It¹s another week and another disappointing loss. I¹m not talking about the Oakland Raiders, who come into this game with the momentum of this season¹s only win against a pissed off but still inept Arizona Cardinals. I¹m obviously speaking about our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers who, with the exception of the Jacksonville game, have been in every contest they¹ve played this year. Why, last week¹s loss was so close, the game went into overtime. In fact, Coach Cowher declared afterwards that the team left it all out on the field. Watching the tired and drawn faces of the team as the Atlanta Falcons celebrated taking down the Super Bowl champions, I believed that. They did leave it all on the field. However... They didn¹t leave enough out there to win the game.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger continued building his confidence with a near perfect game before being leveled in the 3rd quarter and dealt his second concussion in four months. He was so intent on doing what he could to win, that I read he asked Cowher to put him back in after being carted off the field. That¹s the heart of a warrior. Back-up Charlie Batch proved that he, too, was ready to answer the clarion call by throwing for 2 additional touchdowns and keeping the Steelers in the game in the waning moments of regulation. But, for all the strength and heart the offense showed, where was the stifling defense? They were there in the first half, but they faded away in the second as they¹ve done throughout this season, recording only one sack of the elusive Michael Vick. Because of losing such a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire contest where they were barely heard, I believe the defense will be at the top of its form this week to pound the much hated Raiders into submission.

Here¹s how I see the match-up this week:

Offense
Everyone in the Steeler Nation is waiting with baited breath to see if favorite son Ben Roethlisberger will be medically cleared this week to take the snaps from center. Ben himself sounds like he¹s chomping at the bit to continue his progression back from a heinous off season and finish what he started last week in Atlanta. I know head injuries are always iffy, but I think he¹ll get to be on the field this week. If it should happen that he is not, we won¹t be in any trouble at all. Charlie Batch - owner of the highest QB rating in the league (136.8) for quarterbacks who have played in more than one game - proved without a doubt that he can direct this offense when called upon.

Though premier running back Fast Willie Parker was unable to find much daylight trying to plow through the Falcons, I don¹t believe he¹ll have much trouble against a defense that is ranked 26th in the league against the run, allowing an average of 132.5 yards per game. After being reigned in and stopped in the backfield repeatedly last week, our line and the Raiders themselves will give him the seams that he couldn¹t find last week, allowing him to have another 100 yard game for the season. With back-ups Najeh Davenport and Verron Haynes there to carry the third down load and allow a winded FWP to rest, look for our run game to have legs - literally.

It¹s our improving receivers that will face hard times this week. They¹ll be going against a pass defense that¹s 1st in the league, allowing an average of only 140.5 yards per game. Stand-outs include Stuart Schweigert and first round draft pick rookie Michael Huff in their secondary. But I don¹t count our receivers out against this stiff defensive group. They¹ve proven in the last couple of games that they are coming around after being plagued by the dropsies. Hines Ward had two monster games back-to-back. His three touchdown performance last week included a 70-yard touchdown where 40 of the yards came with only one shoe.

Defense
Our defense came out strong last week stopping Warrick Dunn and Michael Vick from running roughshod over them. The two were each held to 69 and 40 yards respectively, most of which came in the second half. Look for the number 9 rushing defense in the league to keep the Raiders off balance and not allow veteran LaMont Jordan nor Huggy Bear¹s young son Justin Fargas to get much on the ground.

Last week I predicted all-out blitzes that would keep Vick back on his heels. Unfortunately, our defense didn¹t get that game plan. They were only able to penetrate Atlanta¹s line one time to get to Vick. But I¹m staying with the call of all-out blitz. That¹s the defense, the team, Coach LeBeau, and the dynasty¹s identity. They know they are better than what they¹ve been able to accomplish on the field. Ranked only 12th in the league, this unit has been to the heights. They know what they are capable of and they will enter this week with a huge chip on their shoulder that they will not let the Raiders knock off. Look for them to terrorize the Raiders QB. Although, with their depleted corps (all of them have some form of injury) who knows who that may be.

Special Teams
I think our best plan of attack is to do whatever we can to keep these guys off the field. I don¹t know why they¹re not gelling. Last year our special teams were great. Was Randle El truly the key to this unit? At this point, it certainly seems to be.

Borrowing a Page From Peter King...
Other Football Thought of the Week
How many more offensive coordinators will bite the dust before the year is over? The coaching bloodbath has been quite a spectacle this season. For the next surprise coaching move, look for Indy to fire their OC if Peyton Manning has less than two TDs in two back-to-back games.

Non-Football Thought of the Week
I don¹t have one. I¹m so irked about the overtime loss to Atlanta that I haven¹t been able to think about much else this week. That and Mario Lopez really is walking away with the trophy for this season¹s Dancing With the Stars.

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