Wash out: Reed's field goal just enough for win
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Wash out: Reed's field goal just enough for win
Daylong rain turns the new sod at Heinz Field into a quagmire
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Peter Diana / Post-Gazette
Wide receiver Hines Ward makes a catch in the mud in the first half against the Dolphins last night at Heinz Field. (vs. Dolphins 11/26/07)
Playing on a football field that at times looked like a fourth river, the Steelers fought through
rain, wind, muck and the winless Dolphins eight times to get into Miami territory last night
without scoring a point.
And on their ninth and final time, Jeff Reed mercifully sent a 24-yard field-goal try through
the uprights with 17 seconds left to save everyone from watching and playing any more.
Reed's score pulled out a 3-0 victory for the Steelers on a night in which it appeared someone
might pull out a carp at the 25-yard line. It was the lowest-scoring Steelers victory in club
history.
"We play in Pittsburgh," said wide receiver Hines Ward, who made several tough catches
among his nine for 88 yards. "The weather and the field are not going to be perfect all the
time."
Newly sodded Heinz Field, turned marshy by constant rain, looked as imperfect last night as
the 0-11 Dolphins.
The Dolphins, more than two touchdown underdogs, matched the Steelers in offensive
impotency through much of the game. However, the Steelers' constant forays into Dolphins
territory finally paid off in the end.
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Wash out: Reed's field goal just enough for win
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The closest the Steelers came to scoring on their first eight possessions was Reed's 44-yard
field-goal try into the wind and rain that sailed badly to the left late in the third quarter.
That kick taught Reed a lesson for his next one. He said he took his normal stride on the miss
and decided to take choppier steps on the winning kick.
Willie Parker topped 1,000 yards rushing for the season in the third quarter. He gained 88
yards on nine carries. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger tied a team record with 15 consecutive
completions. He was 18 of 21 for 165 yards with one interception and performed particularly
well in the final drive when they used a no-huddle.
Late in the game, Roethlisberger talked to coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator
Bruce Arians.
"Just let me throw the ball," he said to them. "I know I can win this game."
He completed three passes to Ward of 21, 6 and 11 yards on the drive to put them close for a
Reed try.
"Hines Ward was big tonight," Tomlin said. "He was Hines Ward, and we needed every one
of those catches."
The victory maintained the Steelers' lead in the AFC North Division with a 8-3 record, one
better than Cleveland.
Ward said the field and rain turned his gloves wet and muddy, his feet wet and his legs
heavy.
"It was terrible," he said.
Roethlisberger, looking often for Ward in the first quarter, threw a pass from Miami's 25, but
it was short and linebacker Joey Porter picked it off. Porter ran 15 yards before
Roethlisberger tackled him near the Steelers' bench, and the linebacker held the ball and
walked the length of the bench taunting his former teammates.
It was the first of five unsuccessful trips in a row into Miami territory in the first half.
The second ended shortly after cornerback Will Allen sacked and stripped Roethlisberger of
the ball for a 12-yard loss from the 35. The third ended when Najeh Davenport lost a yard
when Tomlin ordered his offense to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Miami 40.
The fourth foray across the 50 ended after Roethlisberger completed a 20-yard pass to Ward
at Miami's 27, but a holding penalty against Davenport wiped that out.
That series began after Ricky Williams fumbled in his first NFL appearance in two seasons.
He carried six times for 15 yards before leaving the game with 7:26 to go with a shoulder
injury.
The Steelers' fifth possession was their deepest penetration. They had a second-and-2 at the
Miami 24, and after Parker picked up a yard, Roethlisberger completed a 4-yard pass on third
down to Ward to the 19. It would have been a first down, but tight end Heath Miller was
called for holding, and Roethlisberger was sacked on the next play.
Rather than try a long field goal, Daniel Sepulveda punted from the 36.
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Wash out: Reed's field goal just enough for win
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The second half began much the way the first half did for the Steelers -- they drove into
Miami territory but did not score. Jason Taylor sacked Roethlisberger on third down at the
Miami 45 to end the drive.
At 3:55 of the third quarter, Miami's Brandon Fields punted 38 yards and the ball hit the
mushy field and stuck, point up, at the Miami 48. The Steelers came closer to scoring than on
their previous six possessions but still came away with nothing.
Parker ran four times in a row for 23 yards, his last pushing him over 1,000 yards for the
season. But on third-and-1 at the 25, Davenport lost a yard off the left side.
Reed came in to try a 44-yard field goal into the wind and rain and it sailed badly to the left.
The Dolphins reached the Steelers' 20 in the fourth quarter and, on fourth down, Jay Feely
tried a 38-yard field goal into the open end of the field, the same end as Reed's miss. His kick
was low and blocked, but Miami was called for a delay of game, moving the ball back to the
25 and giving the Dolphins another shot.
Instead of trying a 43-yard field goal, Miami opted to try for the first down. Quarterback
John Beck dropped back to pass on fourth-and-11 and was sacked by James Harrison. Beck
fumbled, too, and Aaron Smith recovered.
"I think they should have let him kick it," Reed said. "I was shocked they didn't kick. The
field was better for him after the penalty."
That started the Steelers' eighth drive and for the eighth time, they crossed the 50. They came
up 0 for 8 when -- on third-and-5 at the 33 -- Roethlisberger scrambled to his right and
Vonnie Holliday sacked him.
Finally, on their ninth series, the Steelers cracked the scoreboard and sent everyone home.
The drive began after Miami punted from its 5 and the Steelers took over at the Miami 42.
Ward caught three passes but the Steelers still faced a third-and-3 at the 12. Then, in an
empty-set backfield, Roethlisberger completed a 6-yard pass to Willie Reid for a first down
at the 6. It was Roethlisberger's 15th consecutive completion.
"I told Willie Reid that we don't need to score, just catch the ball," Roethlisberger said. "It
was a low ball and he went down on one knee and caught it for the first down."
On third down at the 5, Roethlisberger was sacked for the fifth time, bringing Reed on to win
it.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].
First published on November 27, 2007 at 12:03 am
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It wasn't spectacular, but Parker surpasses 1,000 rushing yards for third year in row
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It wasn't spectacular, but Parker surpasses 1,000 rushing yards
for third year in row
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Willie Parker runs late in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins last night. Parker went over 1,000 yards for the third consecutive season with his 81yard rushing performance. (vs. Dolphins 11/26/07)
It was not the kind of game Willie Parker would imagine he would take another step into
Steelers lore.
And it was certainly not the kind of field on which he envisioned coming up with one of his
best rushing performances of the season, even though his numbers could not match any of
the six 100-yard games he already had compiled this season.
"It was tough, man," Parker said.
In a game in which he went over 1,000 yards rushing for the third consecutive season, Parker
did not post the kind of gaudy numbers to which he has been accustomed. It was certainly
not the type of statistical gem that will stand out among the series of performances associated
with the National Football League's second-leading rusher.
But, when the slop finally settled and newly sodded turf stopped sliding, there was Parker
carrying the look of another noted mudder, Jerome Bettis.
It certainly wasn't much, at least, statistically: 81 yards on 24 carries. But, to everyone in the
Steelers locker room, it was pretty amazing, considering the circumstances and playing
conditions.
"It was pretty unique playing on a field like that," center Sean Mahan said. "It was like
playing on sand."
"I feel like I've been running on the beach for three hours," guard Kendall Simmons said. "It
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It wasn't spectacular, but Parker surpasses 1,000 rushing yards for third year in row
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took everything we could just to stand up."
"I'm still spitting sand out," said tackle Max Starks, who didn't know he would start for
injured left tackle Marvel Smith until he arrived at Heinz Field. "It reminded me of the
swamps back in Florida."
In the end, after the Steelers managed to wring out a 3-0 victory against the Miami Dolphins
with a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Reed with 17 seconds remaining, it seems improbable that
one team would manage to procure any points.
And that Parker would come close to another 100-yard performance seems downright
remarkable. He had 42 of his 81 yards in the first half, then squeezed out 39 more on 13
carries in the second half.
He would have come closer to his seventh 100-yard game of the season if a holding penalty
against tight end Heath Miller didn't wipe out a 9-yard run to the Dolphins' 29 on the winning
field-goal drive.
Nonetheless, his ability to gain any amount of yards in a game when the Dolphins managed
just 49 yards rushing on 23 carries was testament to his performance.
"He had an exceptional game," Starks said. "He just said forget about it -- he saw the hole
and he hit it. You weren't going to get any cutback runs on a field like that."
Indeed, Parker's longest run was 9 yards, not the type of monster runs that have been yielded
by the Dolphins defense, which ranked last against the run in the NFL.
Still, when it was over, he had 1,006 yards on the season, only the second NFL back to reach
1,000 yards this season, behind Minnesota Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson. Only two other
backs in Steelers history have rushed for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons -- Bettis
and Franco Harris.
"It was terrible ... terrible," Simmons said, referring to the field conditions. "And the rain
didn't help at all. It kept getting worse as the game went on."
"It was tough sledding out there," Mahan said. "There were not a lot of moves being made
out there. You just hit it up field as fast as you can. There's not going to be a lot of spin
moves out there."
Hines Ward, who had nine catches for 88 yards, compared Parker to another mudder, Bettis,
who, at 255 pounds, had the weight to trample through sloppy field conditions. Parker, who
weighs 209 pounds, is not that type of back, or so it would seem.
But, he managed to keep his feet well enough to plod into the Steelers record book.
"You can't look at the stats in conditions like that," Ward said. "He did a good job. He didn't
turn the ball over. That's one of the things we kept stressing. The weather, the field, it's not
going to be perfect."
Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email protected].
First published on November 27, 2007 at 1:30 am
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Heinz Field: Here's mud in your eye
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Heinz Field: Here's mud in your eye
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Dan Majors and Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger brings down former teammate Joey Porter, now Dolphins' linebacker, after he intercepted a pass in the first quarter
of last night's water-logged game at Heinz Field. (vs. Dolphins 11/26/07)
The Steelers, looking to make a good impression on national television last night, rolled out a
large green welcome mat of new turf.
And then the rain came.
Flashes of lightning and a steady downpour that began in the early evening delayed the start
of the football game and turned the team's dream of a lush lawn into a m ushy mess.
Numbered yard lines were obliterated, players slogged and slid in watery sprays, and punted
balls resembled pelicans splashing down. The goal lines might have been visible, but neither
team got close enough in the scoreless first half to see them.
Televised close-ups showed a marshy surface that looked more like your aunt's soggy greenbean casserole than a rugged football field.
"It's a shame," one person in the Steelers organization said.
For four years, Heinz Field combatants had dueled on a DDGrassMaster surface that
included mostly Kentucky bluegrass tied down with synthetic fibers. Recently, however, that
turf took a brutal beating, especially after seven football games in 11 days, including four
high school championships on Friday and a University of Pittsburgh game Saturday. The
middle stretch of the playing surface was a brown, grassless pit that became muddy and slick
in rain.
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Heinz Field: Here's mud in your eye
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Hoping to spruce things up for last night's nationally televised game against the Miami
Dolphins, the Steelers' management decided to put new sod over the old turf.
