This article by Ed Bouchette reveals that Dan Marino actually has more game-winning, comeback drives in the fourth quarter than John Elway, which is contrary to common belief.
Sorry to all of you Elway idolaters.
Bouchette also makes a case for Big Ben as the Comeback Kid of the NFL who in five years and one game already has 18 game-winning drives (when trailing or tied in the fourth).
This is not an official NFL stat, but Scott Kacsmar from Pro Football Reference wants to see that changed.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Two forms of Faith?
I'm taking a class at Pitt called "Bible as Literature" which is exactly what it's called. It treats the Bible as a literary text, often comparing it to folklore traditions or hand-me-down etiologies (or stories) to explain why the world is as it is (How the Israelites came about, who God is, why we are mortals...)
I like the class only because it gives me a chance to read the Bible more closely with my wife. We used to read one chapter a day together. Now we read four or five a night, and pay even more attention to the details.
Tuesday night, our professor tried to make a case that the Old Testament understanding of Faith is completely different from Faith in the New Testament. At first he said there were very few uses of the word "faith" in the OT (which he refers to as the "Hebrew Bible" and not the Old Testament). When I told him that "faith" appears multiple times throughout the Psalms, he recanted and then addressed the class to explain the two faiths.
In the OT, he says, Faith is a complete reliance of God and a form of self-abandonment. In the NT, faith is what allows us to take action. He says that in the NT, the saints "act in faith." What he fails to recognize is that every command God gave the people of the OT required them to act in faith by trusting on God's protection.
I told my professor I completely disagreed with him on his assessment of the two faiths.
Yes, it's true that faith requires action, but that's true both in the Old and New Testaments. The faith in one. That doesn't mean it has to look exactly the same every time (after all, we're talking about something that is portrayed in people with different characters). Furthermore, Faith, in every instance in the Bible is always committed by submitting to God's will and abandoning our own. Even when the people of God take action in Faith, they allow HIM to take charge. Faith is uncomfortable for Christians precisely for this reason. Because we have to abandon ourselves, our desires and our reliance upon our own powers.
In Matthew 14, Jesus condemns Peter after he becomes afraid while walking on water.
Also in Hebrews 11 and Romans 4, the New Testaments authors quote the OT when talking about faith. I'll visis this later on...
I like the class only because it gives me a chance to read the Bible more closely with my wife. We used to read one chapter a day together. Now we read four or five a night, and pay even more attention to the details.
Tuesday night, our professor tried to make a case that the Old Testament understanding of Faith is completely different from Faith in the New Testament. At first he said there were very few uses of the word "faith" in the OT (which he refers to as the "Hebrew Bible" and not the Old Testament). When I told him that "faith" appears multiple times throughout the Psalms, he recanted and then addressed the class to explain the two faiths.
In the OT, he says, Faith is a complete reliance of God and a form of self-abandonment. In the NT, faith is what allows us to take action. He says that in the NT, the saints "act in faith." What he fails to recognize is that every command God gave the people of the OT required them to act in faith by trusting on God's protection.
I told my professor I completely disagreed with him on his assessment of the two faiths.
Yes, it's true that faith requires action, but that's true both in the Old and New Testaments. The faith in one. That doesn't mean it has to look exactly the same every time (after all, we're talking about something that is portrayed in people with different characters). Furthermore, Faith, in every instance in the Bible is always committed by submitting to God's will and abandoning our own. Even when the people of God take action in Faith, they allow HIM to take charge. Faith is uncomfortable for Christians precisely for this reason. Because we have to abandon ourselves, our desires and our reliance upon our own powers.
In Matthew 14, Jesus condemns Peter after he becomes afraid while walking on water.
And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him,Peter had no power of his own to walk on water. He failed because he doubted God. It is Jesus who stretches his hand out to Peter, not the other way around, to show that God is always in control. All we can do, in faith, is submit. This faith has nothing to do with Peter’s action. After all, he did step off the boat and into the water. His actions failed because of his doubt.
and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (Verses 31-32)
Also in Hebrews 11 and Romans 4, the New Testaments authors quote the OT when talking about faith. I'll visis this later on...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Missing Troy
This isn't news but I wanted to comment on the Troy situation. He confirmed he'll be missing 3-6 weeks. I wish we had a more specific timeline.
In the next six games, the Steelers play the Bears, Bengals, Chargers, Lions, Browns and Vikings. I would say that we need Troy the most in the games against the Bears and the Chargers, which he would miss anyway even in best-case scenario.
