Steelers O-Line non-existent in loss to Eagles - Score:15-6

The Pittsburgh Steelers suffered their first loss of this season and the brunt of the loss can solely be placed on the offensive line. Despite the first drive that gave the Steelers 3 points, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was under siege the rest of the day, in being sacked 8 times. The sack total would have been even higher if not for Ben’s scrambling. Time after time the Eagles defence blitzed the Steelers and rendered the O-Line absolutely useless. With all the sacks and hits, Ben Roethlisberger ended up leaving the game with a sore right hand. X-rays came back negative, but if the O-line doesn’t protect their quarterback much better, there’s no way he’s going to finish the year.

 

“We got our butt kicked, plain and simple,” Colon said. “No other way to put it. Obviously, we didn’t do the job we wanted to come out here and do. We got lit up.”

 

The defence of the Eagles didn’t stop their, they also frustrated Willie Parker in surrendering only 20 yards to Parker. The Steelers offence had no answers to the Eagles blitz defence and this made for a very long day.

 

“They took it to us tonight, no doubt,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “They got after us. That’s the story of this football game. They applied pressure on our quarterback, particularly on third downs, made splash plays.”

 

The one positive for the Steelers is their defence was outstanding and really was the only reason the game was remotely close. They pressured Donovan McNabb all day long as well. The defensive performance was marred by the Eagles defensive showing, nonetheless. Troy Polamalu had a third straight game with an interception, when he made a highlight real one handed interception catch. Bryant McFadden added another INT for the Steelers.

 

“I want to thank our defense,” Roethlisberger said. “They gave us many chances to win that game. They were the reason we were able to stay close and have an opportunity to win the game.”

 

The problem for the Steelers now is not so much what the Eagles did, but what every other defense will try to do, starting with Baltimore Monday night.

“It has to be correctable,” Colon said. “Any team that watches this tape right now is going to understand we’re suffering with the blitz coming at us and if we don’t get it done, they’re going to blitz the hell out of us.”

This could be a long week of practice for the Steelers and they can only hope that the health of Big Ben is positive. The Steelers will host the Baltimore Ravens this week in what will be a first place game.

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