Grounds crews at Heinz Field worked for more than 24 hours over the weekend to roll out
21/2 acres of fresh, green sod brought in from New Jersey. Forklift operators lowered giant
rolls onto the field, then backed up to unroll the strips of grass that were 4 feet wide, 25 feet
long and weighed 1,900 pounds each.
The sod looked great -- until it rained. The tarp that had been spread atop the turf leaked at
five seams and the sod, stacked atop the old surface, did not have much drainage.
In the hours before kickoff, ground crews feverishly tried to clear rainwater off the new sod,
but the water kept winning. Armed with rakes, workers peeled up sections of sod and started
dumping Diamond-Dry, the moisture-soaking mixture that grounds crews use on baseball
infields and pitching mounds.
Watching the process was an NFL employee who had been sent to Heinz Field to inspect the
turf before the game and make sure the installation was done properly.
Teams wanting to change their playing surface in the middle of the season must get approval
from the league office. The New England Patriots did not do that last season, when they
installed Field Turf late in the season, but the league office did nothing to stop them.
Just after 8 p.m., officials cleared Heinz Field when lightning flashed. As the players left the
field, all of the white lines were obliterated -- the yard markers, the goal lines, end lines and
sidelines. Workers started re-chalking those at 8:15 p.m.
The game began just before 9 p.m.
The new sod was purchased from Tuckahoe Turf Farm, based in New Jersey with a facility
in Pennsylvania. Representatives of the company said the turf would be fine for the game.
The only cause for concern would be rain.
James Betts, a managing partner with the seasonal, family-run business in Hammonton, N.J.,
said Tuckahoe Turf Farm owns 700 acres of former fruit and vegetable farmland that
provides turf for athletic fields throughout the Northeast and as far away as Kansas City.
Working with experts from Rutgers and Penn State universities, the company produces sod
with a sandy loam soil that is supposed to drain well.
"Athletic fields have always helped us. That's our specialty," Mr. Betts said. "Our main goal
is to put natural grass fields everywhere."
The company also has sodded baseball fields in Washington, Philadelphia and Boston.
Tuckahoe used to provide turf for residential development in New Jersey, Mr. Betts said,
"but that market has died out."
"It takes a lot of expertise, but we've been doing it for three generations," he said.
The company last week repaired the Philadelphia Eagles' field and this week is re-sodding
fields for the Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In a 2006 survey conducted by the NFL Players Association, Heinz Field's field was voted
the second-worst grass playing surface in the league. Voted "worst" was New England's
Gillette Stadium. Since that survey, the Patriots have torn out the grass and installed an
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Heinz Field: Here's mud in your eye
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artificial surface known as FieldTurf.
The Steelers are investigating artificial surfaces, and they might install one at Heinz Field
before the start of the 2008 season. They have been particularly interested in the new surface
West Virginia University has this year. WVU installed a new generation of FieldTurf this
summer called Duraspine at the cost of $901,152. The Steelers sent some of their people to
WVU to take a look at the turf.
The Steelers have practiced on a different version of FieldTurf at their indoor facility since
2000, as has Pitt. The Panthers added an artificial turf called Sportexe on one of their outdoor
practice fields next to the Steelers this year.
Pitt officials also have been urging the Steelers to install an artificial turf.
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Report Card / Game 11 -- Steelers vs. Dolphins
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Report Card / Game 11 -- Steelers vs. Dolphins
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Gerry Sulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Cedrick Wilson pulls in a pass in the first quarter against the Dolphins. (vs. Dolphins 11/26/07)
GERRY DULACgrades the Steelers' effort in a 3-0 victory against Dolphins last night at
Heinz Field. The report is broken down into offensive, defensive positions and coaching.
Quarterback: C+
Ben Roethlisberger's numbers look presentable but he was unable to generate much offense,
especially when his first eight drives ended in Dolphins territory. But he had 15 consecutive
completions to finish 18 of 21 with 165 yards passing and produced the winning drive when
it mattered, hitting Hines Ward for a key 21-yard gain along the way.
Running backs: BWillie Parker went over 1,000 yards rushing for the third year in a row, but he had to do it
the hard way in poor field conditions. Najeh Davenport committed a costly holding penalty
trying to pass protect on third down, wiping out a long pass to Ward to the Miami 28. And he
was stopped twice in short-yardage situations when the Steelers needed 1 yard for a first
down.
Receivers: BHines Ward became a feature target with Santonio Holmes sidelined, catching five passes in
the second half and also having two other first-down catches wiped out by penalty. Cedrick
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Report Card / Game 11 -- Steelers vs. Dolphins
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Wilson contributed three catches, his most in six games. But TE Heath Miller did not have a
catch and his offensive pass interference penalty wiped out a first down. He also had a
holding penalty that negated Parker's 9-yard run to the Miami 10 in the final minutes.
Offensive line: C
The soggy field was probably to blame for a lack of movement up front as the Steelers
rushed for only 84 yards. But, for the third game in a row, Roethlisberger was under pressure
by a team not known for sacking the quarterback. He was sacked five times, four on third
down. Max Starks did a nice job at left tackle as a late replacement for injured Marvel Smith
(back), especially facing DE Jason Taylor.
Defensive line: B
The Dolphins had 20 yards rushing on 14 carries in the first half and finished with 49 yards,
mainly because they had problems controlling NT Casey Hampton. DE Aaron Smith had a
big sack in the third quarter and Brett Keisel had one in the fourth, pinning the Dolphins at
their 8. He also batted a pass at the line of scrimmage.
Linebackers: A
The Steelers did not get a sack in the first half, but James Farrior was among the linebackers
who hurried QB John Beck into poor throws. Farrior also forced a fumble, that was
recovered by Lawrence Timmons, and finished with 11 tackles. Larry Foote had two tackles
for losses in the first half and combined with Farrior for a half-sack on fourth down at the
Steelers' 31. James Harrison had a sack and forced fumble on fourth down at the Steelers' 30.
Secondary: C+
The defensive backs did a good job of keeping the ball in front of them in the first half, but
Beck converted a lot of third-down passes in the second half, including third-and-13 to the
Steelers' 24. Tyrone Carter was solid filling in for injured Troy Polamalu and finished with
11 tackles. But he gave up a 20-yard completion on third down to the Steelers' 42 in the
fourth quarter.
Special teams: B
Allen Rossum had his second-longest punt return of the season, going 33 yards to the Miami
47 in the second quarter. Daniel Sepulveda dropped a 47-yard punt out of bounds at the
Dolphins' 6 in the third quarter. And Max Starks blocked a 38-yard field-goal attempt, even
though the play didn't count because of a delay penalty. After badly missing a 44-yard field
goal in the third quarter, Jeff Reed kicked a 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds left.
Coaching: C
Probably the smartest thing the Steelers did was not beat themselves because of the playing
conditions. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau did a good job mixing coverages and
ordering up blitzes to pressure Beck, who was making his second start. Offensive coordinator
Bruce Arians tried to keep the ball in the middle of the field. But too many missed
opportunities in Miami territory.
First published on November 27, 2007 at 12:22 am
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Steelers Notebook: Bad weather, Miami go together
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Steelers Notebook: Bad weather, Miami go together
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Jeff Reed kicks the winning 24-yard field goal last night to give the Steelers a 3-0 victory over Miami.
Lightning flashed just once above Heinz Field but it was enough for officials to clear the
stadium and delay last night's game for 15 minutes.
Officials cleared Heinz Field at 8:06 p.m. after lightning flashed. Kickoff, originally set for
8:40 p.m., took place at 8:55.
Players came onto the field to warm up at 7:45 p.m. through a continuous downpour. Rain
was forecast through the night, but there were no reports of lightning in the area until it
flashed after 8 p.m.
NFL rules dictate that teams must have 30 minutes before kickoff to warm up.
As the players left the field, all of the white lines were obliterated -- the yard markers, the
goal lines, end lines and sidelines. Grounds crews started re-painting those at 8:15 p.m. but
the rain washed it away as fast as they painted them.
Usually, rain does not wash away the line markers in the NFL because they are painted on
the field -- chalk hasn't been used in years. However, shortly after they painted the field, tarps
were put down before the paint had a chance to dry. When they removed the tarps, the paint
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came with it.
It's not the first time rain and/or storms have played a part in a Steelers-Dolphins game. In
2004 a Sunday afternoon game between the two teams had to be delayed until night because
of Hurricane Jeanne. The storm caused the electricity to go out in the Steelers' hotel the night
before the game.
Ben Roethlisberger made his first NFL start that night and helped the Steelers to a 13-3
victory. Roethlisberger won the rest of his 12 regular-season starts to have the most
successful regular season in NFL history by any quarterback, with a 13-0 record. He did not
lose until the AFC championship game.
Two years ago a preseason game between the Dolphins and Steelers at Heinz Field was
delayed by a thunderstorm, a game the Steelers won, 17-3.
And in 1989 a torrential rain hit South Florida during a Nov. 26 game. It seemed to revitalize
the Steelers, who had been trailing 14-0. They beat the Dolphins, 34-14, and won three of
their next four to sneak into the playoffs at 9-7.
The snap is back
Handling long snaps on any football team is about as anonymous a job as you can have.
Except when you blow it, then everyone wants to know who you are.
Greg Warren, the Steelers' long snapper, experienced the good and the bad in the 3-0 bog
bowl victory against Miami. He created somewhat ideal conditions on Jeff Reed's winning
24-yard kick with 17 seconds left, despite the terrible sod situation at Heinz Field.
"On the winning kick, at least my feet were level," Warren said. "On the miss [late third
quarter from 44 yards] one foot was about 5 inches below the other and the ball hit grass on
the way out."
Warren said that because the Steelers called a timeout with 19 seconds left before Reed's
winning kick, he had time to tamp down the turf with his feet to get a level stance to snap the
ball. The Steelers didn't call a timeout before Reed's first attempt.
The hold is good
Rookie punter Daniel Sepulveda holds on kicks and he said footing had an awful lot to do
with the success of Reed's winning kick.
"The footing was so much better for that one," Sepulveda said. "By putting the sod down, it
just made everything sink so much deeper. I'd say you sunk in up to 8 inches in spots."
On Reed's earlier miss, Sepulveda said Reed tried to plant to kick the ball but on the new sod,
that couldn't happen. "It was bad. Jeff planted and the entire piece of ground just slid."
Sepulveda also was chastised by an official before Reed's winning kick.
"I was out there with a towel, tamping down the ground and trying to flatten out a spot,"
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Sepulveda said with a sly grin. "The official yanked the towel away and said, 'You can't do
that!' "
Back problems
Starting left tackle Marvel Smith did not dress for last night's game because he had
problems with his back. Smith had not missed a game since 2005, when he missed four.
He was the third Steelers' starter to miss the game. Strong safety Troy Polamalu (knee) and
wide receiver Santonio Holmes (ankle) also did not dress. Linebacker LaMarr Woodley,
listed as questionable all week, missed his second game in a row with a hamstring injury.
