Adrian Peterson runs passed the Steelers defense. All day.
Mandatory Credit: Bob Martin-USA TODAY Sports
What We Learned in Week 4 in the NFL:
- Joe Flacco tosses 5 INT’s in Ravens loss to Buffalo
- Geno Smith has his own butt fumble
- Broncos look unstoppable
- Steelers drop to 0-4 and everyone is mad
- Steelers legend L.C. Greenwood passes away at 67
Another frustrating morning for Steeler Nation. Doesn’t feel great to be winless after four weeks of action. With the Steelers headed to a bye after they land home from London there’s bound to be a week’s worth of more frustration. Bright side? They won’t lose again next week. In the mean-time let’s give ourselves some simple pleasure by giving out some cheap shots.
While the Steelers are definitely still in the basement of the AFC North, there really is no clear leader in the division so far; especially after watching the Buffalo Bills defense shake Joe Flacco down for five picks. It’s becoming more apparent that the Ravens’ lack of offensive weapons might just be their downfall this season. It’s also apparent that the Ravens defense is, pretty much, irrelevant. While Terrell “I was born with big gums, sir” Suggs has recorded a sack in each of the four games so far this season, it’s still not enough for anyone to care about a Ravens defense which does not have Ray Lewis or Ed Reed. Watching the Ravens have games like this following their Super Bowl winning season doesn’t make you feel totally better about the Steelers being 0-4 but it certainly doesn’t hurt.
You know what will make you feel better? How about a butt fumble? Who could forget the New York Jets butt fumble last Thanksgiving when Mark Sanchez ran directly into the buttocks of Brandon Moore and lost the ball in the process? That was a priceless moment in football history. Who would have thought there would ever be another? Well, if there was going to be one, it’s only fitting that it came from the Jets again as rookie QB Geno Smith gave us his rendition of a butt fumble on Sunday afternoon. Smith was attempting to go behind-the-back with the ball while Titans DL Karl Krug came after him. What could go wrong with that? Surely that’s the best way to handle the ball when a D-lineman is coming after you. Unfortunately for Smith, his buttocks got in the way of the “end-around” he was attempting and the ball was knocked loose. Krug recovered and ran it in for a touchdown. Butt fumble lives on.
In case anyone hasn’t been paying attention the Denver Broncos are on pace to score eleventy billion points this season. They got a little bit closer to that goal by knocking the Eagles out 52-20 on Sunday. Peyton Manning threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns on the day and has yet to throw an interception this season. The Broncos fell just five points short of breaking the record for most points scored in the first month of the season in the NFL. If Manning keeps playing like this throughout the season the playoff choke he’s bound to have is going to be epic, just epic.
Speaking of epic that is one word that can be used to describe how bad the Steelers decline so far in 2013 has been. They failed to win their first game of the season against the also winless Vikings on Sunday giving up 140 rushing yard to Adrian Peterson in a 34-27 loss. The roughest part of it all is that the Steelers have given up the ball eleven times so far this season and still have yet to take it away. The Steelers offense outgained their opponents for the second straight game but it was the same old story of the defense falling short along with Ben making some costly turnovers that has the Steelers flying home still winless. Mike Tomlin was a bit heated in his post-game press conference threatening to get rid of players who will not buy into the team’s task of turning this losing ship around.
"“Those who don’t ain’t going to be a part of this…whoever it may be.” – Mike Tomlin"
Surely Tomlin is going to get flack about that. He’s going to get flack about a lot because he’s a coach of a winless team. From top to bottom this team is not playing winning football no matter how you look at it. You can’t go back and draft a whole new set of offensive lineman but right now it looks like the investments that were made in those early round draft picks are on the verge of being called busts. I’m not sure what’s going to turn this team around, I really don’t know. Prepare yourselves for a week of finger-pointing, name-calling, blame-shifting, and more frustrations. The only cure for all that stuff is to win a friggin game.
Steeler Nation lost one of its most beloved members on Sunday afternoon when news broke that L.C. Greenwood passed away. Greenwood was part of the legendary “Steel Curtain” defense along with Mean Joe Greene, Dwight White, and Ernie Holmes. Steelers President Art Rooney II released the following statement on the loss of Greenwood.
"“L.C. Greenwood was one of the all-time great Steelers and one of the leaders of the legendary ‘Steel Curtain’ defense in the 1970s. L.C. was one of the most beloved Steelers during the most successful period in team history and he will be missed by the entire organization. He will be forever remembered for what he meant to the Steelers both on and off the field. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his entire family.” – Art Rooney II"
L.C. Greenwood was 67 years old.
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