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Pittsburgh Steelers echoing New York Jets' dysfunctional ways

By Adam Schein
Columnist, NFL.com
Published: Feb. 21, 2013 at 01:09 p.m Link

Anonymous sources are blasting teammates. Players apparently aren't in shape or focused on winning. Defensive gurus are acting delusional.

Your 2012 New York Jets? Nope. This is a sudden and stunning review of the state of affairs of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Members of this supposed model franchise are bickering, calling each other out, flocking to radio and television shows in a fashion that would make the Jets blush.

It's all pretty revealing and alarming.

An unnamed teammate recently told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that LaMarr Woodley was "awful" last season, mainly because "he wasn't in shape." Ryan Clark told NFL Network the unnamed commentary was "cowardly." Antonio Brown told ESPN that the Pittsburgh locker room was "divided."

Last season's 8-8 third-place finish in the AFC North was not a fluke. The Pittsburgh Steelers have real problems.

Mike Tomlin is a great coach, but he needs to regain the pulse of the team. Leaders have to step up this offseason.

The 2012 campaign was a topsy-turvy and tumultuous one for the Steelers. Receiver Mike Wallace's selfish and clueless contract dispute -- which didn't result in him gaining one extra penny -- set the tempo. After missing the offseason program, Wallace was ill-prepared for the new offense. He dropped passes and had a miserable -- and likely final -- season in Pittsburgh.

Running back Rashard Mendenhall was suspended for a game for not being a good teammate -- for essentially not giving a damn. After Ben Roethlisberger threw a decisive late-season pick against the Dallas Cowboys, a blame game with combustible offensive coordinator Todd Haley ensued. Troy Polamalu couldn't stay on the field. James Harrison and Woodley couldn't make a dent in the opposition's offensive line, let alone strike fear in opposing quarterbacks like they had in the past.

When they lost at home in Week 16 to the "little brother" Cincinnati Bengals, some thought it was an upset. I thought it was easy to predict.

Forget the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens; in the AFC North, the Bengals are better than the Steelers. They were better at this time last year, when the Steelers were licking their wounds after Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos beat them in the playoffs; they were better in the preseason, when I picked Pittsburgh to finish third in the division; and they were better in Week 16.

Last season was not a mirage. There are personnel issues, chemistry issues. This team is living in the past.

The New York Giants, who also missed the playoffs, promptly shed three key veterans. Pittsburgh needs to follow suit and remake this team, fast.

Roethlisberger is a future Hall of Famer at quarterback. Now, tell me what else you like about the roster.

Yes, first-round pick David DeCastro, who was injured all year, should come back. But this offensive line had (and has) deeper issues.

General manager Kevin Colbert won't pay Wallace what he wants -- and he shouldn't, not with his ridiculous asking price. However, this means that in consecutive years, Pittsburgh's receiving corps is going to lose Hines Ward and Wallace. Tight end Heath Miller, meanwhile, is coming off a knee injury, carries a high cap number (almost $8 million) and could potentially be cut.

Mendenhall is unreliable on and off the field. I like Jonathan Dwyer, but is he the guy with whom to establish a running identity?

The Steelers' cornerback play has been poor for a while. Polamalu's consistent unavailability is a killer. Harrison is likely -- and rightly -- on his way out. Out of shape or not, Woodley had a miserable season.

As things stand now, Pittsburgh is destined for another frustrating campaign. Colbert must cut the cord on the past and eliminate the dead weight for 2013 and beyond. He shouldn't go into rebuilding mode, but the Steelers do need a bit of a makeover.

In that context, the comments made recently by defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau seem as if they came right out of the hyperbolic Rex Ryan playbook.

LeBeau told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the Steelers could've won the Super Bowl if, like the Ravens, they'd gotten good breaks with their health. That's disrespectful to the Ravens, who never saw cornerback Lardarius Webb return. It's also flat-out wrong.

Pittsburgh was flawed going into the season, with aging stars and a rare lack of talent, and conducted a failed chemistry experiment. Choosing Haley to run the offense while letting Bruce Arians go was a colossal mistake.

Hopefully for the great Steelers fans, Colbert doesn't listen to LeBeau. This team needs to change -- especially if it wants to keep up with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Follow Adam Schein on Twitter @AdamSchein

Obviously it was Haslam keeping that ship afloat.

The Steelers are in real trouble. Especially when you look at it from a talent perspective. They're just not a real good team. Couple that with cap issuses and you have a big mess.

There was a big exodus in leadership last year. And the veteran talent they maintained in 2012 may be leaving town in 2013.

Here's who could go:

James Harrison
Mike Wallace
Casey Hampton
Larry Foote
Ike Taylor
Heath Miller
Willie Colon
Rashard Mendenhall

and they may ask Troy Polamalu to restructure but I can't see them letting him go in any scenario.