We'll see how Culter does against us. In my previous post, I mentioned he's probably looking for redemption after a bad outing in Green Bay.
The Chargers will also want revenge, and even though I can't stand goofball Philip Rivers, the boy knows how to chuck the pig. By far, this is the one game we'll miss Polamalu the most.
The Lions may have an offense, but it's still a mess and our D can confuse the rookie, Matthew Stafford, who threw three picks against the saints last week. Plus, they're still the Lions.
The other danger may be the Vikings. By week 7, Favre and company may be clicking. Their offense still relies on combat-man Adrien Peterson, but that's one more reason for why I want Polamalu in this game.
In the next six games, the Steelers play the Bears, Bengals, Chargers, Lions, Browns and Vikings. I would say that we need Troy the most in the games against the Bears and the Chargers, which he would miss anyway even in best-case scenario.
We'll see how Culter does against us. In my previous post, I mentioned he's probably looking for redemption after a bad outing in Green Bay.
The Chargers will also want revenge, and even though I can't stand goofball Philip Rivers, the boy knows how to chuck the pig. By far, this is the one game we'll miss Polamalu the most.
The Lions may have an offense, but it's still a mess and our D can confuse the rookie, Matthew Stafford, who threw three picks against the saints last week. Plus, they're still the Lions.
The other danger may be the Vikings. By week 7, Favre and company may be clicking. Their offense still relies on combat-man Adrien Peterson, but that's one more reason for why I want Polamalu in this game.
Here we go crippled
Last week, I didn't mind so much that ILB Lawrence Timmons was hurt. That's because we were about to face Tennessee and his backup, Keyaron Fox, had shown to be much better against the run in the preseason.
This week, however, I feel we'll need Timmons a lot more, especially since Troy Polamalu is hurt. Timmons is great against the pass. He's fast. Athletic. He can cover, tackle and sack. Any additional pressure on the QB is a plus since the Tasmanian Devil himself isn't going to be on the field.
This week, the Bears' running game doesn't scare me, but Cry-baby Cutler will want to redeem himself after the FOUR interceptions he had against Green Bay. Especially in front of his (new) home crowd. As much as I feel disgust and pity toward Cutler, he's a decent QB. He'll shake the jitters and play better.
Tennesse exposed our defense by throwing to the tight ends. The Bears have a weapon with Greg Olsen, and I bet they intend to use him. Timmons didn't seem all that optimistic of being able to play in this game according to an interview I heard on the radio. Let's hope he does show up.
This week, however, I feel we'll need Timmons a lot more, especially since Troy Polamalu is hurt. Timmons is great against the pass. He's fast. Athletic. He can cover, tackle and sack. Any additional pressure on the QB is a plus since the Tasmanian Devil himself isn't going to be on the field.
This week, the Bears' running game doesn't scare me, but Cry-baby Cutler will want to redeem himself after the FOUR interceptions he had against Green Bay. Especially in front of his (new) home crowd. As much as I feel disgust and pity toward Cutler, he's a decent QB. He'll shake the jitters and play better.
Tennesse exposed our defense by throwing to the tight ends. The Bears have a weapon with Greg Olsen, and I bet they intend to use him. Timmons didn't seem all that optimistic of being able to play in this game according to an interview I heard on the radio. Let's hope he does show up.
Monday, September 14, 2009
-INTRO-
This blog has taken a turn. Last year, I was using it to update friends and family at home while deployed to Iraq. Now the focus has changed to discuss my passion for the Steelers and how (at times) it has clashed with my devotion to God.
My wife got me into the Steelers. She now blames herself when I'll bring them up in conversation even in the middle of June (that awkward and painful time between the draft and the beginning of training camp when there really is no Steelers news out there unless somebody crashes his motorcycle or is accused of raping someone).
I didn't used to be this way. I used to hate football and didn't know the difference between a false start and a touch down dance. Also, I didn't always have a passion for God as I do now. My Steelers addiction came first (during the 2005 season even before the Steelers had a shot at their 5th Lombardi Trophy). I came to Christ gradually over the past few years. Now my responsibility to worship God and lead my wife in that worship has taken first place.
Nonetheless, I'm going to use this blog primarily to discuss events relating to Steelers news and my own takes on games and future match-ups. It may get messy, however, so be warned. The two topics may clash at any given moment.
As I continue to mature in my faith, I've committed myself to God first. The reason why I chose to blog mainly about the Steelers, however, (for this class on blogging I'm taking) is that it allows me to discuss topics as they happen presently. Another issue is a matter of privacy. I'll discuss my faith in God with anybody at any time, however it touches upon so many private sins and struggles that I didn't feel appropriate opening that up to the webbing world.