The rest of the Steelers inactives were running back Gary Russell, offensive lineman
Marvin Philip, center Darnell Stapleton and No. 3 quarterback Brian St. Pierre.
Miami's inactives were wide receiver Kerry Reed, running back Lorenzo Booker, safety
Jereme Perry, safety Tuff Harris, linebacker Zach Thomas, defensive tackle Anthony
Bryant, defensive end Rob Ninkovich and defensive end Matt Roth.
Williams returns to NFL
The Miami Dolphins activated running back Ricky Williams to their 53-man roster before
the game, and he ran 5 yards for a first down in his first play back near the end of the first
quarter. He also lost a fumble in the second quarter.
Williams was suspended by the NFL two years ago for numerous drug test failures. He
played in the Canadian Football League for a time last year until an injury ended his season.
Williams, who is 5-10, 225, was the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner drafted by the New
Orleans Saints in '99 and traded in 2002 to Miami for two first-round picks. Williams led the
NFL in rushing in '02 with 1,853 yards.
He abruptly "retired" before training camp in '04 after reportedly failing several drug tests.
He returned to play in '05 but then was suspended last season by the NFL, which caused him
to head north to the CFL.
'80s tribute
Former Steelers defensive tackle Gabe Rivera was honored last night as part of the team's
75th Season celebration. The Steelers paid tribute to their players from the 1980s last night.
The Steelers drafted Rivera in the first round in '83, the 21st pick overall. It became a
controversial choice because they passed up Dan Marino in order to draft Rivera from Texas
Tech.
Rivera, though, got off to a fast start as a rookie and had two sacks in the first month of the
season. However, he was involved in an automobile accident in October and left paralyzed.
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Rivera, 46, returned to Pittsburgh for the first time since 2000, when he joined many former
Steelers for the final game in Three Rivers Stadium. He was accompanied by his wife,
Nancy.
His reaction to the two new stadiums on the North Side: "Pretty cool. They don't have to
worry about the bump in the middle of the field anymore."
At Three Rivers Stadium, there was a perceptible "bump" where the baseball pitcher's mound
was covered by artificial turf for football games.
Rivera lives in his hometown of San Antonio, where he is a mentor to youth through the
Inner-City Development Center, and also teaches in a G.E.D. program.
"It feels good," Rivera said of his return to Pittsburgh. "It's a different atmosphere than at
Three Rivers, though."
Four players from the 1980s were honorary captains last night, including one who also
earned two Super Bowl rings in the '70s, linebacker Robin Cole. Others were guard Craig
Wolfley, linebacker Bryan Hinkle and receiver Louis Lipps. All make their homes in the
Pittsburgh area.
Ed Bouchette can be reached at [email protected].
First published on November 27, 2007 at 12:06 am
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Sure, it was ugly, but no one will remember come January
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Sure, it was ugly, but no one will remember come January
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A month from now, when the NFL stamps a team's ticket to the playoffs, no one will care
that the Steelers' 3-0 win against the dreadful and still winless Miami Dolphins last night was
no Mozart.
An ugly win in the mud on a rainy November night means just as much as one on a sparkling
summer day in early September.
"No one is going to put an asterisk on it, that's for sure," Steelers defensive end Aaron Smith
said. "They're not going to say it came on a muddy field against a team that hasn't won. No
one is going to care."
That was one of the two overriding emotions in the winning locker room late last night. This
was the other: "This sure feels better than that game last week," cornerback Deshea
Townsend said, grinning as he headed off into the early morning.
That would be the loss to the lowly New York Jets.
The loss that made this game so important to the Steelers.
Nothing less than control of the AFC North Division and maybe even a playoff spot was at
stake.
Who says a 3-0 win can't be a Mozart?
"Give it back? I don't think so," Smith said. "In conditions like that, all you want to do is win.
You're not going to look pretty doing it."
The Steelers knew the deal when they headed out into the slop. They had to regroup after that
hurtful loss to the Jets. They needed to do it for their mental well-being, sure. You lose one
week to the one-win Jets and lose the next to the no-win Dolphins, it's pretty hard to be
confident about your chances of surviving the rest of the season, let alone competing for the
Super Bowl. But the Steelers also had to get it together for another, equally important reason.
The Cleveland Browns.
You might say the Browns are coming. They've won five of their past six games -- the lone
loss to the Steelers -- to make a race of it again in the AFC North. They also have a much
easier remaining schedule. They would have been the team to beat down the stretch if the
Steelers had lost to the Dolphins.
You better believe the Steelers heard those footsteps and, at the end of a long, dreary night,
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Sure, it was ugly, but no one will remember come January
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found a way to take care of some very critical business.
Send your thank-you cards to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Hines Ward.
Three times on the winning drive, they combined for pass gains of 21, 6 and 11 yards. The
footing was lousy for everyone else, but it seemed just fine for Ward, who finished with nine
catches for 88 yards. Big Ben didn't have many problems, either. He finished 18 of 21 for
165 yards.
"In clutch time, Ben kept saying to me, 'Make a play,' " Ward said. "It felt good to
contribute."
While you're digging out those thank-you cards, write out another to the Steelers' defense.
"They won this game for us," Ward said. "No one can win if you shut 'em out."
Steelers kicker Jeff Reed made sure the game didn't go into overtime and maybe even end 00 when he found one of the few pieces of secure turf to boot a 24-yard field goal with 17
seconds left.
Just like that, the Steelers (8-3) still had their one-game lead over the Browns (7-4) plus the
tiebreaking edge.
Sure, you can argue the home team didn't deserve this one. Its mistakes -- not the relentless
rain and rotten condition of the new sod that Steelers management put down Saturday night
as a sign of surrender after the four WPIAL championship games and the Pitt-South Florida
game earlier in the weekend -- was responsible for the game being scoreless for so long.
There was a Roethlisberger interception deep in Miami territory, to Dolphins linebacker Joey
Porter no less. "You know Joey was loving that pick," said Steelers linebacker Larry Foote,
still a close friend even though Porter has moved on. "His mouth was moving so fast you
couldn't understand him. But you know he was talking trash. He was screaming."
There were five sacks of Roethlisberger, critical penalties on running back Najeh Davenport
and tight end Heath Miller, and a missed 44-yard field goal by Reed, although that really
could be blamed on the steady rain and the new grass.
The Steelers were fortunate that Reed found better footing at the other end of the big stadium
at the very end.
Those sighs of relief you heard early this morning came from their locker room. "It's like
coach [Mike] Tomlin always says, 'Style points don't matter,' " Miller said.
And those groans of disappointment?
They were coming from Cleveland.
Ron Cook can be reached at [email protected].
First published on November 27, 2007 at 12:04 am
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Steelers seem vulnerable
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Steelers seem vulnerable
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Joey Porter celebrates with teammate Jason Allen after he intercepted a pass against the Steelers in the first quarter last night at Heinz Field. (vs.
Dolphins 11/26/07)
The Miami Dolphins, once a premier NFL franchise but now hobbled by injury and
ineptitude, staggered into Heinz Field last night without a win and, as a 16-point underdog,
little hope of finding one. But as might be expected against the suddenly very vulnerable
Steelers, a tightly played football game broke out.
The hapless Dolphins, who have lost their leading rusher and starting quarterback to injury
and their best receiver to a trade, battled the Steelers evenly for 59 minutes, 43 seconds only
to lose, 3-0 last night, on a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Reed.
Weather conditions were horrible as the new sod put down on Heinz Field became a soggy
mess through an all-day rain.
"Worse field I ever played on," Miami safety Cameron Worrell said.
But all the Dolphins were quick to point out the conditions favored neither team.
In view of this performance, there have to be grave doubts about the Steelers the rest of the
way. The rosy prediction, here and elsewhere, about the team, look grossly unfounded today.
It was one thing to lose eight days earlier to the one-win New York Jets. Those kinds of
upsets, particularly on the road, are fairly standard in the NFL. It's quite another to play so
poorly at home against a team that has been wrecked by injuries and without a win.
What was especially alarming was the five sacks the Steelers gave up to the Dolphins, a team
that had only 12 in its first 10 games. The sacking of Ben Roethlisberger is becoming
commonplace and does not bode well for the remainder of the season.
No one was having more fun for most of the game than former Steelers linebacker and
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Steelers seem vulnerable
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defensive captain Joey Porter, who left after last season as a free agent when the Steelers
showed no interest in re-signing him.
Porter was his typical self -- loud, demonstrative and effective. He had eight tackles and
intercepted a Roethlisberger pass on the first possession of the game and returned it 14 yards.
When the play was over, Porter strutted and pranced in front of the Steelers' bench while
clutching the treasured football. It was an act that might have prompted a taunting penalty,
but the officials did not call it.
"I was just trying to have some fun," Porter said.
Porter, always one of the most popular Steelers, mixed amicably with some of his former
teammates before the game and exchanged hugs before the coin toss. He maintained coming
back to Heinz Field was nothing special.
"It was what I expected. I knew I was coming into a hostile environment. I knew what it was
going to be like. I told the guys not to do anything different."
Concerning competing against his former teammates, Porter said, "I saw them before the
game. I'm on the other side now. It is what it is."
He was poised to record a sack in the second quarter but before he could, Roethlisberger was
brought down from behind by defensive end Quentin Moses.
It was a credit to the Miami defense that it held off the Steelers much of the game. Blessed
with superlative field position, mostly the result of Miami being unable to move the ball, the
Steelers could not put together a scoring drive until the final minutes.
"Our defense has given us a chance to win every week," coach Cam Cameron said. "We've
got to get our offense back to where it was earlier in the season."
After scoring 31 against Cleveland and 28 against New England, the Dolphins have scored
only three touchdowns in their past four games.
The Dolphins' best scoring chance came early in the fourth quarter when they moved to the
Steelers' 20. Jay Feely's field-goal attempt was blocked, but there was a delay-of-game
penalty before the kick. Given the option to try again from where there appeared to be more
solid ground but 5 yards farther back, Cameron opted not to.
"We were concerned about the distance and the field," he said. "Considering that and because
we thought we had a good play, we decided to go for it."
Rookie quarterback John Beck was sacked and fumbled on the next play.
Feely was lobbying Cameron to kick a second time.
Asked about his chances, he said, "In those conditions, about 50-50, but I wanted to try."
It was a bitter defeat for the Dolphins (0-11), who lost for the fifth time by three points.
"I thought we could shock the world tonight," said Porter. "I really thought we could win."
They came about as close as possible to doing just that.
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11/27/2007
Ward helps bail out 'Monday Night Mushball'
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Ward helps bail out 'Monday Night Mushball'
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
So on a night when no offensive player on either team could make any kind of play, at least
any kind of play that could impact a football game that resembled two teams trying to
strangle each other in a bathtub, Hines Ward turned in the absolute best version of
competence.
To no one's surprise.
On a modest yet decisive drive at the dreary end of a scoreless night, Ward caught three Ben
Roethlisberger passes in succession for 38 yards that milked the only real opportunity for
points from a balky offense on a near-impossible track.