Even he is in decline and may be close to the end with all the concussions he's sustained.

They're in real trouble.

Link

Offseason Forecast: Pittsburgh Steelers

By Gregg Rosenthal
Around The League Editor
Published: Feb. 11, 2013 at 11:37 a.m

With the offseason officially under way, Around the League will examine what's next for all 32 teams. The series continues with the Pittsburgh Steelers

What's changing

The Steelers haven't won a playoff game since losing the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers after the 2010 season, but coach Mike Tomlin is mostly staying the course with his staff. A few assistants are gone and a new blocking scheme could be coming to the offensive line, but coordinators Todd Haley (offense) and Dick Lebeau (defense) remain in place. The bigger changes will come to the Steelers' roster, where a lot of high-priced veterans are expected to be jettisoned.

Biggest free agents

» Keenan Lewis, cornerback: The 26-year-old starter had his best season in a contract year. He's going to cost a lot to retain, and the Steelers have all sorts of cap problems.

» Mike Wallace, wide receiver: It would be a shocker if Wallace was brought back at this point. The Steelers essentially chose to keep Antonio Brown over Wallace when Wallace rejected a $50 million offer last year.

» Rashard Mendenhall, running back: The Steelers and Mendenhall have talked about mending fences after a rocky 2012 season that ended with Mendenhall as a third-stringer, but there's little reason to think he'll be back unless it comes at a bargain basement price. Look for the two sides to part ways.

Other key free agents: Nose tackle Casey Hampton, tackle Max Starks, quarterback Byron Leftwich, safety Ryan Mundy, linebacker Larry Foote, and guard Ramon Foster.

What they need

The team's next starting running back isn't on the roster, so the Steelers must look to the draft or free agency. Losing Mike Wallace will create a new need for a vertical threat. The offensive line will change dramatically this offseason, but most of the young pieces are in place. Heath Miller's ACL tear makes the need for receivers even more important.

More than anything, the Steelers need some of their draft picks of the last few years to develop. They are lacking their usual great front seven production because Ziggy Hood, Cameron Heyward, Jason Worilds, and Sean Spence haven't improved as hoped. Losing Lewis would create an issue at cornerback.

Offseason crystal ball

Pittsburgh isn't going to suddenly start signing big-name free agents (and they don't have the salary-cap space to do so anyway). This offseason will be more about shedding dead weight. Hampton, Starks, and Foote are unlikely to return. Look for Steve McLendon to replace Hampton at nose tackle.

Linebacker James Harrison and guard Willie Colon are some notable names that seem rather likely to get released. Troy Polamalu would be a surprising cut, but the Steelers are definitely in slash-and-burn mode. Be ready for a surprise or two.

Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

Every time I see articles like this, Pittsburgh always comes back the next year and wins the daggone division.

outside him saying DeCastro was hurt all year (he played 4 games) and they had terrible CB play (K.Lewis was pretty good last year and their DBs held up very well considering they weren't getting the QB pressure they had in the past), he hits on some good points.

be interesting to see how many of their veterans they are able to keep.

They're still a threat as long as Ben is healthy and upright...

But they just don't scare me like they used to. Dare I say Cincinnati might be the second best team in the division?

The Bengals might be the best team in the division with all the guys the Ravens are going to lose to free agency.

It's not that hard to say. Many of the players that contributed to their Super Bowl victory will be gone. What if Flacco somehow winds up on a different team? They have a ton of guys who will probably leave.

Quote:

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James Harrison
Mike Wallace
Casey Hampton
Larry Foote
Ike Taylor
Heath Miller
Willie Colon
Rashard Mendenhall

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If they lose all of them, I don't see what will make them scary other than Big Ben. Pittsburgh had an awful run game and now they might lose Wallace and Heath? There defense is going to lose a lot of experience.

Quote:

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Re: Let's talk wins and losses... [Re: Rishuz] #947094 - Mon Jul 23 2012 12:23 AM

On the Steelers:

1. Did you see how many key players/tone setters they lost this year? A lot.

2. New OC Todd Haley and a recommitment to the running game.

3. Roethlisberger is getting older and he's susceptible to injury due to his trying to extend plays. He also has a rookie LT who's not the definition of work ethic.

4. Mendenhall is out for a while and won't be 100 this year.

5. Polamalu's next concussion will be his 9th? Or close to it.

6. Wallace is not getting paid and that has the potential to be a buzz kill.

7. Age is catching up with them at many positions.

I think we're looking at an 8-8 season from them or worse.

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That's what I wrote in June 2012 and that's what happened. Now they're looking at cap ramifications and a lot of talent exiting stage left.

They're either the 3rd or 4th best team in the AFC North in 2013.

Roethlisberger and LeBeau are the only two things that are holding that franchise up right now.

I'll take Heath Miller..