So ultimately, this is where the clash happens. My wife calls my passion for the Steelers "obsessive." As Christian, I worship God daily by reading the Bible with my wife, but more specifically on Sundays. Also known as, the Lord's day. Also known as Game Day.
It's not that sports are evil. It's not that football itself is sinful. But in the past, I admit, I've treated the Steelers as an Idol, allowing it to dictate my mood for a week based on wins and losses, making me superstitious over carrying my Terrible Towel with me on game day, and -- most damaging -- conflicting with my worship of God on Sundays. There used to be days I'd slip out of church early to watch the kickoff. Other times, I could barely pay attention to the sermon because my mind was so invested on what players were injured or how other teams were doing in our division.
So the danger, of course, is creating a forum to feed the beast of my own idol.
Rule number one, therefore, will be No Blogging on Sundays. I may have to create other rules as I go along.
For the most part, my blog entries will discuss just the Steelers without having to include my faith into it. Other days, I may be compelled to talk more specifically about my faith, and leave the Steelers behind. Then there will be days when the two clash.
Enjoy
My wife got me into the Steelers. She now blames herself when I'll bring them up in conversation even in the middle of June (that awkward and painful time between the draft and the beginning of training camp when there really is no Steelers news out there unless somebody crashes his motorcycle or is accused of raping someone).
I didn't used to be this way. I used to hate football and didn't know the difference between a false start and a touch down dance. Also, I didn't always have a passion for God as I do now. My Steelers addiction came first (during the 2005 season even before the Steelers had a shot at their 5th Lombardi Trophy). I came to Christ gradually over the past few years. Now my responsibility to worship God and lead my wife in that worship has taken first place.
Nonetheless, I'm going to use this blog primarily to discuss events relating to Steelers news and my own takes on games and future match-ups. It may get messy, however, so be warned. The two topics may clash at any given moment.
As I continue to mature in my faith, I've committed myself to God first. The reason why I chose to blog mainly about the Steelers, however, (for this class on blogging I'm taking) is that it allows me to discuss topics as they happen presently. Another issue is a matter of privacy. I'll discuss my faith in God with anybody at any time, however it touches upon so many private sins and struggles that I didn't feel appropriate opening that up to the webbing world.
So ultimately, this is where the clash happens. My wife calls my passion for the Steelers "obsessive." As Christian, I worship God daily by reading the Bible with my wife, but more specifically on Sundays. Also known as, the Lord's day. Also known as Game Day.
It's not that sports are evil. It's not that football itself is sinful. But in the past, I admit, I've treated the Steelers as an Idol, allowing it to dictate my mood for a week based on wins and losses, making me superstitious over carrying my Terrible Towel with me on game day, and -- most damaging -- conflicting with my worship of God on Sundays. There used to be days I'd slip out of church early to watch the kickoff. Other times, I could barely pay attention to the sermon because my mind was so invested on what players were injured or how other teams were doing in our division.
So the danger, of course, is creating a forum to feed the beast of my own idol.
Rule number one, therefore, will be No Blogging on Sundays. I may have to create other rules as I go along.
For the most part, my blog entries will discuss just the Steelers without having to include my faith into it. Other days, I may be compelled to talk more specifically about my faith, and leave the Steelers behind. Then there will be days when the two clash.
Enjoy
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Magic 30
Big Ben Roethlisberger threw the ball 43 times against the Titans with 33 completions and we won the game. This tidbit of information doesn't seem all that shocking considering he threw for 363 yards.
Just a few years ago however, most sports critics judged Big Ben by one specific stat.
The magic number 30.
Almost every sports commentators talked about it before last year. And it was true. Any time Ben threw more than 30 passes, the Steelers were likely to lose the game. It meant the running game had failed, the coach had put the game in Roethlisberger's arm (quite literally), and he wasn't up to the challenge to deliver the win.
In Ben's rookie season, he never threw the ball more than 28 times in a regular-season game. He went undefeated until he faced the Pats in the playoffs and the Steelers finished 15-1. We also had the number one rushing offense that year, and as great as the rookie Ben did, some critics chucked up the wins to our dominant D and our powerful running game.
The pattern of "the magic 30" began in 2005, when finally Ben had to keep up with high-powered offenses that put some numbers on the Steelers. It started against the Bengals at home, when for the first time in the NFL Ben lobbed the ball 41 times. Roethlisberger threw three TDs, but also three picks. The Steelers lost 31-38.
