Post by TheShadow on Dec 5, 2003 21:57:10 GMT -5
www.oaklandtribune.com
Either by choice or execution, ground game is not great for either Raiders or Steelers
By Jerry McDonald, STAFF WRITER
ALAMEDA -- Critics of the Oakland Raiders say they won't run.
Statistics say the Pittsburgh Steelers can't run.
Weather conditions say both teams may have to run when the Raiders visit the Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field.
Temperature at game time is expected to be anywhere from 24 to 38 degrees with the possibility of snow.
The Raiders strayed from a successful three-game stretch of offense in their 22-8 loss to Denver, going away from the run-heavy attack that had been successful against the New York Jets, Minnesota and Kansas City.
Coach Bill Callahan cited penalties and a desire to exploit favorable matchups in the secondary as the reason for Tyrone Wheatley getting just eight carries for 85 yards as Oakland rushed 23 times for 123 yards.
For Pittsburgh, 123 yards would be its second best rushing output of the season -- quite a comedown for the NFL's top rushing team (137.1 yards per game) in the previous 11 seasons since Bill Cowher took over as head coach.
The 2003 Steelers are averaging just 85.2 yards per game, 31st in the NFL, and are averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
In a season in which 10 runners have already broken 1,000 yards, neither the Steelers nor the Raiders will have anyone that comes close. Jerome Bettis leads Pittsburgh with 468 yards on 148 carries, Wheatley tops the Raiders with 483 yards on 117 attempts.
Wheatley, with 346 yards on 82 carries in his last four games, knows the Raiders could choose other offensive options at any moment, as they did in the third and fourth quarters against Denver.
The focal point of Oakland's NFL-leading rushing attack in 2000 with 1,046 yards, Wheatley remains philosophical.
"You're a professional and when it is your time to run, you've got to run," Wheatley said. "It isn't one of those deals where you sit there, pound on your chest and say, "Yeah, yeah ... happy for me. It's just a day's work. That's about it."
In a season in which running backs have topped the 100-yard mark 111 times in 13 weeks, Wheatley -- with 109 yards rushing on 32 attempts against Minnesota on Nov.16 -- is the lone player on either team to do it.
Bettis, 31, is the NFL's No.2 active rusher behind all-time leader Emmitt Smith and No. 10 all-time. With 12,010 yards, Bettis is 64 yards shy of Thurman Thomas at No.9 and 729 yards shy of Tony Dorsett at No.5.
At 5-foot-11, 256 pounds, there is speculation Bettis' battering-ram style has made him old beyond his years. He is coming off a 666-yard season in 2002 and was initially a backup for the first six games of the season behind Amos Zereoue.
Bettis told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Wednesday he feels fine, but understands his future with the Steelers is not secure.
"Whenever you have a disappointing year like this, there are always going to be changes and usually the veteran guys take a hit," Bettis said. "My future here is a question mark."
Oakland's 32nd-ranked rushing defense (150.8 yards per game), shredded for 170 yards by Clinton Portis last week, represents a chance for Pittsburgh to resurrect its running game.
Bettis rushed for a season high 93 yards against Cleveland two weeks ago and has touchdowns in his last two or three games.
Cowher told Bay Area reporters by conference call Pittsburgh's problems with the running game have had more to do with circumstance and a wounded offensive line.
"We've been behind in a lot of games, and when you get behind you lose the element of running the football because the clock is working against you," Cowher said. "Also, we haven't had the same offensive line for an extended period of time."
Left tackle Marvel Smith, the Skyline High School product, who missed five games with a neck injury, hurt it again in last week's loss to Cincinnati and will be out against Oakland, forcing Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca from left guard to left tackle. Keydrick Vincent, an undrafted free agent in his third season, assumes Faneca's position at left guard.
Right guard Kendall Simmons was diagnosed with diabetes in the preseason and has struggled all season.
With its 3.3 yards per carry average on running plays and 35 sacks surrendered, the offensive line play is at a low point in Cowher's tenure with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh's run defense, which was so strong last season Oakland abandoned all pretense of the run and threw 65 passes in Week 2, remains above average.
The Steelers are ranked ninth against the run, giving up 100 yards per game. Only twice all season -- against Kansas City (158) and San Francisco (169) have the Steelers given up more than the 150.8 figure the Raiders give up on average.
Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense features a quartet of excellent linebackers -- Jason Gildon, James Farrior, Kendrell Bell and Joey Porter.
"They're still an aggressive defense, and that linebacker corps they have is one of the better ones in the NFL right now," Wheatley said. "We still have to contend with them regardless of what their situation is and regardless of ours."