"The defensive backs were worried about falling down, because one breakdown would win
it," Ward said in the minutes after the Steelers slid to 8-3. "I told Willie [Parker], just protect
the ball. At that point, for a receiver, it just becomes about route-running and getting some
separation.
"That last drive, that's really all you could ask of any offense in these conditions."
The Steelers started the winning drive at the Miami 42, the fifth time they took possession
inside Dolphin territory, this one with 4:13 remaining in the game.
On second-and-8 from the 40, Roethlisberger found Ward with perhaps his best separation of
the night, floating in the Miami zone. Hines hydroplaned for 21 yards to the Dolphins' 19.
Parker gained 9 yards to the 10 on the first-down play, but Heath Miller got flagged for his
second holding penalty of the game, dragging the offense back to the 29. Roethlisberger
looked to Ward again, zipping one to him in the right flat for 6 yards to the 23, but it was still
second-and-14 on a night when 14 yards equaled one mile.
"Hey Hines," Ward quoted Ben. "Just make a play for me. Make a play."
Ward curled free again in the fast-panicked Miami defense, leaking free for an 11-yard pass
that put the ball at the muck of the 12, or its general vicinity.
Mike Tomlin walked up to Jeff Reed on the sideline, revealing a plan that involved, of all
people, Willie Reid. Tomlin speaks often of "been there, done that guys," but he was thinking
of Reid, the second-year wideout from Florida State, who's more of a "been here, done
what?" guy.
"He told me they were going to try something with Willie to get the first down," Reed said,
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Ward helps bail out 'Monday Night Mushball'
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"but that if it didn't work, he was going to me."
On third-and-3 from the 12, Roethlisberger took a no-step drop and whirled to his right,
hurling a fastball at Reid parallel to the line of scrimmage. Reid took it in the stomach and
lanced 6 yards to the 6.
The Steelers would run three more plays, but there was only 1 yard left in the offense. On
fourth-and-goal from the 6, Reed punched home a 24-yard field goal that saved the Steelers
several metric tons of national embarrassment.
Don't look now, but the Steelers have suddenly gone 99 minutes and four seconds without
scoring a touchdown, the last 60 of which are fresh in the consciousness of anyone who
watched Monday Night Mushball against the winless Miami Dolphins.
That Reed somehow launched a winning field goal off a playing surface with the consistency
of day-old sponge cake left on the side porch during a cloudburst is not terribly encouraging
this morning. On a night perfect for fish, the Dolphins remained so perfectly awful that they
still lost to a Steelers team that can't keep its quarterback upright and either can't or won't
sustain a ground game.
In other words, nothing that ailed the Steelers in the hours after losing in overtime to the
almost equally awful New York Jets a week ago has been cured, no matter how many caveats
get offered up over Heinz Field's dubious playing surface.
Held without a touchdown by a Miami team that was fielding its 11th different starting
defensive lineup in as many games, the Steelers are now 9-for-their-last-28 on third down,
with Roethlisberger getting sacked 12 times in the past two weeks. He went to the floor five
more times last night against a team that had only 12 sacks in 10 games at kickoff.
But for all of their evident offensive problems, they still have a wideout who happens to be
the only Steelers wideout ever elected to four Pro Bowls, and you don't get that just for your
sunny disposition. Although, yeah, he has got that, too.
Ward caught nine passes last night for 88 yards, helped Ben to an improbable 18 for 21, and
effectively threw this team whatever kind of life preserver was necessary to avoid a firstplace tie with the Cleveland Browns. And you thought that turf was ugly.
Gene Collier can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263-1283.
First published on November 27, 2007 at 1:27 am
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11/27/2007
Brown: Steelers splash past Dolphins - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 3
Steelers splash past Dolphins
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Weather delayed the opening kickoff Monday night by almost half an hour.
It could be argued that the Steelers' offense didn't show up until much later than
that, if at all.
The Steelers overcame a sluggish offensive effort and bad weather to beat the
Miami Dolphins, 3-0, in front of 57,704 fans at soggy Heinz Field.
The Steelers did not score until there were 17 seconds left in the game and Jeff
Reed booted a 24-yard field goal.
"It was a test of our character," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "It's a great
win."
The Steelers improved to 8-3 with the victory and maintained a one-game lead
over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North. They play the Cincinnati Bengals
next Sunday night at Heinz Field.
The win over the only NFL team without a victory this season was anything but
easy.
The Steelers never got going offensively, and the weather -- rain pelted the field
before and during the game -- may have had something to do with that, as well
as the conservative game plan.
Willie Parker rushed for 81 yards and went over the 1,000-yard mark for the
third consecutive season. That accomplishment qualified as one of the few
highlights for the Steelers' offense, though Hines Ward did catch a season-high
nine passes for 88 yards, and Ben Roethlisberger completed 18-of-21 passes
for 165 yards.
"I think Hines Ward was big," Tomlin said. "We needed every one of those
catches."
The Steelers showed no indication that they have shaken their offensive
malaise.
They were as sloppy as the playing surface at road-soaked Heinz Field,
particularly in the first half. Their offense spent the first two quarters in Dolphins'
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Brown: Steelers splash past Dolphins - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 2 of 3
territory but didn't manage any points because of costly penalties and a
Roethlisberger interception.
Roethlisberger drove the Steelers down the field on the first possession, but he
made an ill-advised throw to Ward. Former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, of
all players, picked him off at the Miami 21.
The other drives stalled when penalties nullified significant gains on third down.
"In those weather conditions, you can't ask anybody to go out and put up great
(statistics)," Ward said. "The offensive linemen were losing their feet, guys were
falling down. We just stayed the course and found a way to win the ballgame."
Mistakes were the story of the first half for the Steelers' offense, but the
defense was its usual stout self.
The Steelers limited the Dolphins to just three first downs and 71 yards of total
offense in the first half.
Pittsburgh's defense set it up with excellent field position late in the third quarter
after forcing Miami to punt from its end zone.
The Steelers moved to the Miami 25-yard line, but the Dolphins stuffed running
back Najeh Davenport on a third-and-1 and Reed hooked a 44-yard field goal
attempt.
John Beck, making his second career NFL start, drove the Dolphins down the
field following Reed's miss. The Dolphins moved deep enough into Steelers
territory for Jay Feely to attempt a 37-yard field goal.
The Steelers blocked the kick, but Miami was called for delay of game.
With the field making it almost impossible to kick a field goal, Miami (0-11) went
for it on fourth down and James Harrison sacked Beck, causing a fumble that
Aaron Smith recovered at the Steelers' 30-yard line.
After a Steelers punt, the Dolphins again were unable to do anything offensively
and had to punt from their end zone.
Allen Rossum fielded the punt near midfield and returned it to the 42.
The Steelers went on the move.
A holding penalty by Heath Miller negated a Parker run that would have given
the Steelers the ball inside the Dolphins' 10-yard line.
But Roethlisberger didn't flinch. He completed several passes, including one to
Willie Reid on third down.
He got the Steelers close enough for Reed to kick the short game-winning field
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Brown: Steelers splash past Dolphins - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 3 of 3
goal.
"On that field, if you could call it a perfect spot, that's where I kicked my kick,"
Reed said. "It was actually decently firm. That's why I hit it like a normal kick.
I'm just glad we came out on top."
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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11/27/2007
Harris: Faneca facing reality with Dolphins' Porter - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
Faneca facing reality with Dolphins' Porter
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
If I'm Alan Faneca, I'd notify Steelers management right away of my willingness
to play for the black and gold next season -- if I haven't done so already.
If I'm Steelers management, and I witnessed the Miami Dolphins defense toy
with what passed for an NFL offensive line Monday night on the cow pasture
disguised as Heinz Field, I'd be all ears.
Surely, Faneca, the six-time Pro Bowl guard, experienced a pang of nostalgia
and a hefty dose of reality when he came face-to-face with former teammate
and current Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter.
Porter played his first NFL game in Pittsburgh when he wasn't wearing a
Steelers uniform. Big contract aside, No. 55 -- who played his best game of the
season against his old team -- is a telling example of life away from the
Steelers.
A salary cap casualty, Porter has a big, new contract with Miami. He's also still
seeking his first win of the season with the 0-11 Dolphins following the Steelers'
ugly 3-0 win.
The Dolphins stink -- no matter how hard and inspired they played last night.
As for Porter -- who was known as a leader and a winner with the Steelers -- he
may be forced to finish his career playing for a loser.
This isn't the legacy that Porter was anticipating. Nor is it how Faneca envisions
his career ending.
An unrestricted free agent, Faneca has indicated on several occasions he
wants to finish his career with the Steelers. By most accounts, that's unlikely to
occur.
Last spring, Faneca expressed anger and remorse that the Steelers didn't offer
him a contract extension at a price tag he believed he deserved. Faneca went
so far as to say the offer he received was insulting.
Since that time, however, Faneca has softened his stance and expressed a
desire to remain with the Steelers.
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Harris: Faneca facing reality with Dolphins' Porter - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 2 of 2
That leaves one remaining loophole for Faneca, who needs to find a way to get
back in the good graces of Steelers' management.
To do so, he must be willing to accept a contract extension for lesser numbers
than he was seeking.
There's no way that management will pay top dollar for an offensive lineman
who turns 31 in December -- no way, no how.
Observing Porter upon his return to Heinz Field should have been therapeutic
for Faneca.
To be sure, Porter needed to leave the Steelers to obtain the contract he
desired, but at what cost?
They say money doesn't buy happiness. In Porter's case, it hasn't bought him a
single victory in 2007.
Faneca could potentially face the same dilemma: remain with the Steelers and
play for less money, or leave the Steelers for more money and fewer victories.
Going head-to-head against his former teammate last night may have provided
Faneca with some insight into his own future.
It just may have shown him that, at least upon first glance, playing with a new
team for more money isn't all that it's cranked up to be.
John Harris can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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11/27/2007
Steelers' Smith out for Dolphins game - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 1
Notebook: Steelers' Smith out for Dolphins game
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
• Steelers left tackle Marvel Smith did not play Monday night against the Miami
Dolphins. The eight-year veteran was not listed as an injury scratch and was
not with the other Steelers players that were inactive for the game and in the
Heinz Field press box. Max Starks started in Smith's place at left tackle. Trai
Essex, who was active for the first time this season, served as the backup at
both left and right tackle. It was Starks' first career start at left tackle. Dan
Kreider started at fullback.
• Strong safety Troy Polamalu (knee), wide receiver Santonio Holmes (ankle)
and outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley (hamstring) didn't play because of
injuries. Joining them on the inactive list were running back Gary Russell,
center Marvin Philip, center/guard Darnell Stapleton and quarterback Brian St.
Pierre.
• Running back Ricky Williams appeared in his first NFL game last night since
2005, and he played most of the second quarter even though Jesse Chatman
started for the Dolphins. Williams, who has failed at least four drug tests since
the Dolphins traded for him in 2002, was recently reinstated by NFL
commissioner Roger Goodell. The Dolphins activated Williams, who led the
NFL in rushing in 2002, for last night's game. Williams got into the game late in
the first quarter and rushed for 15 yards on six carries in the first half. Williams
left the game late in the first half with a shoulder injury.
