with this site?
Zero2Cool (13h) : check out packerpeople.com
Mucky Tundra (25-Aug) : Oh crap I missed that! I thought it was a 2026 pick
Zero2Cool (25-Aug) : It wasn't even next year pick, it's two years away. old dog food value
Mucky Tundra (25-Aug) : Yep! Everytime a team trades with Howie that team is the loser (so says the media)
Zero2Cool (25-Aug) : We are hosed.
Mucky Tundra (25-Aug) : Per Schefter, GB is sending a 6th rounder for OT Darian Kennard
Zero2Cool (24-Aug) : Finally got new site to keep folks logged in. New tech is pain sometimes
dfosterf (23-Aug) : Taylor Elgersma is going to be very hard to hide.
Mucky Tundra (23-Aug) : Matthew Golden=DAWG (so load the wagons!!) !!!!!
dfosterf (18-Aug) : We do have good depth at running back imo. Still so frustrating. Bitching about it is a futile excercise, which I plan to do anyway.
Mucky Tundra (17-Aug) : Whoops, I thought Zero was saying it was a surprise the Brewers lost and not Lloyd being hurt
Mucky Tundra (17-Aug) : Not a surprise; inevitable
Zero2Cool (17-Aug) : Brewers streak ends at 14
Zero2Cool (17-Aug) : SURPRISE
Mucky Tundra (17-Aug) : @mattschneidman Matt LaFleur on MarShawn Lloyd: “He’s gonna miss some time.”
Mucky Tundra (16-Aug) : CLIFFORD WITH THE TD WITH UNDER 2 TO GO!!!!!
Zero2Cool (16-Aug) : 90 MINUTES UNTIL FAKE KICKOFF!!
Martha Careful (16-Aug) : I think Ruven is a bot, but regardless should be stricken from the site.
Zero2Cool (14-Aug) : Packers RB Josh Jacobs ranked No. 33 in NFL 'Top 100'
dfosterf (13-Aug) : The LVN Musgrave collision- Andy Herman said Musgrave seemed to be the one most impacted injury-wise
dfosterf (13-Aug) : a lower back injury
dfosterf (13-Aug) : Doubs says he's "fine" after injury scare. Some reported it as z
Mucky Tundra (13-Aug) : With LVN that is; need to see what happens in the next practice
Mucky Tundra (13-Aug) : beast, reading about what happened, it sounded like one of those "two guys collide and are moving slow afterwards" type of deals
beast (12-Aug) : I believe Musgrave has been injured every single season since at least a Sophomore in highschool
packerfanoutwest (12-Aug) : Matt LaFleur: “Highly unlikely” Jordan Love plays more this preseason
dfosterf (12-Aug) : Doubs, Savion Williams, LVN, Musgrave all banged up to one degree or another, missing one here I forget
Zero2Cool (12-Aug) : RB Tyrion Davis-Price is signing with the Green Bay Packers.
Zero2Cool (12-Aug) : zero help, dominated. preseason
beast (12-Aug) : QB Jordan Love has surgery
beast (12-Aug) : Martha said Morgan had a lot of help, I didn't watch the OL so I can't say.
Zero2Cool (10-Aug) : Packers LT Jordan Morgan did not allow a single pressure across 23 pass-blocking snaps vs. Jets last night, per PFF
Mucky Tundra (10-Aug) : With buckeye and the reasonable couple, we're currently sitting at 10
buckeyepackfan (10-Aug) : Just posted to re-up on our FFL.
Zero2Cool (10-Aug) : If healthy after, then thats all I care. Well, no drops would be nice
wpr (10-Aug) : I made it through the 1st Q.
dfosterf (10-Aug) : Just gotta figure out how.
dfosterf (10-Aug) : Could have been a worse start, so there is that.
beast (10-Aug) : Yeah, someone tell the Packers football season has started, seems like they weren't ready for it
Mucky Tundra (10-Aug) : Sooooooo many penalties
Mucky Tundra (10-Aug) : It may only be preseason, but this game is a trip to the dentist
Zero2Cool (10-Aug) : Packers do bad -- FREAK OUT!!!!!!
Zero2Cool (10-Aug) : Packers do good -- eh only preseason
dfosterf (10-Aug) : Well that half was fun
Zero2Cool (10-Aug) : Great, zayne is down
Zero2Cool (9-Aug) : 13 minutes away from kickkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkoffff
Zero2Cool (9-Aug) : Had Celebration of Life for my uncle up north. wicked rain hope it dont come south
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
22m / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

1h / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

2h / Fantasy Sports Talk / porky88

25-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

24-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

24-Aug / Around The NFL / beast

23-Aug / Feedback, Suggestions and Issues / Zero2Cool

22-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

21-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

20-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

19-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

18-Aug / Around The NFL / isaiah

18-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

17-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

17-Aug / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.