Either by choice or execution, ground game is not great for either Raiders or Steelers
By Jerry McDonald, STAFF WRITER
ALAMEDA -- Critics of the Oakland Raiders say they won't run.
Statistics say the Pittsburgh Steelers can't run.
Weather conditions say both teams may have to run when the Raiders visit the Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field.
Temperature at game time is expected to be anywhere from 24 to 38 degrees with the possibility of snow.
The Raiders strayed from a successful three-game stretch of offense in their 22-8 loss to Denver, going away from the run-heavy attack that had been successful against the New York Jets, Minnesota and Kansas City.
Coach Bill Callahan cited penalties and a desire to exploit favorable matchups in the secondary as the reason for Tyrone Wheatley getting just eight carries for 85 yards as Oakland rushed 23 times for 123 yards.
For Pittsburgh, 123 yards would be its second best rushing output of the season -- quite a comedown for the NFL's top rushing team (137.1 yards per game) in the previous 11 seasons since Bill Cowher took over as head coach.
The 2003 Steelers are averaging just 85.2 yards per game, 31st in the NFL, and are averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
In a season in which 10 runners have already broken 1,000 yards, neither the Steelers nor the Raiders will have anyone that comes close. Jerome Bettis leads Pittsburgh with 468 yards on 148 carries, Wheatley tops the Raiders with 483 yards on 117 attempts.
Wheatley, with 346 yards on 82 carries in his last four games, knows the Raiders could choose other offensive options at any moment, as they did in the third and fourth quarters against Denver.
The focal point of Oakland's NFL-leading rushing attack in 2000 with 1,046 yards, Wheatley remains philosophical.
"You're a professional and when it is your time to run, you've got to run," Wheatley said. "It isn't one of those deals where you sit there, pound on your chest and say, "Yeah, yeah ... happy for me. It's just a day's work. That's about it."
In a season in which running backs have topped the 100-yard mark 111 times in 13 weeks, Wheatley -- with 109 yards rushing on 32 attempts against Minnesota on Nov.16 -- is the lone player on either team to do it.
Bettis, 31, is the NFL's No.2 active rusher behind all-time leader Emmitt Smith and No. 10 all-time. With 12,010 yards, Bettis is 64 yards shy of Thurman Thomas at No.9 and 729 yards shy of Tony Dorsett at No.5.
At 5-foot-11, 256 pounds, there is speculation Bettis' battering-ram style has made him old beyond his years. He is coming off a 666-yard season in 2002 and was initially a backup for the first six games of the season behind Amos Zereoue.
Bettis told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Wednesday he feels fine, but understands his future with the Steelers is not secure.
"Whenever you have a disappointing year like this, there are always going to be changes and usually the veteran guys take a hit," Bettis said. "My future here is a question mark."
Oakland's 32nd-ranked rushing defense (150.8 yards per game), shredded for 170 yards by Clinton Portis last week, represents a chance for Pittsburgh to resurrect its running game.
Bettis rushed for a season high 93 yards against Cleveland two weeks ago and has touchdowns in his last two or three games.
Cowher told Bay Area reporters by conference call Pittsburgh's problems with the running game have had more to do with circumstance and a wounded offensive line.
"We've been behind in a lot of games, and when you get behind you lose the element of running the football because the clock is working against you," Cowher said. "Also, we haven't had the same offensive line for an extended period of time."
Left tackle Marvel Smith, the Skyline High School product, who missed five games with a neck injury, hurt it again in last week's loss to Cincinnati and will be out against Oakland, forcing Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca from left guard to left tackle. Keydrick Vincent, an undrafted free agent in his third season, assumes Faneca's position at left guard.
Right guard Kendall Simmons was diagnosed with diabetes in the preseason and has struggled all season.
With its 3.3 yards per carry average on running plays and 35 sacks surrendered, the offensive line play is at a low point in Cowher's tenure with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh's run defense, which was so strong last season Oakland abandoned all pretense of the run and threw 65 passes in Week 2, remains above average.
The Steelers are ranked ninth against the run, giving up 100 yards per game. Only twice all season -- against Kansas City (158) and San Francisco (169) have the Steelers given up more than the 150.8 figure the Raiders give up on average.
Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense features a quartet of excellent linebackers -- Jason Gildon, James Farrior, Kendrell Bell and Joey Porter.
"They're still an aggressive defense, and that linebacker corps they have is one of the better ones in the NFL right now," Wheatley said. "We still have to contend with them regardless of what their situation is and regardless of ours."