Steelers still creating excitement at 2-4
From the notebook of a sportswriter who无毛视频檚 ready for a break after one of the more newsworthy and, frankly, exciting 2-4 starts to a season in memory:
n So, they beat the Chargers with a third-string quarterback making his first start and kept alive flickering hopes of a revival without Ben Roethlisberger, and possibly their most dominant defensive player, Stephon Tuitt.
n Since I began covering the team in 1995, the Steelers started 2-4 three times 无毛视频� 2013, 2006, 2003 无毛视频� and all three times that skid was extended to 2-6 with two more losses. The latest two teams finished 8-8; the 2003 team finished 6-10.
n Is exciting really the word to describe that pattern? Well, no, but the way teams in this division are playing, 8-8 could be good enough for first place, while 9-7 might guarantee it.
n The reason it无毛视频檚 been exciting is that the two quarterbacks who无毛视频檝e replaced Roethlisberger are showing sparks of brightness for the future. Mike Tomlin wouldn无毛视频檛 discuss which of the two would start next, but logic and his repeated commentary about limiting Hodges无毛视频� 无毛视频渆xposure无毛视频� would indicate the Steelers will start Mason Rudolph after the bye week.
n Rudolph is more experienced and his strong arm keeps defenses more honest.
n Hodges may have a better arm than he showed on Sunday night无毛视频檚 first attempted deep ball to JuJu Smith-Schuster, which fell short, but for the second consecutive game a Hodges throw into the deep middle was intercepted by the free safety. The one in Los Angeles was not negated by a penalty.
n The word written in my notebook after Hodges无毛视频� interception Sunday night was this: Why?
n Holding a seemingly insurmountable 24-3 lead with 10:45 remaining, the Steelers had reached midfield with a first down when Hodges threw deep for Johnny Holton. Now, Holton would make one of the game无毛视频檚 key plays later on special teams, but his receiving experience is limited to surprise deep attempts that never surprise. This one didn无毛视频檛 surprise Rayshawn Jenkins, who broke over the top of Holton 无毛视频� who didn无毛视频檛 come back for the ball 无毛视频� for the interception, and life.
n Rivers then remembered who he was and got hot. He drove the Chargers 70 yards for one touchdown pass, and after a Hodges pass to Ryan Switzer lost two yards on third-and-7, Rivers drove the Chargers 79 yards for another score. They foolishly attempted an onside kick with 1:29 and three timeouts left.
n I would无毛视频檝e kicked deep to a team that无毛视频檚 long kickoff return this season is 26 yards and forced Hodges to convert one first down. The onside kick 无毛视频� while needing a great grab and hold by Cam Sutton 无毛视频� gave the Steelers enough room to not convert but still punt the ball back deep. And that无毛视频檚 when Holton paid off by downing that punt at the 1.
n The other word that works: Whew.
n Sutton did make another play. His interception at the Chargers 34 virtually ended the game and gave him statistical cred on a defense that无毛视频檚 getting better each week.
n And that无毛视频檚 part two of the 无毛视频渆xcitement无毛视频� of this 2-4 season thus far 无毛视频� and also why Tuitt无毛视频檚 injury might be a gut punch.
n As of press time, the lineman who无毛视频檚 been the Steelers无毛视频� most dominant defender, and who at age 26 appears on the brink of an All-Pro season, was still being evaluated. From past experience with not only Tuitt无毛视频檚 injuries but Cam Heyward无毛视频檚 torn pectoral muscle in 2016, optimism is in short supply.
n Tuitt, combined with Heyward and the OLBs, gives the Steelers the ability to 无毛视频済et there with four,无毛视频� a defensive strategy that every coordinator wishes he had the talent to employ. And Tuitt might be the best 无毛视频� or at least most promising 无毛视频� of that group.
n Enter Javon Hargrave and Tyson Alualu, a quality veteran who batted a pass into the air for Devin Bush无毛视频檚 second turnover of the first quarter.
n That无毛视频檚 enough to keep this defense afloat, but perhaps not enough to keep it progressing into the dominant force it appears destined to become.
n Alualu and Sutton showed off the defensive depth, as did Artie Burns, who received a game ball for his work in place of Steven Nelson. But the bye week will be necessary to not only give Tuitt time 无毛视频� if time will even help 无毛视频� but also Nelson, Mark Barron, Joe Haden, T.J. Watt and maybe even Sean Davis.
n It无毛视频檚 a deep unit that无毛视频檚 being barraged by injuries. A week off before playing the winless Miami Dolphins will no doubt be appreciated by the walking wounded, too.
n A home game against the 3-2 Colts follows that game, so the Steelers have legitimate reason to hope for a .500 record at the halfway point of a schedule that eases noticeably down the stretch.
n Notes on .500 records, backup quarterbacks and injuries might not be the most glamorous read for Steelers fans a day after a big upset, but consider the alternative that was brought to cinematic life when Rivers grabbed Mike Hilton in frustration as he walked off the field.
n People continue to say 无毛视频� as Tomlin did before the game 无毛视频� that Rivers is a 无毛视频淗all of Fame caliber quarterback,无毛视频� but he just lost a home game to Duck Hodges and his team fell to 2-4. This was in front of one of the more impressive Steelers road throngs in a strong history of 无毛视频渢raveling well.无毛视频�
n The Chargers even started to play 无毛视频淩enegade无毛视频� in the fourth quarter.
n 无毛视频淭hat was amazing, until they made it a joke,无毛视频� Bush said of the 15 or so seconds the song played over the PA. 无毛视频淚t was cool.无毛视频�
n Bush has been pretty cool, too. His two turnovers Sunday were his fifth and sixth of the season. The Steelers now have 15 takeaways after six games, or as many as they had all of last season.
n The excitement never ends in what should be a dull, even bleak, season, but isn无毛视频檛 even close to that.