• Bad weather delayed the start of the game by 25 minutes. Both teams were
cleared from the field shortly after 8 p.m. because of lightning. The game kicked
off just before 9 p.m.
Digits
142 - Games in which wide receiver Hines Ward has caught at least one pass,
extending a team record.
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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11/27/2007
Starkey: Heinz Field surface 'like a beach' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
Heinz Field surface 'like a beach'
By Joe Starkey
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
About two hours before Monday night's game against the Miami Dolphins,
Steelers kicker Jeff Reed looked at the freshly resodded Heinz Field playing
surface and said, "It (stinks)."
To be sure, the field wasn't going to win any beauty contests. It was
pockmarked and water-logged and every bit as brown as it was green.
"Unbelievable," was how Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger later
described it.
"Terrible," said receiver Hines Ward.
"It was like playing on the beach," said Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter.
It also led to at least one memorable play -- a punt by Miami's Brandon Fields
that traveled 38 yards in the air before sticking nose-first in the mud late in the
third quarter.
Through three quarters, neither team had scored. That made it the first NFL
game since 1998 and one of two in the past 20 years to go that long without a
point.
The Steelers finally prevailed, 3-0, on Reed's 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds
left in regulation.
Even though players kicked up water and clumps of grass, they did not lose
their footing as regularly as one might have expected from looking at the pregame conditions.
Players often were able to cut, albeit gingerly, without major problems. One
example was a 33-yard punt return by the Steelers' Allen Rossum late in the
second quarter. Rossum sprinted all the way across the field, then cut up the
seam.
The first full resodding of the seven-year-old field began Saturday afternoon
after the Pitt-South Florida game -- and four WPIAL championship games on
Friday -- and was completed late Sunday night. The new sod will remain in
place for the rest of the season, after which the Steelers are expected to
consider replacing their mostly natural grass surface with grass-like artificial
turf.
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Starkey: Heinz Field surface 'like a beach' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Page 2 of 2
During the resodding, an additional layer of sod -- 2 1/2 acres worth in 4-feetby-25-feet pieces -- was placed over the DD Grassmaster, the original surface
that consists mainly of grass and is tied to the ground.
An all-day rain provided a stiff challenge to the grounds crew, even though the
field was covered with a tarp. When workers removed the tarp 70 minutes
before kickoff, a muddy, tattered surface, dotted with oblong puddles -- some
longer than 5 yards -- lay underneath.
"Once the water gets underneath the field, it's like a marsh," Ward said.
Workers soon emerged with rakes and shovels and cleared as much water as
they could. They dumped sand on the deeper puddles.
To compound matters, lightning caused a delay of the start time, from shortly
after 8:30 to 8:55.
Both coaches were wary of attempting field goals. Reed's plant foot appeared
to give way on a missed 44-yarder with 29 seconds remaining in the third
quarter. The ball sailed wide left. Miami went for it on 4th-and-11 at the Steelers
25 with 11:26 left in the game, rather than attempt a 42-yard field goal.
Roethlisberger somehow managed to complete 18 of 21 passes.
"It was muddy," he said. "But it was fun."
Joe Starkey can be reached at [email protected] or 412-320-7810.
Images and text copyright © 2007 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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11/27/2007
.: Print Version :.
Page 1 of 2
Print Page
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2007 :: Last modified: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 1:40 AM EST
Line plays better despite slop
By Chris Harlan, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Max Starks’ thoughts went back to college while he sloshed through the mud at
Heinz Field.
“It was a little rough, it reminded me of ‘The Swamp’ back in Florida,” said Starks, who was still
wiping sand from his mouth in the Steelers locker room after Monday night’s 3-0 victory over the
Miami Dolphins.
Willie Colon had to think back even farther.
“The only thing I can compare that to was in high school when we played the Turkey Bowl,” Colon
said. “That was the worst I’ve ever seen. You couldn’t even move. Walking on the field, I felt like I
was stepping in fox holes.”
These were less-than-ideal circumstances for an offensive line wanting to prove it can still protect the
quarterback. With Starks replacing an injured Marvel Smith at left tackle, the group allowed five
sacks, including one that caused Ben Roethlisberger to fumble, but, still, the line showed
improvement — even if its play wasn’t always pretty.
“It was tough to really be technically sound,” Colon said. “We knew it was going to be a grind.
They’re not an easy defense no matter what the statistics say. First we had Cleveland, then we had
the Jets and then we’ve got them. They’ve all got guys up front that can get it done.”
The group shouldered most of the blame for last weekend’s overtime loss to the New York Jets for
failing to protect Roethlisberger.
The Jets sacked Roethlisberger seven times, exposing weaknesses in the Steelers offensive line.
Miami tried to replicate that pressure, rushing from different angles and at times blitzing cornerbacks.
Colon said he expects every team to try that against them after watching film of that game in the
Meadowlands.
“We would,” Colon said. “It only makes sense that they would do the same thing.”
Roethlisberger completed 18 of 21 passes for 165 yards and moved the Steelers 36 yards — mostly
through the air — on the game-winning drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal by Jeff Reed.
The mud certainly didn’t help.
Sod had been placed over Heinz Field’s surface on Saturday, covering the clumpy grass that has
caused problems all season. The new grass, though, turned to mud when heavy rains soaked
Pittsburgh for a couple hours leading up to Monday night’s game.
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That caused several slip and falls by linemen.
Near the goal lines, it was difficult for either team to pass block.
In that area is where the final sack of Roethlisberger came with the Steelers facing a third-and-goal
in the fourth quarter at the Miami 5-yard line. The Dolphins rushed more than the Steelers could
block, forcing Roethlisberger to scramble for a 1-yard loss on the pass play.
“It was easier to run block in certain situations,” Starks said, “depending on where on the field you
were. The 50-yard line was just a big pile of mush. Inside the 20s on both sides was a mush pit. … In
those spots it was pretty tough.”
On the next play, Reed kicked the game-winner with 17 seconds left. Reed’s kick came toward the
stadium’s closed end. Both Reed and Dolphins kicker Jay Feely missed kicks toward the open end.
However, Feely’s kick was erased by a penalty.
When the rain was falling, both teams tried to run the football.
Running back Willie Parker had 24 carries for 81 yards, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the third
time in his four-year career. Parker, who had complained about Heinz Field’s old surface, adjusted
well to the new surface.
“Willie did exceptionally well,” Starks said. “He saw the holes and he just hit them as hard as he can
because you’re not going to get too many cutbacks on the field tonight. It’s just one of those games
where you have to go straight ahead.”
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New sod didn't matter at Heinz Field
By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers’ best-laid plans were literally washed down the drain.
In an attempt to improve the footing for Monday night’s game against the visiting Miami Dolphins,
the Steelers installed 2.5 acres of new sod at Heinz Field over the weekend. But because of heavy
rainstorms that poured down on western Pennsylvania virtually all day Monday, the new turf was
basically a waste.
At least it was for this game.
Heavy rains saturated the new turf, which was brought it from Hammonton, N.J., where Tuckahoe
Turf Farms is based.
In fact, when players took the field around 7:45 p.m. for the start of pre-game warm-ups, the rain
had obliterated goal lines, end lines, side lines and yard lines. Even the Steelers’ midfield logo was
barely legible.
At 7:55 p.m., a giant bolt of lightning flashed over the stadium, and by 8:06, NFL officials suspended
the opening kickoff from 8:30 to 8:55 p.m.
Because of the inclement weather, the singing of the national anthem was canceled (Vince Neil of
Motley Crue had been scheduled to sing the national anthem.)
The Steelers decided to install the new sod after four WPIAL championship games and the South
Florida-Pitt game were played at Heinz Field’s on Friday and Saturday.
The new sod was laid on top of the existing surface, DD GrassMaster. The process started
immediately after the South Florida-Pitt game ended Saturday afternoon and continued into the wee
hours of Sunday night.
The sod, delivered by air-conditioned trucks, came in rolls that were 4 feet wide, 25 feet long, and
nearly 4 inches thick. Each roll weighed nearly 2,000 pounds.
The existing DD GrassMaster surface — which features strands of artificial grass woven into a field
composed mostly of real grass — was not removed. But for the rest of this year, it will be covered
with sod.
Cost for the new sod was roughly $100,000.
“Cost is not a factor,” said Jimmie Sacco, the executive director for Heinz Field management. “It’s
about providing a good field for both teams.”
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A tarpaulin covered the new sod until 7:16 p.m. Monday when the grounds crew began removing it
so players from both teams could take part in pre-game warm-ups.
Once the game finally began, both teams had a tough time with footing throughout the first half.
However, when the rains stopped, the conditions did improve for the second half.
Ever since Heinz Field opened in 2001, there have been constant problems with the grass. Not even
the DD GrassMaster surface, installed before the 2003 seasons, could solve the problem.
The situation has gotten so bad that there are rumors that the Steelers will install FieldTurf at Heinz
Field next year. FieldTurf is a popular brand of artificial turf used in many pro and college stadiums.
Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ first-year coach, has often said he doesn’t worry about such matters as
field conditions or weather because they’re the same for both teams.
“It’s part of playing football in December and January, when you play where we play,” Tomlin said of
the field conditions at Heinz Field. “As long as we deal with it better than our opponent, I love our
field.”
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Column: Now comes real test for Steelers
By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Now that the Steelers showed that they won’t allow two patsies to beat them back to
back, we now turn our attention to the home stretch.
December is right around the corner — and what a month of football it promises to be.
For as interesting as the Steelers’ 8-3 season has unfolded so far — they followed an embarrassing
loss to the New York Jets (2-9) by keeping the Miami Dolphins (0-11) winless Monday night — it
promises to be even more intriguing over the next few weeks.
Do the Steelers, who lead the AFC North by one game over the surging Cleveland Browns (7-4), have
what it takes to finish the job?
Or will the Browns claim the division title and force the Steelers to make the Super Bowl tournament
as a wild card?
Are the Steelers, even though they’ve already put eight wins in the hopper, a lock to make the
playoffs?
The truth of the matter is we just don’t know on all three counts.
That’s because in the next five weeks, the Steelers will be challenged each time they tee it up. They
have one the toughest remaining schedules of any team in the league.
Check it out:
l Sunday night, they host the Cincinnati Bengals (4-7), who are coming off their most impressive win
over the season: a 35-6 romp over the Tennessee Titans.
l On Dec. 9 in Foxborough, Mass., there’s the long-waited game between the Steelers and the mighty
New England Patriots (11-0), who are being hailed by some as the most dominant team in NFL
history.
l On Dec. 16, the Steelers host the red-hot Jacksonsville Jaguars, who, at 8-3, still have a shot to
unseat the Indianapolis Colts (9-2) in the AFC South.
l On Dec. 20, a Thursday night affair in St. Louis, the Steelers play a 2-9 Rams team that after an 0-8
start, has won two of its last three.
l Then on Dec. 30 in Baltimore, the Steelers play their most hated rivals. At 4-7, Ravens obviously
aren’t the contenders most NFL experts envisioned they’d be. But considering the hatred between the
two teams, the Ravens would like nothing more to put a damper on the Steelers’ playoff hopes.
