The opening weekend of the 2012 NFL season is almost upon us. It’s been a long off-season, particularly for Pittsburgh Steelers fans as injuries have really worked over the roster. So, with only days until the first game of the season, it’s only fitting that I take a shot at predicting the starters on offense and defense for the season opener.

Offense

Quarterback-Ben Roethlisberger. The easiest one of them all.

Running back-Jonathan Dwyer. While I suspect that Isaac Redman will get his fair share of touches, Dwyer is the more healthy of the tw0 and has had a solid preseason and will get the start.

Fullback-Will Johnson.  Johnson is the starting fullback, but I’m not sure if he’ll start at all.  The Steelers have been known to list 3 WR or 2 TE in the starting lineup and forgo a fullback altogether.

Wide receivers-Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown(Emanuel Sanders 3rd). If the Steelers start in three wide, these will be the guys.  Wallace might not be 100 percent game ready, but he’s too good to keep off the field.

Tight end-Heath Miller. Miller has been a fixture at this spot for some time and fingers are crossed that he is utilized more this year.

Offensive tackles-Max Starks and Marcus Gilbert. Starks is an experienced veteran and Gilbert has had a solid preseason.  With all the injuries out there, these guys are their best bet.

Offensive guards-Willie Colon and Ramon Foster.  One name on this list should be rookie David DeCastro.  However, DeCastro  suffered a terrible knee injury in the third preseason game and may be lost for the year.

Offensive center-Maurkice Pouncey. Pouncey is the most talented of the Steelers starters and will be counted on to anchor that line.

Defensive Ends-Brett Keisel and Ziggy Hood. Hood has separated himself from the other defensive ends on the roster and could end up with a great year.  Keisel is dealing with a slight ankle sprain, but I expect to see him on the field.

Nose tackle-Steve McClendon. Last season McClendon was more than a pleasant surprise for Steelers fans, and looks to be even better this year.

Outside linebackers-LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison. Jason Worilds will certainly be in the mix, but with Harrison off the PUP I expect him to be on the field week one.

Inside linebackers-Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons. I was really hoping I’d be typing a name other than Foote here, but no such luck. Timmons is tremendous and could have a massive season.

Cornerbacks-Ike Taylor and Cortez Allen. The spot across from Taylor has been wide open and it looks like Allen finally stepped up enough to get the starting spot.

Safetys-Troy Polamalu and Ryan Mundy. Typically Polamalu’s partner in the backfield would be Ryan Clark, but due to his Sickle Cell Trait, a medical condition he cannot play in the high altitude of Denver, so Mundy will get the nod.

How does this lineup look to you, Steelers fans?  Let me hear it!

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin wasn't trying to invent a catchphrase, just something his players would remember when getting into the murky waters of what is and what isn't a legal - not to mention safe - hit.

The Pittsburgh Steelers coach came up with one anyway.

Now the team and one of the nation's leading concussion experts hope Tomlin's "don't hit the head, don't use the head" will help educate young players on how to avoid dangerous collisions that lead to significant injury.
"This campaign has the possibility of tremendous change for our youth and high school football players," said Dr. Micky Collins, the clinical and executive director of UPMC's sports medicine concussion program.

The initiative, considered the first of its kind by an NFL team, will include a packet sent to various middle school, high school and youth football programs throughout Western Pennsylvania. The packet will contain a fact sheet about the UPMC concussion program, a letter from Tomlin and Collins and posters for locker rooms with the phrase splashed across a picture of the coach.

"If these words are really followed, I guarantee we're going to prevent a lot of injuries," Collins said.

Tomlin said the phrase just came to him one day during practice. He was going back and forth with safety Ryan Clark -- who was fined twice last season for illegal hits -- during minicamp when general manager Kevin Colbert, who then called Collins and told him maybe Tomlin was onto something.

"I got a call from Kevin Colbert saying 'I've been hearing this, players are responding to it, it's something we'd like to make into a campaign for kids,'" Collins said. "I said to myself it kind of makes sense. We're talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers here. They're trendsetters. They're ahead of the curve. They do what's right for the sport."

Tomlin, who has two sons who play youth football, said the team put together a video on the right way and the wrong way to tackle or hit an opponent during the course of a game. The practice guidelines outlined on page 143 of the CBA limit teams to 14 padded practices - meaning, shoulder pads - a week during the regular season, with 11 of those coming in the first 11 weeks and the final three spread out over the last six weeks.

That leaves little time or opportunity for hands-on instruction, putting the coach's emphasis on preparation and education. The Steelers - who wrap up the preseason on Thursday night against Carolina - have historically been one of the NFL's most progressive teams in limiting contact during practice.

"The scarcity of the opportunity is what makes it difficult to coach," Tomlin said. "You want to highlight those situations ... we talk making the player more cognizant."

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Mike Wallace sat in his usual spot in the corner of the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room and decided it was time to hold court.

Hey, it'd been awhile for the leader of the self-proclaimed ''Young Money Family.''

The Pro Bowl wide receiver posed for the cameras alongside teammates Antonio Brown, Chris Rainey, Jerricho Cotchery and Ike Taylor while flashing a smile and cracking jokes, business as usual for one of the NFL's fastest playmakers.

It was almost as if Wallace's lengthy holdout - one that finally came to an end on Tuesday - never happened. Maybe because that's the way Wallace prefers it.

''I'm not dwelling on the past,'' Wallace said. ''I have no regrets.''

He also still doesn't have the long-term deal he covets.

Instead the 26-year-old restricted free agent will play under the one-year, $2.7 million tender offered by the Steelers and hope something lengthier gets worked out before the regular season begins next week. As a rule the Steelers (No. 7 in the APPro32) don't negotiate contracts during the season.