The next year, in 2006 (the year of the motorcycle crash), Ben played eight games where he had more than 30 passing attempts.
His record... 1-7.
That one win as against the Browns, so it barely counted toward anything. Suddenly the critics noticed. They pounced. Big Ben was overrated. He can't win without a running game to hold him over his opponents. He was a game manager. Not a game winner.
In 2007, Ben did slightly better, going 3-4, but again those three wins were against Buffalo, Cincinnati and Cleveland. And besides, Ben threw only 34, 34 and 32 passes in each game respectively. He sure was not Tom Brady. The critics were further reinforced of their argument when Ben threw the ball 42 times against the Jaguars at home in the playoffs and lost.
Overall, Ben was now looking at a 3-13 record overall for the 16 games in which he'd passed the ball more than 30 times. Not exactly the QB you want to rely on to win a game for you...
Then, in 2008, things changed. Not because the Steelers would eventually win the Superbowl. Something changed even before then. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road, a team that had embarrassed the Steelers twice at home the year before, Big Ben threw the ball 41 times (26 completions)... and won. Not only that, but he was playing with a slightly-separated shoulder, and one pass to Heath Miller for 17 yards was a thing of beauty. Ben was getting dragged to the ground by two defenders.
As the season wore on, Ben's accomplishments took second place to the number one defense that terrorized just about every team it faced. But by the time Ben had won his second Superbowl in five years, he would finish the 2008 season 6-2 in games he had to throw the ball more than 30 times. One of those wins was against Baltimore in the playoffs. All of this while the Steelers' running game boasted a ranking of 23rd out of 32 teams. Not exactly a helpful hand to an "overrated quarterback."
Suddenly, a QB everyone said could win only with a good running game, was doing it without one. For the first time ever, some commentators started to use phrases like "elite" and "one of the best" but still it was because of his overall winning record and two rings. Nobody really took notice of his passing attempts in relation to his wins.
This past Thursday night, Big Ben won the game for us once again with zero help from the running game. He also tallied his 18th win when he had to bring the offense with a tied score or coming from behind. Now, in his sixth year, Big Ben still "holds on to the ball too long" and is (admittedly) a "slow starter." The critics are still out there, but it's obvious that Ben has shed the curse of 30. He's a guy you can rely on to win the clutch. He's confident enough that when facing overtime he'll tell the ball boy to get him his hat, because he's confident he can drive his team down the field, win, put on his hat and give a post-game interview.
With an offensive line that gets mauled like crazy in the running game, there is no other quarterback I'd rather have than Big Ben.
Just a few years ago however, most sports critics judged Big Ben by one specific stat.
The magic number 30.
Almost every sports commentators talked about it before last year. And it was true. Any time Ben threw more than 30 passes, the Steelers were likely to lose the game. It meant the running game had failed, the coach had put the game in Roethlisberger's arm (quite literally), and he wasn't up to the challenge to deliver the win.
In Ben's rookie season, he never threw the ball more than 28 times in a regular-season game. He went undefeated until he faced the Pats in the playoffs and the Steelers finished 15-1. We also had the number one rushing offense that year, and as great as the rookie Ben did, some critics chucked up the wins to our dominant D and our powerful running game.
The pattern of "the magic 30" began in 2005, when finally Ben had to keep up with high-powered offenses that put some numbers on the Steelers. It started against the Bengals at home, when for the first time in the NFL Ben lobbed the ball 41 times. Roethlisberger threw three TDs, but also three picks. The Steelers lost 31-38.
The next year, in 2006 (the year of the motorcycle crash), Ben played eight games where he had more than 30 passing attempts.
His record... 1-7.
That one win as against the Browns, so it barely counted toward anything. Suddenly the critics noticed. They pounced. Big Ben was overrated. He can't win without a running game to hold him over his opponents. He was a game manager. Not a game winner.
In 2007, Ben did slightly better, going 3-4, but again those three wins were against Buffalo, Cincinnati and Cleveland. And besides, Ben threw only 34, 34 and 32 passes in each game respectively. He sure was not Tom Brady. The critics were further reinforced of their argument when Ben threw the ball 42 times against the Jaguars at home in the playoffs and lost.
Overall, Ben was now looking at a 3-13 record overall for the 16 games in which he'd passed the ball more than 30 times. Not exactly the QB you want to rely on to win a game for you...
Then, in 2008, things changed. Not because the Steelers would eventually win the Superbowl. Something changed even before then. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road, a team that had embarrassed the Steelers twice at home the year before, Big Ben threw the ball 41 times (26 completions)... and won. Not only that, but he was playing with a slightly-separated shoulder, and one pass to Heath Miller for 17 yards was a thing of beauty. Ben was getting dragged to the ground by two defenders.
