This offensive ineptitude has to end soon. It is tough to watch a defense as dominant as the Steelers come up empty after such a gritty performance.

It's even harder to watch Steve McNair roll out of the pocket and hit third and fourth string receivers with relative ease. He has no Kevin Dyson, no Yancey Thigpen, no Carl Pickens, but he still manages to get the job done.

On the other side of the field, we have Kordell Stewart. He is faster than McNair, he has equal arm strength, he has all his starters healthy, yet he can't find success. Why can McNair bootleg, and Kordell can't? I'm getting tired of trying to find the answer.

Coach Cowher has awarded Stewart the start this week against Philadelphia. Why? I don't know. He didn't earn it this week in Tennessee. He was 7-22 for 112 yards. He threw one interception, but it could easily have been 4. He doesn't have the confidence to air it out to his receivers, and is intent on throwing his passes 10 yards or under.

Plaxico Burress has been taking a lot of flak for his poor performance thus far. He was open down field on numerous occasions on Sunday, and yet Kordell didn't see him, or chose not to throw him the ball. Why was this guy drafted? Give him a chance to display his talents.

The Titans certainly didn't respect the talents of Kordell. They had 8 and 9 guys on the line of scrimmage all day daring him to pass. And pass he did. 7 measly completions. Terrible.

I hope Kordell watches the game films and studies the play of Steve McNair. That is how a QB with good legs is supposed to operate. When he would roll out, he didn't immediately take off like a scared rabbit. He would first check his receivers to see if any were open. More often than not he would find one. On the occasions when they were all covered, then he would take off.

Kordell Stewart on the other hand, takes off at the first sign of pressure, and loses any chance of finding the open receiver. I'm growing tired of it.

This 2000 version of the Pittsburgh Steelers has one of the finest defenses to grace the field in quite a while. I hate to see the ineptitude of the offense blow away all of their hard work.

Even though I just ranted and raved about how terrible Kordell has been, Coach Cowher is correct in leaving him in as the starter. Kent Graham has not proved he is any better, and his lack of mobility makes him a little bit worse. What the Steelers have to do, is pass the ball, pass the ball, and then pass it again.

I want to see the team script their first 15 plays, and make them all passing plays. I don't care if it amounts to 5, three and outs. They have to prove to the opposition that they have some resemblance of a passing game. Until they do that, both the passing game, and the running game will suffer.

What is the point in giving Bettis his token carries for 2 and 3 yards. We will not be an effective team, or strike any fear into the opposing defenses until we develop a passing attack. Kordell has to roll out of the pocket, and look for an open receiver. On every play if need be. He is our only chance at winning this year, and he has to get it right. If he can't? Good riddance.

by SteelerGil (November 06, 00)