Every team could use a player like Heath Miller. He did tear his ACL and MCL week 16. The Steelers might not want to pay a guy coming off that type of injury the $7,958,500 he is due.

Miller is 30 and will turn 31 early in the 2013 season.

In recent years the biggest mistake the Steelers made was dumping Bruce Ariens. He had the Offense humming right along..

The other issue is they are starting to get a little old. So it could signal the down turn that the Steelers have every so often. Late 80's, was another time like this for them, then the switched from Noll to Cowher and boom,, right back in it for 2 decades...

Hines Ward: Pittsburgh Steelers are in 'total disarray'

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000...-total-disarray

After an unnamed teammate blasted LaMarr Woodley in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, saying the linebacker was "awful" and out of shape, a popular motif explaining the fracture was that the Pittsburgh Steelers lost too many veteran leaders from the previous seasons.


One of those leaders, Hines Ward, who retired after the Steelers decided not bring him back for the 2012 season, told "NFL AM" Friday morning those quotes wouldn't have come out of the locker rooms he was part of.

"When you lose so much leadership in the locker room, that's when things present itself like that," Ward said. "Guys start finger-pointing, calling out other guys. That is not the Steeler way. We've always had a rule: We are a band of brothers. We've always collectively kept everything in house. ... But there was no finger-pointing and calling each other out. That's a total disarray, a locker room in disarray."

Ward's point is well stated. Safety Ryan Clark pointed out last week there were a lot of young players on the 2012 Steelers, which contributed to the lack of leadership and "fracture" in the locker room.

Losing also played a role in the "disarray" Ward mentioned. An 8-8 season was a disappointment for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. With a positive 2013 season on the field, the tone of the locker room is sure to change.

Quote:

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With a positive 2013 season on the field, the tone of the locker room is sure to change.

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We obviously must do our part to make certain that does not happen.

Personally, I think it's as much the Coach not taking control as it is the youth movement.

I have no doubt that Cowher would have ridden herd on these guys. Tomlin isn't Bill Cowher.. At least not in that respect. He's had young teams and this never happened on his watch.

I think Tomlin is a solid coach... But I think he gets waaay too much credit as a "SB Wining HC"

And that team will go straight down once LeBeau leaves (finally..)

Quote:

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And that team will go straight down once LeBeau leaves (finally..)

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I can't wait twenty years.

Where's Hack?

I'd like to get his honest thoughts right now.

Baltimore already lost Ray Lewis (retirement), may lose Ed Reed (FA), and there is a possibility for Kruger, Ellerbe, and others (though likely not Flacco).

And, now this news:
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/65840/ravens-lose-more-than-a-center-in-birk


If we are going to make waves in our division, then the time may be coming. I really, really hope that Haslam made the right hires to climb the AFC North wall.

The Bengals Have Mike Brown As Owner ... nough said

Link

Steelers on verge of releasing LB James Harrison

Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports5:29p.m. EST March 8, 2013

The Pittsburgh Steelers and linebacker James Harrison continue to have issues coming to an agreement on a pay cut and it seeming increasingly likely Harrison will be released.

The sides have been speaking regularly and talked again on Friday, according to a person informed of the progress of negotiations. The person, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the talks weren't to be discussed publicly, said there's been no progress in getting Harrison to agree to chop any portion of the $6.57 million base salary he's owed this season.

Harrison, who turns 35 in May, had only six sacks last season, his lowest total since becoming a full-time starter in 2007. It was also the end of his streak of five straight Pro Bowl appearances.

The former undrafted free agent, who has been cut three times by the Steelers and once by the Baltimore Ravens, is signed through 2014. But the Steelers have been trying to shed salary to get comfortably under the salary cap by the start of the new league year.

The Steelers now have only four days before that point, so unless there's major progress made over the weekend, Harrison could be cut by the only team for which he's ever played a game.

Tiny ben had a partially torn rotator cuff to start last season. They said it wouldn't effect him but I don't think he looked sharp all season. Then he got dinged further and their season fell apart. We shall see how well they retool. In the past they would fall a bit for a season or two, then retool and right back in it again... hopefully, this will be a longer fall.

I despise the Steelers and all the fawning over tiny ben. The guy is a sexual predator. Yeah, he's in the league playing, but the talking heads aren't REQUIRED to fawn all over the jerk..

I hope all the WORST for Pittsburgh...

LOL it definitely makes the soup in the pot just a little sweeter tasting

he is on the same path as Kendrell Bell, Joey Porter, and a host of others. LaBeau's defense make these guys stars, that and a very good Dline.

I disagree.

James Harrison was a heck of a player and a difference maker. I don't remember a guy who played his position in a more physical way.

This is a big time loss for the Steelers.

He was an All-Pro caliber OLB. He no longer is but he's still quite good.

Clearly in decline, and he's got many screws loose...

But man it'll be good with him gone.