As the season wore on, Ben's accomplishments took second place to the number one defense that terrorized just about every team it faced. But by the time Ben had won his second Superbowl in five years, he would finish the 2008 season 6-2 in games he had to throw the ball more than 30 times. One of those wins was against Baltimore in the playoffs. All of this while the Steelers' running game boasted a ranking of 23rd out of 32 teams. Not exactly a helpful hand to an "overrated quarterback."
Suddenly, a QB everyone said could win only with a good running game, was doing it without one. For the first time ever, some commentators started to use phrases like "elite" and "one of the best" but still it was because of his overall winning record and two rings. Nobody really took notice of his passing attempts in relation to his wins.
This past Thursday night, Big Ben won the game for us once again with zero help from the running game. He also tallied his 18th win when he had to bring the offense with a tied score or coming from behind. Now, in his sixth year, Big Ben still "holds on to the ball too long" and is (admittedly) a "slow starter." The critics are still out there, but it's obvious that Ben has shed the curse of 30. He's a guy you can rely on to win the clutch. He's confident enough that when facing overtime he'll tell the ball boy to get him his hat, because he's confident he can drive his team down the field, win, put on his hat and give a post-game interview.
With an offensive line that gets mauled like crazy in the running game, there is no other quarterback I'd rather have than Big Ben.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Third and Short
That has been the bane of the Steelers' existence. I think we need Redzone Redman back to tough out the short yards. We haven't moved anybody on a short yardage plays. This has been a tough game to watch.
I have to say I highly underestimated the Tennessee Titans, who dominated the line of scrimmage for much of the game. Most of the sacks, I'd say were on Big Ben tonight holding the ball too long, but once again, he just makes plays. He escaped death just before making the big pass completion to Wallace. Take the good with the bad Steelers nation. In the end, it resulted in a big W to head off into the season.
I'm so glad they just sent Reed out there to end the game with the field goal. I don't think my heart could have taken another second of this game. I went absolutely nuts several times during the game.
But once again, this game would have been a lot easier to watch if we had a running game to grind out those tough yards.
I have to say I highly underestimated the Tennessee Titans, who dominated the line of scrimmage for much of the game. Most of the sacks, I'd say were on Big Ben tonight holding the ball too long, but once again, he just makes plays. He escaped death just before making the big pass completion to Wallace. Take the good with the bad Steelers nation. In the end, it resulted in a big W to head off into the season.
I'm so glad they just sent Reed out there to end the game with the field goal. I don't think my heart could have taken another second of this game. I went absolutely nuts several times during the game.
But once again, this game would have been a lot easier to watch if we had a running game to grind out those tough yards.
Steelers - Titans
So it begins tonight.
In part, I still haven't really wrapped my head around the fact that the NFL season is finally underway.
Tonight the Steelers will kick things off at home against the Tennessee Titans. My heart is actually racing right now, giving you a hint of the crazed Steelers maniac I am. I'm already salivating about the idea of Sundays filled with pro-football action, hard hitting, interceptions, must-see plays, touchdowns, bad referee calls, coach challenges.
All of it.
I love all of it.
And I really have to be careful. I don't want my passion for the NFL to compete with my passion for God. Sunday, like I said in a previous post, is the Lord's Day. We'll see how much I can control myself, and how much it will affect my devotion and worship of God.
But here's some thoughts on tonight's Thursday kickoff game...
The Steelers were the better team last year when they lost to the Titans in Nashville. They had just played three brutal and emotional games heading into the Dec. 21 match-up, the last of which was against hated rivals Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh had just claimed the division and had a chance to relax. The Titans, on the other hand, lost by a point against their rival (and mediocre) Texans, and everyone was questioning them.
These are not excuses. These are the facts.
Both teams start off on a blank slate, and as much as coaches pretend it doesn't matter, the games leading up to any match-up always play a part in the outcome.
Many people say Tennessee destroyed the Steelers last year in their game. This was mostly true along the line of scrimmage, but the scoreboard (31-14 final) was more misleading than the numbers indicated. Tennessee scored 7 of those points on an interception returned to the house, so now we're looking at 24-14 offensive points. What killed the Steelers were four costly turnovers, all at the end of Big Ben (2 ints and 2 fumbles). At the same time, Big Ben was able to find enough yards in the Tennessee's blanket defense and threw for 329 yards.
If Ben doesn't spill the bean in that game, the win is ours.
