I went down to Buffalo this weekend with pretty low expectations for the Steelers offensive unit. I left feeling a little bit better.
Kordell Stewart has been ostracized by the media, and the fans for a couple of weeks now. He put on a display that quieted his detractors for at least another week. Except for his one mental lapse with the interception, he played a remarkably sound game. He threw two touchdown passes for the first time this year, and his accuracy was pin point. On one third down play, he threw a perfect spiral 20 yards to midfield, and hit Troy Edwards right in the hands.
Troy dropped it.
Edwards would later redeem himself with a fine touchdown grab, but dropping that perfect pass surely helped decide the outcome of this game. As I stated last week, getting Kordell out of the confines of Three Rivers Stadium would help him to get on track. His numbers were 21-29 for 216 yards, and 2 touchdowns. A very fine day. Normally those numbers would result in a victory. But it wasn't to be.
On a day when Kordell would have his finest outing of the year, another Quarterback decided to have his finest as well. Doug Flutie was magical, and consistently avoided the Steelers pass rush. He consistently burned Chad Scott as well, who admitted he had his worst day as a pro. When he wasn't going after Scott, he was using his mobility to pick up key first downs, or locate the open receivers. By ground or air, he was equally effective. He made the #1 pass defense in the NFL look pretty ordinary. He played the kind of game the Steelers are hoping Kordell can have in the future. He also raised concerns about the Steeler defense for the first time this year.
The Defense, with the exception of Chad Scott, played reasonably well for 57 minutes. After a Jerome Bettis touchdown run had closed the gap to 3 points, it was time for the Defense to get the ball back for the Offense. Jonathan Linton changed their plans with two 8 yard runs that moved the chains, and ran out the clock. He broke tackles on both carries, and broke the hearts of Steeler fans everywhere. This is a Defense that prides itself on stopping the run. A let up at those crucial moments is inexcusable. We'll never know if the Steelers offense would have scored or not, but it sure would have been fun for them to get a chance.
Jerome Bettis had a miserable day. With the passing game finally clicking, you would have thought the running game would find some daylight. That was not the case, as "The Bus" was held to 24 yards on 13 carries. He assures everyone that he is healthy, and that it is only a matter of time till the running game resumes its once mighty plateau, but the consistent 1 and 2 yard runs is not making the grade. If Kordell is to continue his upward spiral, he will need Bettis and Huntley to start avoiding tackles, and break through the line once in awhile.
Next week, the Steelers get a chance to get back on track when they travel to Cincinnati. Although Pittsburgh went 0-2 last year against the Bengals, a repeat of that aberration is unlikely. The progress the Offense made this week in Buffalo, should result in a confidence building victory. Even Bettis should have little trouble lighting it up. The Defense will be ready to prove their poor showing was just a bump in the road.
Steelers LB Levon Kirkland looked forward to what he called the next season -- the next five games. He said now that the first five are over, the Steelers have compartmentalized things and will treat the next five as a "season."
"You take it in sections. We're just taking like five games. It's a five-game season. When we finish those five games, we'll have another five-game season."
If the progress continues, and the Steelers can go 4-1 in their middle season, hopes for the playoffs will be in place.
by Steelergil (Oct. 11, 99)