We Are Who ProFootballWeekly Thinks We Are

ProFootballWeekly, which is basically a better sourced, more football facts and schemes focused than rumors/entertainment based like ProFootballTalk, has an article with midseason reports on each team. I think their assessment of the Steelers is right on:

4. Pittsburgh
Biggest surprise: CB Ike Taylor had fallen out of favor with head coach Bill Cowher after Taylor struggled with his confidence and his ability to defend the deep pass. Mike Tomlin has worked to build Taylor back up, and the result has been Taylor’s finest season to date.

Biggest disappointment: There haven’t been many to date, but the offensive line’s play at times — especially in pass protection — has left something to be desired. Another area of disappointment: The Steelers haven’t gotten much from rookie OLB Lawrence Timmons, their first-round pick.

Player to watch: When QB Ben Roethlisberger limits mistakes, the Steelers are ultratough at home and about as formidable a road team as there is in the league outside of Indianapolis, New England and Dallas. But when he’s bad, the Steelers look downright average. His development remains an issue that bears monitoring in the second half.

Team MVP: For the last two seasons, RB Willie Parker has been the Steelers’ workhorse back, and he’s relished the extra responsibility. He isn’t going to run anyone over, and he isn’t going to make highlight reels with his moves in the open field, but few backs hit the hole like he does, and few are as fast.

Fearless prediction: The most balanced team in the division, the Steelers will win the AFC North, even after having to face New England, Jacksonville and Baltimore in the season’s final month.

Steelers fans are too used to excusing or ignoring QB play--running the ball and playing stout D are the linchpins of Steeler football--and treating the QB like an unquantifiable variable (which it is...see Super Bowl XXX) surrounded by a complex series of checks and balances that aim to make the QB position irrelevant (see the Kordell Stewart years). But ultimately, to win a championship, your QB has to make championship throws. Can Ben do it this year? He still makes 1 or 2 seemingly unforced mistakes per game, and a better team will kill us with them. But maybe this is the year he becomes a superstar. Here's hoping.