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How many of those five games will the Steelers win?
Again, it’s hard to predict.
They’re 6-0 at home so far this season. But they’ve lost to Jacksonville in each of the past two
seasons. And in the Bengals’ last four visits to Heinz Field, they’ve won three times.
They’re 2-3 on the road — that ugly loss to the Jets included — and prone to struggle away from the
friendly confines of the Heinz Field.
So at 8-3, the Steelers haven’t accomplished anything yet.
That’s what makes December so captivating for the Steelers.
Ultimately, that’s when we’ll find out just what these Steelers are made of.
Mike Bires can be reached online at [email protected].
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Steelers Notes: Williams' return short-lived
By Chris Harlan, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Ricky Williams’ much-anticipated return didn’t go quite as the Miami Dolphins had
hoped.
Williams, the team’s often-suspended running back, left in the second quarter Monday night with a
shoulder injury suffered while trying to recover a fumble. The 30-year-old former No. 1 pick rushed
six times for 15 yards.
Williams, the 2002 rushing champion, was playing his first game in more than a year and a half. He’d
been suspended by the NFL, having tested positive for marijuana at least four times since being
traded to Miami in 2002.
The NFL reinstated Williams on Nov. 14.
Jesse Chatman started at running back for Miami, but Williams entered with Miami facing a third-and4 at its own 20 late in the scoreless first quarter. He ran for a 5-yard gain on first down, but combine
for one yard on his next two carries.
Williams fumbled on his final run, having been stripped of the football by Steelers linebacker James
Farrior. Steelers rookie Lawrence Timmons recovered the fumble first.
Chatman later left with a neck injury.
Williams rushed for 3,225 yards in his first two seasons in Miami (2002, 2003). A temporary
retirement saw him sit out the 2004 season, but he returned in 2005 to rush for 743 yards.
MILESTONES
Willie Parker reached two milestones on the same third-quarter run.
Parker topped the 1,000-yard mark for the third-time in his four-year career and moved into eighth
on the Steelers all-time rushing list, passing Hall of Fame running back Rocky Bleier who retired with
3,865 yards.
Parker rushed for 1,494 yards in 2006 and 1,202 in 2005.
STARTERS SITTING
Left tackle Marvel Smith was inactive for Monday’s game, replaced in the Steelers starting lineup by
Max Starks. Smith, one of three starters to miss the game, was sidelined with a back injury.
Also inactive were SS Troy Polamalu (knee), WR Santonio Holmes (ankle), LB LaMarr Woodley
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(hamstring), RB Gary Russell, C/G Marvin Philip, C/G Darnell Stapleton and third QB Brian St. Pierre.
Nate Washington started in place of Holmes, and Tyrone Carter started in place of Polamalu.
Inactive for the Dolphins were WR Kerry Reed, RB Lorenzo Booker, S Jereme Perry, S Tuff Harris, LB
Zach Thomas, DT Anthony Bryant, DE Rob Ninkovich and DE Matt Roth. Donnie Spragan started in
place of Thomas, and Rodrique Wright started in place of Roth.
CHEAP TICKETS
Monday’s heavy rains put a damper on ticket scalpers around Heinz Field who were offering tickets
for the nationally televised night game for as little as $20. The announced attendance was 57,704.
Kickoff was delayed 25 minutes from the typical 8:30 p.m. start because of lightning.
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Porter one of many storylines for Dolphins
By John Perrotto, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Few bad NFL teams have ever entered a late-November game with more storylines
than the Miami Dolphins did on Monday night.
In fact, the Dolphins seemingly had more storylines than the rain-ruined sod at Heinz Field had
visible yard lines as the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers eked out a 3-0 win on Jeff Reed’s 24-yard
field goal with 17 seconds left.
The Dolphins entered with a 0-10 record, leaving them six losses short of becoming only the second
team in modern NFL history to go through a season winless. Those immortal 1976 Tampa Bay
Buccaneers hold that distinction.
The Dolphins, who have lost six games by three points or less, now only have five chances left to
keep from going down in infamy.
“It’s was a great football game and I thought we played well,” Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said.
“Unfortunately, one field goal was enough on a nigh like this.”
Then there was the story of Joey Porter returning to Pittsburgh for the first time since the Steelers
gave him the boot at the end of last season by failing to offer a contract to him as a free agent. After
eight seasons as the Steelers’ most outspoken and demonstrative player, the three-time Pro Bowl
linebacker was more than ready to face his old team.
“Joey was all cranked up to begin with. When the crowd booed him at the start of the game, you
knew he was going to have a big game,” Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder said.
Finally, there was the return of former Pro Bowl running back Ricky Williams to the Dolphins’ lineup.
Williams was reinstated by the NFL a little more than a week earlier after being suspended for all of
the 2006 season and the first 10 games this season because of failed drug tests.
Williams, in his first action since a foray to the Canadian Football League last fall, managed just 15
yards on six careers and did not play in the second half because of strained pectoral muscle.
On a wet and miserable night, Porter enjoyed himself. He jawed at his old teammates from the
opening whistle to the final gun and did his trademark “Boot,” a dismissive kicking motion, after
every big play he or his defensive teammates made.
“I had fun and football is supposed to be fun,” Porter said. “The only disappointing part is that we
lost. With the field conditions being what they were, it really leveled things and I thought it was going
to allow us to shock the world tonight. We almost shocked the world and it was fun giving the
Steelers a scare.”
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Porter made his presence felt early as he ended the first possession of the game by intercepting Ben
Roethlisberger and returning it 14 yards to the Miami 35-yard line.
Porter made another big play on Roethlisberger early in the second period, stopping the quarterback
2 yards short of a first down on a third-and-3 scramble with an ankle tackle. The Dolphins then
forced the Steelers to turn the ball over on the down by stopping Najeh Davenport for a 1-yard loss
at the Pittsburgh 41-yard line.
Porter was booed every time public address announcer Randy Cosgrove called his name, and he
wasn’t surprised.
“I’m on the other team now and I was coming back to hostile territory,” Porter said. “I wouldn’t have
expected anything else.”
The Steelers seemed to have nearly as much fun with Porter.
Linebacker Larry Foote did the “Boot” after a couple of tackles, and safety Anthony Smith got in on
the mimicry multiple times following big defensive plays by the Steelers. Wide receiver Hines Ward
even got into the act once, though his “Boot” was premature as a first-down catch was wiped out by
a holding penalty.
“I knew that was going to happen,” Porter said. “I talked to a lot of guys during warm-ups. I knew
they were going to have some fun with me. It’s all part of the game.”
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Steelers 3, Dolphins 0: Reed's game-winning kick only points in
survival of the driest
Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — On a slick, wet track more conducive to a mud-slinging competition, the Steelers
slipped and slid their way to the lowest scoring victory in franchise history.
It was a sloppy, rain-soaked win over the winless Miami Dolphins. But it was a win that kept the
Steelers in sole possession of first place in the AFC North Division.
Jeff Reed accounted for the only points Monday night in the Steelers’ 3-0 decision at Heinz Field by
booting a 24-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to play.
“It was bad out there, real bad,” Reed said. “It was a like walking in a swamp. It was a lot like that
game we played in the hurricane down there a few years ago.”
Reed was referring to a 13-3 win at Dolphins Stadium on Sept. 26, 2004 in which rookie quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger made his pro start.
“It was like playing at the beach,” said Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter, the ex-Steeler.
“Hey, that’s Pittsburgh,” Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. “The weather and the field aren’t
going to be perfect all the time.”
Reed’s game-winning field goal capped the second-lowest scoring game in franchise history. It was
surpassed only by a 0-0 tie in 1933 when the Steelers, then known as the Pirates, battled the
Cincinnati Reds to a scoreless stalemate,
The last time an NFL game ended 0-0 was on Nov. 11, 1943 when the Detroit Lions tied the New
York Giants.
“There’s a first time for everything,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Monday night’s experience.
By winning, the Steelers improved to 8-3 and maintained their one-game lead over the Cleveland
Browns (7-4) in the AFC North Division
The Dolphins fell to 0-11 and continued their pace toward the NFL’s first winless season since the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 0-14 in 1976.
“It was a test of our character tonight,” Tomlin said. “It took 59-plus minutes to get that one done.
The conditions were tough. But they were the same for both teams. So it was a great win. We’ll stack
that one with the rest of them and move forward.”
The Steelers failed to take advantage of excellent field position several times in the game, including
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three times in the second quarter.
After Brandon Fields shanked a 22-yard punt, the Steelers took over the Dolphins’ 48-yard line.
But the Steelers went three plays and out.
Moments later, running back Ricky Williams, playing for the first time in 18 months due to a
substance abuse suspension, fumbled the ball away at midfield.
On a third-and-7 call, Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger threw to wide receiver Hines Ward for
19 yards, but running back Najeh Davenport was called for holding. A play later, the Steelers punted.
Then after a 33-yard punt return by Allen Rossum, the Steelers started out on the Miami 47-yard
line. But once again, the offense couldn’t take advantage and was forced to punt.
Both the Dolphins and Steelers had scoring chances in the third quarter.
The Dolphins advanced as far as the Steelers’ 26-yard line. But the Steelers’ top-ranked defense
stiffened, and on fourth-and-1, quarterback John Beck was sacked by blitzing inside linebackers
James Farrior and Larry Foote.
Late in the third quarter, the Steelers had a third-and-1 from the Miami 25. But Davenport was
stuffed for a loss of 1. Reed then missed a 44-yard field goal in the swampy slush, not even coming
close.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins advanced as far as the Steelers’ 20-yard line. After Beck
threw incomplete on third-and-6, Jay Feely came into try a 38-yard field goal.
Feely’s kick was blocked. But just before Feely kicked, the Dolphins were called for delay of game.
So coach Cam Cameron sent his offense back onto the field, but on fourth-and-11, Beck was sacked
by outside linebacker James Harrison.
“Anytime you hold someone scoreless, regardless of the conditions, it’s a great performance,” Tomlin
said of the Steelers’ second shutout of the season (they blanked the Seattle Seahawks, 21-0, on Oct.
7).
“Any time you put a put a doughnut on a team, it’s big,” Steelers linebacker Larry Foote said.
“Tonight, we showed we can play tough (defense) in any type of condition.”
Offensively, Roethlisberger completed 18 of 21 passes for 165 yards.
Ward caught nine passes for 88 yards.
And running back Willie Parker surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season on a 2-yard gain in the
third quarter. Parker finished with 81 rushing yards.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win,” Reed said. “We’re 8-3.”
The 0-0 first-half tie marked the first time since last year’s Sept. 18 game in Jacksonville that the
Steelers played in a game in which neither team scored after the first 30 minutes of play. The
Jaguars won that game, 9-0.
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Steelers don't let this one slip away
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Steelers don't let this one slip away
By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer
[email protected]
PITTSBURGH - A 25-minute delay because of lightning.
Players slipping and sliding all over a sloppy field.