The key to win any game for the Steelers is never a surprise: Protect Big Ben. Even if we have a crappy running game (which we might because Tennessee is staunch against the rush), my prediction is we win the game by 10 points.
Also, we have to contain Chris Johnson (LenDale White doesn't scare me so much -- he's pudgy and slow). He had a 21-yard touchdown on a 4th and 1. Everybody remembers that Ike Taylor whiffed on the tackle that would have stopped him for a loss. Our defense cannot allow the Titan offense to control the game. We'll protect Ben tonight and contain the rush.
Steelers 1 and 0
Mark it down. Here we go.
In part, I still haven't really wrapped my head around the fact that the NFL season is finally underway.
Tonight the Steelers will kick things off at home against the Tennessee Titans. My heart is actually racing right now, giving you a hint of the crazed Steelers maniac I am. I'm already salivating about the idea of Sundays filled with pro-football action, hard hitting, interceptions, must-see plays, touchdowns, bad referee calls, coach challenges.
All of it.
I love all of it.
And I really have to be careful. I don't want my passion for the NFL to compete with my passion for God. Sunday, like I said in a previous post, is the Lord's Day. We'll see how much I can control myself, and how much it will affect my devotion and worship of God.
But here's some thoughts on tonight's Thursday kickoff game...
The Steelers were the better team last year when they lost to the Titans in Nashville. They had just played three brutal and emotional games heading into the Dec. 21 match-up, the last of which was against hated rivals Ravens in Baltimore. Pittsburgh had just claimed the division and had a chance to relax. The Titans, on the other hand, lost by a point against their rival (and mediocre) Texans, and everyone was questioning them.
These are not excuses. These are the facts.
Both teams start off on a blank slate, and as much as coaches pretend it doesn't matter, the games leading up to any match-up always play a part in the outcome.
Many people say Tennessee destroyed the Steelers last year in their game. This was mostly true along the line of scrimmage, but the scoreboard (31-14 final) was more misleading than the numbers indicated. Tennessee scored 7 of those points on an interception returned to the house, so now we're looking at 24-14 offensive points. What killed the Steelers were four costly turnovers, all at the end of Big Ben (2 ints and 2 fumbles). At the same time, Big Ben was able to find enough yards in the Tennessee's blanket defense and threw for 329 yards.
If Ben doesn't spill the bean in that game, the win is ours.
The key to win any game for the Steelers is never a surprise: Protect Big Ben. Even if we have a crappy running game (which we might because Tennessee is staunch against the rush), my prediction is we win the game by 10 points.
Also, we have to contain Chris Johnson (LenDale White doesn't scare me so much -- he's pudgy and slow). He had a 21-yard touchdown on a 4th and 1. Everybody remembers that Ike Taylor whiffed on the tackle that would have stopped him for a loss. Our defense cannot allow the Titan offense to control the game. We'll protect Ben tonight and contain the rush.
Steelers 1 and 0
Mark it down. Here we go.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Year Prediciton
I like to make a few predictions at the beginning of every Steelers season. Some are bold, while others are easier to swallow. I'm not going to predict whether the Steelers can repeat this year and climb the Stairway to Seven. That all depends on their attitude and level of focus.
But here we go with a few fun predictions (I will add a few words on some predictions to explain where I'm coming from):
1) Stefan Logan, our new hero on special teams, will have at least three returns for a touchdown this year.
2) Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes will each have a 1,000+ yards season. Ward is 33 years old, but he has always relied on toughness and precise route running, so even as he gets older he doesn't have to rely on speed to get yards. The speedy Holmes is entering his fourth year in the NFL and has yet to break a thousand. He'll do it this year because year four is usually the coming-out year for wide receivers.
3) Big Ben will get sacked less than 30 times. This is more wishful thinking than a prediction, but I have to say that the offensive line looked much more in control at the end of last season and in the playoffs than they were starting off. For the line, it's about communication, and I think the unit improved by adding a bigger, more experienced Trai Essex to replace Darnell Stapleton.
4) Willie Parker will have a solid 1,400-yards rushing season, but he will drop several passes in the open field as he refuses to work on his stone hands. Parker is finally healthy and is on his last year of his contract. He'll want to prove he deserves to stay. This, of course, will depend mostly on how much work Mendenhall will receive carrying the ball. Mendenhall still needs to be more aggressive while running down hill. He'll hit that in stride half-way through the season.
5) LaMarr Woodley will have more sacks than James Harrison this year. But at least the Zebras will finally call holding on opposing tackles trying to strangle Harrison on every play. The reason for this prediction is simple... more attention will be paid to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and Woodley will come into his own as he enters his 3rd year in the NFL.
