0 Gradkowski grabs winning TD to cruise past the Steelers! Posted by DieHardFans | at 2:33 AM

If the Steelers season was fading following their three-point loss to the Ravens last week, this loss to the Oakland Raiders officially puts their year on life support. For what seems to have been the theme of the 09 season, the defense again was letdown in the fourth quarter, as they allowed Bruce Gradkowski to carve them up for a touchdown drive with 9 seconds left for a 27-24 loss. “You know, really not a lot needs to be said in regards to how that game ended,” Mike Tomlin said. “I’m not going to make any excuses for it. We didn’t make a play. We didn’t make a play to win that football game defensively.” You can say that again. The defense allowed big plays one after another, and in the end, they had a chance to easily win it but rookie DB Joe Burnett dropped an easy interception that would have bailed out the Steelers against a team that is simply not that good. Instead, they now have lost four straight for the first time since the 2003 season.

They have four games left, but right now the playoffs look like light years away. Tomlin, who in his second year led the team to the Super Bowl, now has to answer the question about how to keep the team together amid all the issues they are having on and off the field. The Steelers looked to have the game won when Ben Roethlisberger threw an 11-yard score to Hines Ward with 1:56 left to take a 24-20 lead. The defense allowed Oakland three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, this after allowing just two field goals in the first three quarters. Roethlisberger was 18-for-24 for 278 yards with two TD’s and another end zone pick. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 103 yards and a score as well. Now, the 6-6 club will be in Cleveland on Thursday.

0 Second half Surge Lifts the Steelers to a Big win Denver... Posted by DieHardFans | at 11:05 PM

I think it’s safe to say that the SUPER BOWL CHAMPS are officially back. After a slow start to their Monday night matchup with the Broncos, the Steelers exploded in the second half, outscoring the Broncos 21-7 as they walked out with their fifth straight win 28-10. For the Steelers, the first half could not have been any uglier, except for the score. They did nothing worth talking about in the first quarter, running 11 plays and gaining 20 yards while Ben Roethlisberger was sacked twice.

The second quarter was as much of the same till Carter picked off Orton about three minutes into the second quarter, and took it back untouched for the defensive score that put the Steelers up. It was after the half that the team started to finally assert itself. They started fast, going from their 17 to the Broncos 33, when the last negative play of the night happened for the Steelers. Roethlisberger was under pressure, and stripped by Kenny Peterson. The ball rolled around until Robert Ayers picked it up and went 54 yards for a score to make it 10-7 Denver.

The lead would be short lived for the Broncos as the Pittsburgh Steelers responded right away; they needed just two minutes to go the distance. A pass to Mike Wallace went for 18 yards, and then Rashard Mendenhall went 24 yards. A deep pass to Santonio Holmes went for 35 yards to the Broncos three. One play later the team took the lead for good, as Big Ben hit Hines Ward for a three-yard TD to make it 14-10. The game stayed tight till midway through the fourth quarter. Then came a big play from a huge playmaker (Troy Polamalu) who picked of Orton to set the Steelers up at the Broncos 25. On third down Roethlisberger extended the play, and threw deep to Wallace, who beat Brian Dawkins for a score to extend the lead to 21-10 with 7:03 left. Then the defense started to pounce.

Orton and the Broncos were unable to do anything, and quickly went three and out and were forced to punt. That’s when the offense put the finishing touches on the win. Led by Mendenhall, who had 155 yards on 22 carries, the team marched to the Denver three, when Roethlisberger hit Ward for a second score to close out the game at 28-10 with 1:22 left. Roethlisberger was 21-for-29 for 233 yards with three scores and a pick. His QB rating was 116.0. Orton was under stress for most of the second half. He was just 23-for-38 for 221 yards with three picks. The Steelers amassed 375 yards of offense, holding Denver to 242 yards. After a first half that was not so hot, the team held the ball total for 33:03 to 26:57 for the Denver. The defense also held Denver to zero first downs rushing, and just 27 yards on the ground while the Steelers put up 173 yards rushing.

This win sets up a big North showdown with the fellow first place Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at Heinz Field. Both teams will enter the game at 6-2.

0 Steelers strengthened by the return of Polamalu and Parker... Posted by DieHardFans | at 4:37 AM

The Steelers have been strengthened by the return of 2 previously injured players this week, with safety Troy Polamalu and running back Willie Parker, both back for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns at Heinz Field.

However it would seem the coach has been left with a selection nightmare, with just one of them set to start. Polamalu, who missed four games with a sprained medial collateral ligament, has been in training all week. He is due to make his comeback and will start against the Browns, wearing a protective brace.

Parker on the other hand, who missed the past two games with a toe injury, is expected to be replaced again in the starting lineup by Rashard Mendenhall, despite the fact he had been present during training all week. Meanwhile, Mendenhall returned to practice today after missing Thursday's session with flu. The Steelers are without any pre planned rotation system for Mendenhall and Parker, meaning the flow of the game will ultimately determine whether Parker gets a run out.