In spite of all the difficulties the Steelers have been forced to endure, they find themselves at a very satisfactory 2-0.
The home opener on Sunday was supposed to be a rout. The bookies had listed the Bears as 11.5 point underdogs. Not only was that figure unattainable, the Steelers came perilously close to losing the game. Once again, our franchise player, Carnell Lake proved his worth.
His interception in the closing seconds preserved a very important victory. With the poor play of Kordell Stewart in the opening two games, the defense has been forced to carry our squad. Levon Kirkland has been a one man gang. He is a leader on the field, who seems to get everyone else to play above their capabilities. Even as the highest paid linebacker in the league, he is a bargain.
Jerome Bettis had an admirable game gaining 131 yards on 21 carries. The hidden factor, is he gained less than 2 yards on 11 of those carries. The main point, is that the offensive line was starting to open some running lanes. Unlike last week, Bettis was able to pick up a full head of steam. It seems that this facet of the game is on the upswing, and improvement is not far behind.
The thing that has bothered me these first 2 weeks, is Kordell being so insistent to stay in the pocket. He is taking unnecessary sacks, and is wasting his athletic ability.
I think he should spend the week watching John Elway tapes, so he can see how effective the roll-out can be. I like some of the things Ray Sherman is doing, but I sure hope he isn't putting Slash on a leash. Kordell can be the most dangerous weapon the team has. His abilities cannot be utilized fully by constantly staying in the pocket.
Another thing that concerns me, is the non exsistance of Hines Ward, Fu, and Huntley. They should not be relegated to the role of special teams. Each one of them can be a devastating weapon if given the opportunity.
Apart from these concerns, I think it is just a matter of the offense getting comfortable once again with a new coordinator, and a new system.
2-0 sounds pretty good. especially when the room for improvement is so immense.