6) The Steelers will boast the No. 1 defense once again.
7) Big Ben will continue to be undefeated in Ohio.
8) Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark will be the most dominant duo at Safety in the NFL.
9) Ike Taylor will continue to drop incredibly easy interceptions while Polamalu shows him how it's really done.
10) Anthony Smith will make some kind of ridiculous prediction before the Steelers face the Packers and again Smith will be beat deep for a touchdown as he continues to bite on play-action fakes.
But here we go with a few fun predictions (I will add a few words on some predictions to explain where I'm coming from):
1) Stefan Logan, our new hero on special teams, will have at least three returns for a touchdown this year.
2) Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes will each have a 1,000+ yards season. Ward is 33 years old, but he has always relied on toughness and precise route running, so even as he gets older he doesn't have to rely on speed to get yards. The speedy Holmes is entering his fourth year in the NFL and has yet to break a thousand. He'll do it this year because year four is usually the coming-out year for wide receivers.
3) Big Ben will get sacked less than 30 times. This is more wishful thinking than a prediction, but I have to say that the offensive line looked much more in control at the end of last season and in the playoffs than they were starting off. For the line, it's about communication, and I think the unit improved by adding a bigger, more experienced Trai Essex to replace Darnell Stapleton.
4) Willie Parker will have a solid 1,400-yards rushing season, but he will drop several passes in the open field as he refuses to work on his stone hands. Parker is finally healthy and is on his last year of his contract. He'll want to prove he deserves to stay. This, of course, will depend mostly on how much work Mendenhall will receive carrying the ball. Mendenhall still needs to be more aggressive while running down hill. He'll hit that in stride half-way through the season.
5) LaMarr Woodley will have more sacks than James Harrison this year. But at least the Zebras will finally call holding on opposing tackles trying to strangle Harrison on every play. The reason for this prediction is simple... more attention will be paid to the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and Woodley will come into his own as he enters his 3rd year in the NFL.
6) The Steelers will boast the No. 1 defense once again.
7) Big Ben will continue to be undefeated in Ohio.
8) Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark will be the most dominant duo at Safety in the NFL.
9) Ike Taylor will continue to drop incredibly easy interceptions while Polamalu shows him how it's really done.
10) Anthony Smith will make some kind of ridiculous prediction before the Steelers face the Packers and again Smith will be beat deep for a touchdown as he continues to bite on play-action fakes.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Lord's Day
Sunday is my favorite day of the week. My church likes to call it the Lord's Day, and it is. Before I became a Christian, I didn't know anybody who genuinely loved going to church -- little alone somebody my age. But right now, I honestly have to say I love church.
My wife, Heather, and I are members of a small Reformed Presbyterian church called Providence. There are maybe 100 members at our church, plus the additional guests and attendants that join us on Sunday. So it's a small community. Our church is not a fancy place. It's small, plain, with wooden benches and few decorations. I've been to megachurches that seat thousands of people and look more like ampitheaters than places of worship.
Pride is always a dangerous thing, and I don't mean to suggest that I pride in my church because it's small. The reason why I love Sundays is because our pastor and elders do a phenominal job in preaching the Word. Almost every sermon I've listend to at Providence has been a re-awakening and a refresher as to why we worship God.
Recently, Pastor Rut started a series of sermons about the 10 commandments. Nothing revolutionary there. Nothing out of this world. Nothing but the good old basics. And that's what reformed theology does, it sticks to the basics. It grounds itself in the Bible's teachings. It's straightforward and honest about who we are and who God is. He is the Creator. We are the creatures. We worship Him. He doesn't worship us.
Too often I've run into churches where Sundays are treated more as the People's Day, rather than the Lord's. Yes, Sunday is our day of rest, but more importantly it's a day of Worship.
Of course I know that originally the Sabbath was on Saturday, which is the day God took to rest after His creation. But we, as Christians, worship on Sundays because that's the day Christ rose from the dead as a sign for his sacrifice and our salvation. There are a lot of churches that wish to worship at the people's terms, but what we tend to forget is that God doesn't need our opinion in the matter of worship. He sets the rules. And that's tough to accept sometimes.
The reason I love Sundays is because it gives me and my wife an opportunity to spend the day glorifying God. The sermons we receive at providence are always excellent. Pastor Rut is phenomenal, and he says the trick for him is to preach the Word and get himself out of the way. The sermons at Providence are often pretty long, anywhere from 30-45 minutes. But there is always so much depth. I never feel like I just walked away from a motivational-speaking seminar or a pity party about the sad condition of our society. Rut's sermons teach and dig deeply into the Word of God, often giving substantial reference from other parts of the Bible (Old and New Testament, for the two are inseparable).
