By Bob Smizik | Monday 12:15 a.m.
It looked easy, and I’m not talking about those Jeff Reed field-goal attempts.
I'm talking about how well the Steelers opened the game against the Chicago Bears yesterday with Ben Roethlisberger having his way with the that supposedly ferocious defense and looking to have one of his big games.
Roethlisberger completed 10 of his first 11 passes and it was his arm that was mainly instrumental in the Steelers moving 92 yards on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead and appear headed for victory.
And then it stopped. The Steelers got on more touchdown, in the third quarter, and that wasn’t enough in a 17-14 loss at Soldier Field. It’s easy to blame the Steelers, who were held to one touchdown in the final 50
minutes, but also give some credit to the Bears. They played well.
After completing 10 of his first 11, Roethlisberger was 12 for 24 the remainder of the game, which isn’t what’s expected of him. That’s not to suggest Roethlisberger did not perform admirably, although the case could be made that he was outplayed by Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler.
But Roethlisberger can't be expected to rescue the Steelers every week.
That was Reed’s job yesterday, as it was 10 days earlier, when he delivered a game winner.
In the aftermath of that win over the Titans, it was little remembered that Tennessee kicker Rob Bironas, like Reed one of the most dependable in the NFL, had two chip shots -- from 37 and 31 yards -- that he failed to convert. One was wide, one was blocked. If Bironas makes either one of those attempts, and he almost always does, the game never would have gone to overtime and the Steelers would have lost.
Live by the failed kick, die by the failed kick.
Reed, normally automatic from inside 40 and close to that inside 45, missed twice in the fourth quarter. He was wide left from 38 yards early in the quarter and wide left again from 43 yards with 3:23 remaining.
The field conditions in Chicago were not good but the Bears Robbie Gould, ex of Penn State, had no such problem. His 44 yarder with 15 seconds left won the game.
``I'm just embarrassed because these guys fought their tails off to win the game,'' Reed said. ``It's a terrible feeling. If there's one player who can single-handedly lose the game, then I'll take creit for it today.''
That the Steelers are 1-1 after their first two games is not shocking news. The early schedule -- Tennessee and Chicago -- was not easy. The Titans had the best record in the AFC last year and handily beat the Steelers late in the season. The Bears were expected to be good and were at home.
There no reason to think anything is greatly wrong with the Steelers. The defense held the Bears to less than 300 yards and 17 points. That’s normally good enough to win.
The running game was improved -- 22 carries for 105 yards. That wasn’t the Willie Parker of old, but he did have a 13-yard run. It was a coming out, or sorts, for second-year pro Rashard Mendenhall, whose 39-yard run set up the second touchdown.
Roethlisberger was sacked twice, another area of improvement for the offensive line.
What is somewhat concerning is that the Super Bowl champs have scored three touchdowns in two games. Granted, the opposition has been top flight, but that's not good enough.
The Steelers are at Cincinnati Sunday, and if they can't get into their point total into the 20s or 30s the offensive funk will become alarming. The Bengals, a surprising 31-24 winner at Green Bay, will be primed.
While the Steelers remain the distinct favorite to win the AFC North, after two games it's the Baltimore Ravens in first place.
And so it is that in late September the Super Bowl champs face their first must-win game. Lucky for them it's against the Bungals.
Posted
Sep 21 2009, 12:15 AM
by
Bob Smizik