The return of linebacker Joey Porter - a member of the Steelers' 75th Anniversary team - to Heinz Field.
Monday night's game between the Steelers and Miami Dolphins featured a little bit of everything except points.
The Steelers resodded Heinz Field following Saturday's Pitt game against South Florida.
Apparently, nobody checked the weather reports.
The new sod, which was laid on top of the old playing surface, failed to drain properly. As a result, the
footing at Heinz Field, which is normally treacherous at this time of year, was worse than usual.
The result was a game in which the scoring opportunities were few.
And it helped level the playing field between the NFL's only winless team, the Dolphins, and the leaders
of the AFC North, the Steelers.
Miami, a 16-point underdog, gave the Steelers everything they could handle in the sloppy, wet and
windy conditions, but Pittsburgh pulled out a 3-0 victory on Jeff Reed's 24-yard field goal with 17
seconds remaining.
The victory improved the Steelers' record to 8-3 and kept them a game ahead of Cleveland in the AFC
North, while Miami (0-11) lost its 14th consecutive game dating back to last season.
It seemed as if the game would end in the first scoreless tie in Pittsburgh history since a 1933 game
between the Steelers - then known as the Pirates - played to a stalemate with Cincinnati, then known as
the Reds.
Neither team showed much interest in scoring until a botched Miami field-goal attempt changed the tone
of the game.
The Dolphins attempted a 37-yard field goal by Jay Feeley with 11:26 remaining and the kick was
partially blocked. But the Dolphins were penalized for delay of game prior to the snap, and instead of
attempting a 42-yard field goal, Miami tried to convert the first down.
Steelers linebacker James Harrison sacked rookie quarterback John Beck - making his second career
NFL start - and forced a fumble that was recovered by Aaron Smith at the Pittsburgh 30-yard line to
keep Miami scoreless.
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The Steelers, however, were unable to use the momentum to their favor. Pittsburgh punted after driving
to the Miami 33 when quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was sacked on third down.
Daniel Sepulveda's punt was fair-caught at the Miami 10 and the Dolphins went backwards from there,
punting from their own 5.
Pittsburgh took over at the Miami 42 with 4:13 remaining. On second-and-eight, Roethlisberger hit
Hines Ward with a 21-yard pass down the seam to the Miami 19.
A holding penalty on tight end Heath Miller moved the ball back to the 29, but Roethlisberger and Ward
hooked up two more times for six and 11 yards to put the ball at the Miami 12 for a third-and-three play.
Roethlisberger then threw a six-yard pass to Willie Reid on a wide receiver screen - the quarterback's
15th consecutive completion - before throwing incomplete to Willie Parker in the corner of the end
zone.
Parker ran the ball to the 5 before Roethlisberger was sacked for a one-yard loss on third down to set up
Reed's game-winner.
It was a fitting end to a game that featured little offense and few scoring opportunities.
Pittsburgh took the opening possession of the game and moved to the Miami 25, but Roethlisberger,
who completed 18 of 21 for 165 yards, was intercepted by Porter.
That would be it for scoring opportunities until the Steelers attempted a 44-yard field goal on the nextto-last play of the third quarter. Reed's kick missed badly to the left.
Odds and end zones
Starting left tackle Marvel Smith was a last-minute scratch for the Steelers after suffering back spasms
Monday. Max Starks started in his place. ... Parker went over 1,000 yards rushing, his third consecutive
1,000-yard season. He gained 81 yards on 24 carries. ... Only Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis have
more 1,00-yard seasons than Parker in team history. ... Parker also moved past Rocky Bleier into
seventh place on Pittsburgh's all-time rushing list. Bleier had 3,271 yards. ... The Dolphins had only 150
total yards compared to 216 for the Steelers.
Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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What a long, strange, anthemless night at soggy Heinz
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What a long, strange, anthemless night at soggy
Heinz
PITTSBURGH - It was a weird kind of night at Heinz Field for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami
Dolphins.
How weird?
Not only was the start of the game delayed by lightning - in late November? - forcing both teams off the
field until 10 minutes before the scheduled kickoff, but for maybe the first time in NFL history, the
national anthem was not sung prior to the start of the game.
Apparently, with the rain pounding the already soft and newly installed Heinz Field turf and many fans
still fighting their way through the gates, the NFL decided to skip having former Motley Crue lead
singer Vince Neil sing, so as not to tear up the surface.
Things only went downhill from there.
The new turf, which was installed following Pitt's game Saturday against South Florida, was laid over
the old turf.
Bad idea.
While the old field was beat up after hosting four WPIAL playoff games and a college game in two
days, the one thing it did do well was drain.
With two layers of turf to drain through, the water pooled on the new field, forcing the ground crew to
dump hundreds of pounds of a drying substance on the fresh grass.
The freshly painted field apparently was too fresh. The lines washed off and were repainted after the
players went back into the locker room. Those lines washed off as well. They could have picked any
open field in Khedive, painted the Steelers logo in the middle, put up a pair of goalposts and played the
game there and nobody would have known the difference.
The game finally started at 8:55 p.m., and the truly strange things began.
With the playing surface looking more like a swamp than a football field, neither offense was able to
muster much of an attack.
The footing was treacherous and the ball was always wet.
The offenses treated the game like it was a sudden-death overtime contest. The first team to score was
going to win.
Joey Porter, cast off by the Steelers in the offseason in a cost-cutting move, intercepted a Ben
Roethlisberger pass to end Pittsburgh's opening possession.
It was Porter's first interception at Heinz Field since he picked off a pass in the 2006 regular season
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opener while playing for the Steelers against - you guessed it - the Dolphins.
If that wasn't enough, Lawrence Timmons, the player the Steelers selected in the first round of this year's
draft in an effort to replace Porter, saw his first action of the season on defense.
Timmons, who had played only on special teams, entered in the pass defense packages as a replacement
for safety Troy Polamalu.
The interesting thing is, Timmons is a linebacker.
He tackled Dolphins running back Ricky Williams on his first play. Later, he recovered a Jesse Chatman
fumble.
It was that kind of night at Heinz Field.
The halftime act, the Milford Mill Academy band - which travelled here from Baltimore - was forced to
perform its show along the sideline while the ground crew feverishly worked to re-paint yard lines.
Hey, if they weren't going to let Vince Neil walk out there to sing the national anthem, then they
certainly weren't going to allow a group of high school kids, even if they did travel four hours on a bus.
F. Dale Lolley can be reached at [email protected]
Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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Porter makes most of a losing return to Heinz
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Porter makes most of a losing return to Heinz
By ERIC KNOPSNYDER
The Tribune-Democrat
PITTSBURGH— Miami linebacker Joey Porter made his return to Heinz Field a memorable one, as he
played his best game of the season in the Dolphins’ 3-0 loss to the Steelers on Monday.
Porter, who was the Steelers’ emotional leader during his eight seasons in Pittsburgh, intercepted a pass to
thwart a scoring opportunity on the Steelers’ first possession.
Porter, who is one of the NFL’s biggest in-game talkers, made sure his former teammates knew he was on the
other side this time around.
After being tackled near the Pittsburgh sideline on his interception return, he jumped up and barked at his
former teammates.
On the next series, Larry Foote, Porter’s longtime partner in the linebacking corps, took a little jab at his
former teammate by mimicking Porter’s signature celebration by kicking at the air after tackling Miami
running back Jesse Chatman for a 1-yard loss.
Porter responded by copying Foote’s foot stomp after the Dolphins stopped the Steelers on fourth down in the
second quarter.
qqq
Soggy start: The grass surface at Heinz Field, which was installed between Pitt’s game with South Florida on
Saturday and the Steelers’ game, had a rough first night.
Heavy rainstorms moved through the area prior to kickoff, drenching the already sorry-looking surface.
Huge sections of grass were missing near each 30-yard line and at midfield.
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Hurting: The Steelers knew they would be without two of their top players when they faced the Dolphins,
but they ended up losing a third before the game started.
Left tackle Marvel Smith was inactive for the game, reportedly because of back spasms. That put him on the
sidelines with safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Santonio Holmes.
Smith’s injury had a domino effect on the offense, as Max Starks moved to left tackle.
That forced the Steelers to abandon their three tight-end formation, which Starks had been a part of since
Jerame Tuman was sidelined by a back injury.
qqq
Movin’ on up: Willie Parker became the first Steelers running back to go over the 1,000-yard mark for three
straight seasons since Jerome Bettis, who did so in six straight seasons from 1996-2001. Parker also moved
ahead of Rocky Bleier for seventh-place on the team’s career rushing list.
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Steelers beat Dolphins 3-0 in lowest-scoring MNF game ever - USATODAY.com
Page 1 of 1
Steelers beat Dolphins 3-0 in lowest-scoring MNF game ever
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
PITTSBURGH — There was lots of rain, wind and mud followed by intermittent splashes of sloppy play, punts that plugged in puddles and, until the final 17
seconds, no scoring. Nada.
There was even a lightning delay as kickoff for Monday night's Miami Dolphins-Pittsburgh Steelers game was pushed back 25 minutes.
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What followed was a messy exhibition of late November football played on soupy Heinz Field that had been resodded during Thanksgiving weekend.
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Most of the yardage lines were wiped away during the game's opening series as the game at times resembled mud sliding in helmets and shoulder pads. Changing
direction and scoring posed a difficult challenge. But not impossible.
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Kicker Jeff Reed delivered the only play that put any points on the scoreboard, a 24-yard field goal for a 3-0 Steelers victory.
GAME REPORT: Pittsburgh 3, Miami 0
The last game that ended 3-0 was a New York Jets win against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 11, 1993. The last scoreless tie in league history took place Nov. 11, 1943, in a game
between the visiting New York Giants and Detroit Lions, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The win improved Pittsburgh to 8-3 and enabled the Steelers to rebound from a humbling 19-16 overtime loss eight days earlier to the Jets. The Steelers have won 13 consecutive games at
home on Monday Night Football.
"This is one of the worst conditions I've ever played in," said Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was 18-for-21 for 165 yards, including 15 completions in a row at one point. "The
field was ridiculous. I'm proud of my guys."
Hines Ward, who caught nine of Roethlisberger's passes for 88 yards, agreed. "It was kind of like running in a marsh," Ward said. "I never came out in warm-ups just splishing and splashing.
"It is what it is. It's Pittsburgh."
The hapless Dolphins fell to 0-11, edging closer to becoming the first NFL team to go winless in a 16-game season. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 0-14.
Miami, which has lost five games by three points or fewer, has five tries to get a victory, beginning Sunday at home against the 2-9 Jets.
Reed missed a 46-yard field goal attempt wide left with 0:29 left in the third quarter, the closest either team came to a scoring attempt to that point. Miami kicker Jay Feely hit a 38-yard
fourth-quarter try into the pile of players. But a delay of game penalty negated the kick.
"I figured if I stayed on my feet, I gave myself a chance," Reed said. "It was like mud sliding out there. It was bad, and deep, too."
