The Student of the GameGoing Beyond the Stats

For those who lived through the teaser of pre-game performances and hype leading up to the opening match-up of the 2009 NFL Regular Season between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans, this seemed to be a good example of an opener that earned the commotion it got as the Tailors of the Terrible Towel tip-toed past the terrifying Titans, 13-10 in OT on a FG by K Jeff Reed.

While the ‘defense’ in the headline refers to the Steel City defending their 6th Super Bowl title in franchise history earned last season, both teams’ defensive squads left their mark on their opposing counter-parts as well as the stat sheet. Pitt featured a blocked short-distance FG, recovered a fumble and an INT within the Red Zone by S Troy Polamalu while holding Tennessee to only 30% (4/13) conversion on 3rd downs, but the Titans came out in force allowing only 36 total yards rushing in 23 attempts with 2 INTs and a 28% (4/14) 3rd down conversion rate (including stopping the Steelers 4/6 times at 3rd and short).

The game was not without mental errors, however, including a missed FG by talented Titan K Rob Bironas, a case of alligator arms in the end zone leading to the blocked Tennessee FG attempt by WR Justin Gage, and a fumble by veteran Steeler WR and franchise legend Hines Ward inside the Titan 10 yard line with less than a minute in regulation as well as a 3-play 34 second drive with 2 completions to allow QB Kerry Collins and the Tennessee offense to tie the score 7-7 at halftime.

While Collins had a solid night picking the Steelers zone apart (mostly underneath the back-pedaling LBs it seemed) throwing 22/35 (63%) earning 244 yards and a TD with 1 INT, it was Steeler star and SoTG favorite ‘Big’ Ben Roethlisberger overcoming a sluggish start and taking the reigns late with 33/43 (78%) and 363 yards with a TD and 2 INTs who earned the game ball. It’s fair to note that Ben’s performance improved as the play of his offensive line did the same throughout the game. Starting out giving up sacks without a trace of a extra rushers being sent, by game’s end the Steelers protection was stopping even the nastiest of ‘kitchen sink’ blitzes as Ben was allowed 6 seconds and multiple pump fakes on several plays giving up 2 sacks in the first 2 drives and 2 for the rest of the entire game.

The Steelers ‘D’ relied on big plays and miscues rather than constant pressure to keep their team in the game allowing good days by RBs Chris Johnson (15 carries for 57 yards at 3.8/attempt) and LenDale White (8 carries for 28 yards at 3.5 per attempt) as well as Gage (7 catches, 78 yards, TD) and Titan rookie WR Kenny Britt out of Rutgers who caught 4 balls for 85 yards including a 57-yarder.

Pittburgh’s Air Attack was bolstered by 3 solid performances from last season’s Super Bowl MVP WR Santonio Homes (9 catches, 173 yards, TD), Ward (8 catches, 103 yards, and TE Heath Miller (8 catches, 64 yards). For those familiar with Steeler tradition, the passing game is not usually the key to victory as it was for their O in this game.

Other game notables include the early departure of Polamalu on the blocked FG play and Titan TE Bo Scaife (5 catches, 48 yards, 1 lost fumble) due to leg injuries. As of the end of the game the severity of said injuries was still unclear. The Steelers also pulled of the win despite losing the turnover ratio giving up 3 to the Titans 2.

Don’t be surprised if this game has implications in playoff seeding come December.