1. Tony Romo is not a good leaderFollowing their close loss to Chicago which dropped them to a surprising 0-2, Dallas QB Tony Romo said “It makes you wonder if you’re ever going to win a game.” Throughout his career it’s statements such as these that have led people to conclude he is not a top flight leader. Can you imagine Peyton Manning saying that? Or Brett Favre, Big Ben, Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb or Drew Brees? Of course not. In the circus that is the NFL, Dallas is and will always be a magnified fishbowl, and Romo needs to man up and take the bull by the horns so to speak, like a real Cowboy. Otherwise, this will just be a good team on paper that never materializes into the champions they were predicted to be. He’s obviously go the tools to go down in history statistically, but as one observer suggested, at times it appears Romo’s head is not totally immersed in the game. No doubt there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders having now held the reigns for a 5th season in Big D. We’ll see how this develops.
2. Kevin Kolb has big shoes to fillOnce again Michael Vick played great. However coach Andy Reid has publicly expressed his allegiance to Kevin Kolb. The Eagles have scored 52 points in the last 6 quarters with Vick under center. I understand an organization doing what they can to prevent a controversy, but Kolb already has a lot to live up to following Donovan McNabb. Now he has to prove he can do better than Vick, the only QB in league history to surpass 1,000 yards rushing in a season? The man who brought a subpar Atlanta attack within a game of the Super Bowl? Good luck (unproven) Mr. Kolb.
3. Steelers line backing tradition alive and wellSince ‘94 the Steelers have been a model of consistency advancing to three Super Bowls, winning two (in ‘05 and ‘08), and three other AFC title games. As of week two of the 2010 season, Pittsburgh is once again playing lights out defense. Safety Troy Polamalu has returned after missing most all of last season and intercepted passes in each game. The 09 Madden cover boy looks to have completely healed. 2008 Super Bowl hero and NFL Defensive MVP James Harrison had 10 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles against visiting Tennessee Sunday, who came in as 5 ½ point favorites.
Let me put Sunday’s defensive performance in perspective for you. Tennessee’s Chris Johnson (fresh off a 2,000 yard season) had a string of 12-straight 100-yd games prior to Sunday’s game. He was held to just 35 yards on 16 carries. QB Vince Young, who led the Titans to nine straight wins, was benched for poor play.
Most figured the Steelers needed to be at 2-2 when Big Ben returns to be in position to make a playoff push. The team’s early performance has changed opinions more than a little bit in regards to team potential, and all but silenced the notion that Big Ben’s absence would doom the season.
I have been a Steelers fan since the 1986 season. Then they were at their lowest point in the last three decades. They were a few years removed from the last retirements of the 70’s era, and far from the dominance of 1994-present. That said I have seen a lot of football through the years, and watching highlights Sunday had me thinking this group of linebackers (which goes 6 deep) might have what it takes to put together the best season in team history.
The Steelers became competitive in the early 90’s fielding especially tough defenses built around (then rare) frenetic 3-4 blitz packages, directed by Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau. From 1994 to last Sunday, Pittsburgh has consistently fielded title contending units led by some of the best linebackers in the league.
No franchise in major pro sports can boast as rich a legacy at one position. Consider the pedigree:
Jack Lambert (‘74-‘84)
9 Pro Bowls, 7 first team All-Pro
75th Anniversary team
1970s All-decade team
1980s All-decade team
Jack Ham (‘71-‘82)
8 Pro Bowls; 6 first team All-Pro, 2 second team All Pro
75th Anniversary all time team
1970s All decade team
Andy Russell (‘66-‘76)7 Pro Bowls, 1 first team All-pro 3 second team All Pro
David Little (81-92) 1 Pro Bowl
Greg Lloyd (‘88-‘97)
5 Pro Bowls 3 first team All-Pro
Chad Brown (’93-’96; ‘06)3 Pro Bowls 2 first team All-Pro
Kevin Greene (’93-’95)5 Pro Bowls, 3 first team All Pro
‘96 defensive Player of the Year (w/ Carolina)
1990s All-Decade team
Hardy Nickerson (87-92)5 Pro Bowls
1990s All-Decade team (Became a monster with Tampa Bay)
Mike Vrabel (‘97-’00) 1 pro bowl 1 all pro (Became major part of New England Championship squads)
Jason Gildon (‘94-’03) 3 pro bowl 1 all-pro
Joey Porter (99-06)4 Pro Bowl 1 All Pro 3 second team All Pro
2000s All decade team
Lawrence Timmons 07-present
James Farrior 02-present2 Pro Bowls 1 first team All Pro
James Harrison 02, 04-Present3 pro bowl; 2 first team all pro; 1 second team All Pro
2008 Defensive Player of the Year (Only started for 3 full seasons)
Lamarr Woodley 07-present1 Pro Bowl, 1 second team all pro
So the 2010 Steelers have James Harrison, Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior and Lamarr Woodley for starters, and SuperBowl vet Larry Foote joining rookies Thaddeus Gibson and Jason Worilds as reserves. In addition, 5 other starters on defense have been with the team at least five years:
DT Casey Hampton 01-present
DE Aaron Smith 99-present
CB Ike Taylor 03-present
SS Troy Polamalu 03-present
DE Brett Keisel 02-present
FS Ryan Clark is in his fifth year with the team and CB Bryant McFadden is in his second stint with the team’s system. I wanted to make the case early, that this defense has a Super look. A seventh Super Bowl and 3 in 6 years looks a like a real possibility.
4. Miami and NY is a huge Week 3 game I am really looking forward to this week’s primetime game between Miami and NY Jets. QB Mark Sanchez finally had the green light to throw all over the field and NY made an early statement defeating New England in sound fashion. ON the other side, Miami put together a spirited effort to defeat Minnesota. Both teams are built in similar fashion, with a nucleus of young fast defenders. Whoever wins this matchup will be in the drivers seat for the Division.