It took Dolphins running back Ricky Williams 18 months to make his return to NFL action after serving a suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
It took just six carries before Williams walked off with an undetermined right shoulder injury after 15 yards and a lost fumble after linebacker James Farrior drilled him with 11:01 left in the first
half.
Williams, 30, last played in a game Nov. 12, 2006, in a Canadian Football League playoff game.
http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Steelers+beat+Dolphins... 11/27/2007
ESPN.com - Steelers prevail in 'horrendous' conditions
ESPN.com: NFL
Page 1 of 3
[Print without images]
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Steelers prevail in 'horrendous' conditions
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
PITTSBURGH -- The city that brought you the Terrible Towel now has the Terrible Field.
On what might have been the worst playing surface in recent memory, the Steelers narrowly avoided
being involved in the first scoreless NFL game in 64 years on Monday night. Jeff Reed kicked a 24-yard
field goal with 17 seconds left to beat the Dolphins, 3-0. The playing surface has been a problem
brewing at Heinz Field for years, and it may force the Steelers to go to artificial or field turf in 2008.
On Saturday, the grounds crew rolled out two-and-a-half acres of fresh green sod. Because of two
University of Pittsburgh football games and several recent high school games, the old field surface was
shot, leaving the Rooney family no alternative. But a full day of rain ruined the sod. Water seeped under
the tarps.
The situation was hopeless. Because the sod was positioned over the old field, there was no drainage.
Grounds crew members had to resort to using pitch forks to puncture holes in the surface to drain the
standing water. On top of that, a flash of lightning sent both teams to the locker rooms, delaying the
game for 15 minutes.
"Those conditions we were playing in were horrendous," wide receiver Hines Ward said. "No offense …
you can put [Tom] Brady's offense out there … that was terrible out there. But we stayed the course. We
didn't panic. We didn't pressure. We didn't finger point. We found a way to win the game.''
The teams combined for 375 yards of offense and three points. Kickers had no chance. A couple of
weeks ago, Browns kicker Phil Dawson complained about Heinz Field, saying it was the worst in
football for a kicker. He noted that no visiting kicker had booted a 50-yard field goal in Pittsburgh. On
this night, no kicker could kick a 30-yard field goal. Extra points would have been an adventure.
Reed tried one for 44 yards in the third quarter and was woefully short. In the fourth quarter, Dolphins
kicker Jay Feely attempted a 38-yarder, but the position of that kick was right in the muck caused by the
tarp seams.
Feely's kick barely made it over the heads of the players at the line of scrimmage, but it didn't matter.
The Dolphins were flagged for delay of game. Dolphins coach Cam Cameron sent in the punter, but
Feely campaigned to try another kick because he actually thought he had good footing. Cameron opted
to send in the offense, and rookie quarterback John Beck was sacked for a 5-yard loss on fourth-and-11.
"The Patriots' field was pretty bad a couple of years before they put the new turf in," Dolphins
linebacker Jason Taylor said. "This one was probably the worst I've seen in this league."
The Steelers started the game-winning drive from the Dolphins' 42 with 4:13 left in the fourth quarter.
Ben Roethlisberger mixed short, conservative passes to Ward and Willie Parker running plays to move
the ball inside the Dolphins' 10.
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ESPN.com - Steelers prevail in 'horrendous' conditions
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Then the field became the Steelers' biggest obstacle. The seam-related wet spots made the area between
the 5- and 10-yard lines tough to navigate and a treacherous place for kickers.
On a third-and-5 from the Dolphins' 5, Roethlisberger was sacked at the 6, but it gave Reed the chance
to kick from the 14, a reasonably dry area.
Reed made the 24-yard field goal. It marked the 11th consecutive loss in what could be a winless season
of bad luck in Miami. The situation for Miami was worse than the weather.
Beck did as well as his limited experience could take him. He completed 14 of 23 passes and committed
only one turnover (a fumble). But as the game went on, he kept losing running backs. Jesse Chatman,
already playing with a bad ankle, injured his neck in the first half. Ricky Williams, returning to the NFL
after drug suspension that cost him 18 months, suffered a possible pectoral injury when Steelers
linebacker Lawrence Timmons stepped on his shoulder. That left the Dolphins with Patrick Cobbs.
All the Steelers needed was one scoring drive to win, but the terrible field forced major changes in their
offense. The footing was so bad, no running back was going to dazzle anyone.
"It's like playing a game on a beach," Dolphins
linebacker Joey Porter said. "Willie Parker's 4.2 speed
went to about 4.8 and we all can run 4.8."
Parker ran for 81 yards on 24 carries, but his longest run
was only 9 yards.
Roethlisberger worked out of a different version of the
no-huddle. Call it the no-puddle. As weird as it was,
Roethlisberger completed 18 of 21 passes for 165 yards,
but he was sacked five times and threw an interception.
Steelers WR Hines Ward made the best of a tough
"There were times where we were trying to fix divots at situation, catching nine passes for 88 yards.
the line of scrimmage," Roethlisberger said. "We're trying to get footing. No fumbled snaps were huge.
Only one turnover wasn't bad. It was a bad ball that I didn't get it up high enough. That's a pretty good
game."
"Of course, we wanted to put up more than three points, but considering situational football, I think we
did a great job today," Ward said. "That's something that coach [Mike] Tomlin preaches, about
situations. That last drive -- converting third down, making some plays and getting down the field -that's what our offense is supposed to do.''
Ward kept reminding his receivers not to worry about yards after the catch, just worry about the catch.
Ward made nine sure-handed receptions for 88 yards, including three catches for 38 yards on the gamewinning drive.
During the course of the game, the Steelers committed three key penalties that cost them chances to
score. On the final drive, Roethlisberger moved the Steelers inside the Dolphins' 10 and made sure he
didn't screw it up.
"Early in the game, you take the chances but late, going into those last two series, I told Bruce [offensive
coordinator Bruce Ariens] and I told coach Tomlin to let me throw," he said. "I can win the game. We
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3129295&type=story
11/27/2007
ESPN.com - Steelers prevail in 'horrendous' conditions
Page 3 of 3
can get it down the field. I have confidence in my line, my receivers and you see the last drive, we did
that. We threw the ball. Hopefully, it just shows all the people who say we have to run the ball to win
that we can throw the ball, too.''
Ward said most of Pittsburgh's players don't want the organization to go to artificial turf. The Rooneys
want Heinz Field to be natural. On Monday night, it was a natural disaster. Seeing two TV shots of
punted balls landing in the mud and sticking there might convince the Rooneys to take the natural feel
away from Heinz in 2008.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for
ESPN.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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11/27/2007
Celizic: Steelers, NFL should be ashamed of conditions - NFL - MSNBC.com
Page 1 of 2
MSNBC.com
Celizic: Steelers, NFL should be ashamed of conditions
Steelers, Dolphins forced to play on horrible, 'ugly' Heinz Field
OP IN ION
B y M ik e C e l i z i c
updated 2:07 a.m. ET, Tues., Nov. 27, 2007
There is no excuse — none — for the conditions the Pittsburgh Steelers provided for their game Monday Night
against the Miami Dolphins. It was a travesty of football and an insult to the NFL, the players, the fans, and
anyone who turned on a television in the hopes of enjoying Monday Night Football.
It was a disgrace.
The announcers kept talking about old-school football and summoning the names of the Chicago Staleys and
Canton Bulldogs from the earliest days of the league, but that was an insult to those teams and those times.
I’ve seen old-school football in old Cleveland Stadium in the days before modern drainage and turf science.
Those games were played in mud. This one was played in a bog.
“It was ugly,” Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said of his team’s 3-0 win over Miami, but that was an
injustice to the concept of ugly. This game was to ugly what a can of Spaghetti-O’s is to dinner at Rao’s in
New York. It was beyond ugly, beyond hideous, beyond unwatchable. Anyone who voluntarily sat through
Monday night’s game without a rooting interest has a threshold of boredom that’s off the charts.
Roethlisberger said the field was the worst he’s ever played on and called it “ridiculous.” And this was his
home field he was talking about.
Give the man credit for honesty. It was and is ridiculous that in this day and age an NFL football team can not
provide a fit field to play on.
This isn’t about bad weather or unforeseen calamity. The caretakers of Heinz Field knew exactly what was
coming and they couldn’t cope with it. They had four high school games last Friday and a Pitt college game on
Saturday, a schedule that left the field in tatters. With the Steelers due to play on Monday night and bad
weather moving in, they didn’t replace the existing field; they laid new sod on top of it
Doing nothing at all would have been better. At least then the battered old field would have drained. We
would have had bare spots and some mud, although not a lot. Modern fields are built on a sandy base on top
of gravel and drainage beds that can suck up four inches of rain an hour or more. But lay two inches of sod on
top of that and you have what we saw Monday night — a field that even the Canton Bulldogs would have
found to be unplayable.
Why the NFL allows such travesties is a mystery. The league fines players for an untucked shirt tail. It dictates
the size of logos, tells players when they have to be available to the media, lays enormous fines on a coach
caught cheating.
But it can’t demand that a team provide a playable field?
Nothing is more important to the game than the field. I can’t believe I even had to write that sentence,
because it’s as obvious as a zit on a prom queen’s nose. But the NFL apparently doesn’t get it.
The league had to know what was going on in Pittsburgh with the field. It had to have the ability to save the
Steelers from themselves and the game from the embarrassment of Monday night.
It’s not as if lousy field conditions are something new at Heinz Field, which has consistently had one of the
worst fields in the league ever since it opened. This isn’t an ancient hulk of a stadium; it’s practically brandnew. There simply is no excuse for not being able to provide a decent field.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21985084/print/1/displaymode/1098/
11/27/2007
Celizic: Steelers, NFL should be ashamed of conditions - NFL - MSNBC.com
Page 2 of 2
I applaud the Steelers for wanting to have a grass field. There aren’t that many of them around, and they
remain the best of all surfaces. But other teams have had the same problems Pittsburgh has had with grass,
most notably the Jets and Giants, who share a stadium in New Jersey.
Originally, Giants Stadium had an Astroturf field laid over asphalt, a surface that proved to be perhaps the
worst ever invented. The stadium finally switched to grass, but that surface couldn't stand up to the Jets and
Giants sharing the field along with high school championships and the occasional Army-Navy game. Summer
rock concerts didn’t help, either.
The Jets and Giants and their landlords, the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority, tried every technology
possible to make grass work, including installing a modular field put together of hexagonal pallets that could
be replaced as the surface wore out. It was an ingenious solution with just one tiny drawback — it didn’t work.
Unwilling to continue providing the worst field in the league, the Jets and giants finally switched to FieldTurf,
the most grass-like and player-friendly surface now in use. New England, unhappy with the condition f its
grass field, also switched to FieldTurf.
I appreciate the Steelers’ desire to play on grass, but it’s not working. And if the team won’t take steps to
change to a field that remains playable — we’re talking FieldTurf here — then the league, which governs
everything about the game, has to step in and order the change.
Otherwise, one day this is going to happen in the playoffs, and that’s not what anyone wants.
Mike Celizic is a contributor to msnbc.com and a freelance writer based in New York.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21985084/
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11/27/2007