There are many struggles in the Christian faith -- whether presented from other religions, from the world of atheism, or from the church itself. Regardless of where the struggles come from, the core is always the same: self worship. Any time we place anything before God, we are acting in self worship because WE are then deciding what is more important, ultimately serving our own desires instead of God's.
So here is one of my personal struggles this Fall Semester... the NFL season begins once again and the Steelers return to defend their title after winning their sixth Lombardi Trophy. It's not enough that I have a full semester at Pitt, working two days a week and interning with the Post-Gazette three more. On top of it all, I'll be distracted with trying to keep up with Steelers news and cheering for them to win.
Unfortunately, most games they play are on Sundays: The Lord's Day. Already I've made myself, my wife and God a promise that I would honor the Sabbath. We shall see how it goes. The first Sunday game is Sept. 20.
Until then, at least I'll enjoy this Thursday night's kick-off as the Steelers open up the NFL season at home against the Tennessee Titans.
Oh, do I have some choice words to say about the Titans and their desecration of the Terrible Towel.
Well, at least it wasn't the Bible...
But we shall discuss it all in due time.
My wife, Heather, and I are members of a small Reformed Presbyterian church called Providence. There are maybe 100 members at our church, plus the additional guests and attendants that join us on Sunday. So it's a small community. Our church is not a fancy place. It's small, plain, with wooden benches and few decorations. I've been to megachurches that seat thousands of people and look more like ampitheaters than places of worship.
Pride is always a dangerous thing, and I don't mean to suggest that I pride in my church because it's small. The reason why I love Sundays is because our pastor and elders do a phenominal job in preaching the Word. Almost every sermon I've listend to at Providence has been a re-awakening and a refresher as to why we worship God.
Recently, Pastor Rut started a series of sermons about the 10 commandments. Nothing revolutionary there. Nothing out of this world. Nothing but the good old basics. And that's what reformed theology does, it sticks to the basics. It grounds itself in the Bible's teachings. It's straightforward and honest about who we are and who God is. He is the Creator. We are the creatures. We worship Him. He doesn't worship us.
Too often I've run into churches where Sundays are treated more as the People's Day, rather than the Lord's. Yes, Sunday is our day of rest, but more importantly it's a day of Worship.
Of course I know that originally the Sabbath was on Saturday, which is the day God took to rest after His creation. But we, as Christians, worship on Sundays because that's the day Christ rose from the dead as a sign for his sacrifice and our salvation. There are a lot of churches that wish to worship at the people's terms, but what we tend to forget is that God doesn't need our opinion in the matter of worship. He sets the rules. And that's tough to accept sometimes.
The reason I love Sundays is because it gives me and my wife an opportunity to spend the day glorifying God. The sermons we receive at providence are always excellent. Pastor Rut is phenomenal, and he says the trick for him is to preach the Word and get himself out of the way. The sermons at Providence are often pretty long, anywhere from 30-45 minutes. But there is always so much depth. I never feel like I just walked away from a motivational-speaking seminar or a pity party about the sad condition of our society. Rut's sermons teach and dig deeply into the Word of God, often giving substantial reference from other parts of the Bible (Old and New Testament, for the two are inseparable).
There are many struggles in the Christian faith -- whether presented from other religions, from the world of atheism, or from the church itself. Regardless of where the struggles come from, the core is always the same: self worship. Any time we place anything before God, we are acting in self worship because WE are then deciding what is more important, ultimately serving our own desires instead of God's.
So here is one of my personal struggles this Fall Semester... the NFL season begins once again and the Steelers return to defend their title after winning their sixth Lombardi Trophy. It's not enough that I have a full semester at Pitt, working two days a week and interning with the Post-Gazette three more. On top of it all, I'll be distracted with trying to keep up with Steelers news and cheering for them to win.
Unfortunately, most games they play are on Sundays: The Lord's Day. Already I've made myself, my wife and God a promise that I would honor the Sabbath. We shall see how it goes. The first Sunday game is Sept. 20.
Until then, at least I'll enjoy this Thursday night's kick-off as the Steelers open up the NFL season at home against the Tennessee Titans.
Oh, do I have some choice words to say about the Titans and their desecration of the Terrible Towel.
Well, at least it wasn't the Bible...
But we shall discuss it all in due time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
