Steelers football blog

Keisel signs 5 year deal

Defensive end Brett Keisel signed a five-year contract this afternoon, most likely the final player the Steelers will sign until after the season.

Keisel was among a large group of starters entering their final season under contract. The Steelers have a policy that once the regular season starts, they no longer will negotiate contract extensions.

Among those starters who will enter their final year under contract are nose tackle Casey Hampton, halfback Willie Parker, tackle Willie Colon, safety Ryan Clark, center Justin Hartwig and kicker Jeff Reed.

Keisel, 30, has been their starter on the right side of their defense since 2006. He is now under contract through 2013. Continue

Big Ben looks awesome in win vs Bills

Last night, the Steelers looked Super again.

Playing extensively for the first time since they beat Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers' starting lineup thoroughly dominated the Buffalo Bills in their first half of play.

Their first-half lead stood up as the final score, 17-0, and their second victory in three preseason games came minus Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes and starting halfback Willie Parker, both out with minor injuries.

"It was a productive outing for us. It is great when you can pitch a shutout, even in August," said coach Mike Tomlin. "I see some good things, but still see some things where the Steelers are still beating the Steelers." Continue

Mendenhall to see lots of action tonight

Starting running back Willie Parker is questionable for tonight's game because of a hamstring injury. Even if Parker is able to play, coach Mike Tomlin said, Rashard Mendenhall will get plenty of work. Mendenhall, whom the Steelers are hoping can provide a legitimate complement to Parker this season, leads the team with 50 rushing yards on 14 carries through two preseason games. "This guy's had a good camp and a good preseason," Tomlin said. "We just ask that he does more of the same."

Starters going a half vs Bills

There are still 13 days before the Steelers kick off the 2009 NFL season against the Tennessee Titans, but tomorrow night's preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Heinz Field will serve as the final dress rehearsal for the starters.

The first-team offense and defense played only five series apiece in the preseason games against Arizona and Washington. The starters will play at least the first half tomorrow and then only a series or two next week at Carolina.

Preseason games are generally regarded as meaningless for everyone but the coaches. But if there is one game the players take seriously, it is the third one, because this is the game that most mimics a regular-season contest. Continue

Big Ben may not be 100% vs Bills

Steelers fans weren't the only ones who got a major scare last Thursday when left tackle Max Starks fell onto the right foot of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger during the team's final practice of training camp.

"We both went down. Everyone thought they heard a pop, too," said Roethlisberger, speaking Wednesday for the first time since he hurt his right Achilles tendon. "Luckily, it was just a bruise. It's not 100 percent, but it's coming along."

Roethlisberger took part in most of the Steelers' practice yesterday, though he spent the last part of it icing the back of his foot.

Barring a setback, he will play when the Steelers play host to the Buffalo Bills in a preseason game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Continue

Big Ben expected to start vs Bills

While it's only an exhibition game, Saturday night's Steelers-Bills contest at Heinz Field is generally considered the most important of the preseason.

Starters usually play longer in the third exhibition game, and the play-calling resembles what's likely to occur in the regular season.

"We're approaching this game as if it was a real game," right tackle Willie Colon said. "I think this game you're going to see us out there more."

Said coach Mike Tomlin: "We're looking for our starters to play a significant amount of time."

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers' most visible starter, returned to practice as a limited participant Tuesday after missing the second preseason game against Washington because of a right foot injury. Continue

Taylor working on hands

Talk about irony.

Ike Taylor holds a receiving record at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Yet, he concedes that his hands — and specifically their lack of reliability — have probably prevented him from earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.

"My personal goal is to catch the ball (this season) and make the Pro Bowl," Taylor said.

The two are inextricably linked when it comes to the Steelers cornerback. Going into his seventh NFL season, Taylor has just eight interceptions, or one more than Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu had in 2008 alone.

The total would be appreciably higher had Taylor not been plagued by drops throughout his career, and he is at a loss to explain why he hasn't better taken advantage of his opportunities when he has been in position to make an interception. Continue

Logan impressive return man

A couple of days before the Steelers' second preseason game, the coaches told Stefan Logan that he would serve as the team's primary kickoff and punt returner against the Redskins.

They weren't the only ones eager to see what the pint-sized Logan could do in his first extended game action as a Steelers player.

"Before he even touched the first kickoff, we were making bets on the sideline (of) when he's going to take one to the house," starting running back Willie Parker said. "He's amazing."

He sure was Saturday night, and the explosiveness Logan displayed in piling up 205 return yards turned him from a curiosity into a legitimate candidate to make the 53-man roster of the reigning Super Bowl champions.

"I think it's pretty obvious that he did a nice job," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

Logan's breakout performance could not have come at a better time — for both him and the Steelers. Continue

Big Ben watches loss from sidelines

Ben Roethlisberger watched comfortably from the sideline as the Steelers and Washington Redskins played yet another tedious exhibition game last night.

Roethlisberger and the Redskins were winners. Roethlisberger because he did not have to play following an injury to his right foot in practice Thursday that has proven to be minor; the Redskins because they won, 17-13.

Afterward, coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger is OK, although he would not say if he expects him to practice tomorrow.

No. 3 Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon, however, was not so lucky because he left in the fourth quarter with what Tomlin described as an AC joint injury to his right shoulder. In layman's terms, that is a separated shoulder, something Roethlisberger had last season but which caused him to miss no games. It depends on the degree of separation as to the time Dixon might miss. Continue

Big Ben out vs Skins

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger traveled with the Steelers to Washington, but, barring a rapid recovery, he is not expected to play in a preseason game tonight against the Redskins.

But the injury to Roethisberger's right foot is not believed to be serious.

Roethlisberger was injured in the final training camp practice Thursday. A Steelers spokesperson said yesterday he had no updates on the injury.

Coach Mike Tomlin and others said Thursday they felt Roethlisberger would be OK, and that continues to be the privately held view about the quarterback. (Tribune)