Wallace, who caught a career-high 72 passes for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns last season, remains optimistic an agreement can be reached sometime before Pittsburgh faces Denver on Sept. 9.

''This is the team that drafted me and it's where I want to stay,'' Wallace said. ''I'm not really worried about down the road. I'm worried about playing football. ... That was business. I'm not on that right now. I'm here to play football and that's it.''

Even if Wallace won't be able to actually practice until next week under the league's collective bargaining agreement. Still, Wallace believes he'll be ready to face the Broncos even if it means cram sessions getting up to speed on new offensive coordinator Todd Haley's complex system.

''We have two weeks to the game,'' Wallace said. ''I've been working out. I've been really good conditioning. I don't think that's going to be a problem.''

Neither does quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who kept in contact with Wallace during the holdout. The two have developed into one of the NFL's best deep-passing combinations over the last three years, with Roethlisberger's arm and Wallace's blazing speed giving the Steelers an ability to stretch the field few teams can match.

While Roethlisberger allows there's going to be a steep learning curve for Wallace, he's eager to have Wallace back on the field.

''It's kind of like your parents telling you you get a new car then it has to sit in the driveway because you don't have any insurance,'' Roethlisberger said. ''Once you get that insurance, you get out and take it for a ride.''

Wallace spent a significant amount of time during his holdout working with trainers in Florida and refining his route-running looking to avoid another slump like the one he endured at the end of the 2011 season. He posted four 100-yard receiving games in the first seven weeks of the year but didn't top 82 yards in any of Pittsburgh's final nine games as defenses adjusted.

In his place, Antonio Brown developed into Roethlisberger's most trusted target and signed a six-year, $42 million extension early in camp while Wallace waited for the phone to ring.

Don't expect any sort of rivalry, however, between Brown and Wallace.

''A player like Mike is so explosive and gets so many things done,'' Brown said. ''You need a guy like that on your team. It's amazing when you can get him lined up on the other side and you know what he is capable of. It's a great thing to have him here.''

Wallace declined to get specific about what he accomplished by holding out and said only ''my teammates need me'' when asked why he decided to end it without resolving his contract situation.

''My teammates know what was going on,'' Wallace said. ''My coaches know, I kept in contact with them. So as long as they know, I really don't care about anybody else.''

Though he's had a copy of Haley's playbook for weeks, Wallace knows there will be a breaking-in process. He felt he got a few ''mental reps'' watching his teammates go through drills in preparation for the preseason finale against Carolina on Thursday and huddled with receivers coach Scottie Montgomery when practice broke.

''I'm learning the plays,'' he said. ''Here I at least get to see it. At home I couldn't see it ... I'll be back on Monday hopefully and I'll be ready to roll.''

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NOTES: The Pittsburgh Steelers activated linebackers James Harrison (knee) and Jason Worilds (wrist) from the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday and released RB Jason Ford, signed earlier in training camp ... Coach Mike Tomlin expects veteran quarterback Charlie Batch to get a majority of the playing time during Thursday's game against Carolina.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of those teams that have an undeniable nationwide fanbase. Steelers fans will tell you that their influence even extends overseas, making their fan base worldwide. I am one of those Steelers fans and I've been one since birth (one of my earliest blankets as a baby was a Steelers blanket). My family has been Steelers fans for generations, hailing from coal mining and steel producing western Pennsylvania. True fans of any sports team cheer for their team whether they win or lose, but it is obviously more fun to do so when the team is winning. Being a Steelers fan is great not only because of how successful the franchise has been, but also because of the notable traditions and players throughout the history of the franchise.

Statistics

Anyway you slice it, the Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most successful, if not the most successful, teams in the history of the NFL. Since the merger in 1970, they have an overall record of 391-241-2, having had only 5 losing seasons in 41 years. The 6 most significant of those wins are 6 Super Bowl victories, the most of any team in the NFL. On the road to those 6 Super Bowl victories the Steelers also amassed 8 AFC Championship trophies, 20 divisional titles and 26 playoff appearances. While it obviously took great players to achieve this success, the franchise's secret is superb leadership by the owners (the Rooney family) and unparalleled talent in the front office. These factors enable the Steelers to recruit talented players that other teams have never heard of, recognize when it is time for a veteran to retire or be traded and hire quality coaches to lead the team to victory. Consider that no other team has had as few head coach changes as the Steelers (three head coaches in 41 years) and likewise no other team has a longer average tenure for the head coach position.

Traditions

Other than their tradition of winning, the first tradition most fans think of in regards to the Pittsburgh Steelers is the famous "Terrible Towel." The "Terrible Towel" dates back to 1975 when it was created by famous Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope, spurring Steelers fans to bring yellow hand-sized towels to the games and twirl them around in the stands to this day. Another tradition synonymous with the Steelers is a tough defense. The Steelers defense was so tough in the 1970s that it was nicknamed the "Steel Curtain" and its dominance played a major role in the Steelers winning four Super Bowls from 1975-1980. Each new season the Steelers defense is compared to the iconic "Steel Curtain." One more (subtle) tradition of the Steelers franchise is that of humility and a low tolerance for distraction. No one player or coach is above the franchise. Coaches like Rex Ryan that make a lot of noise every year about winning the Super Bowl or flashy players like Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson would not make it in Steelers Country. There are a number of players throughout the years that were traded not for issues related to talent but issues related to humility or distraction. And as I mentioned before, the Steelers front office has a keen eye for knowing when to let such players go, as seen through the fact that most of them do not have much success after leaving the Steelers.

Past Steelers Legends

The centerpieces of the fans, coaches, ownership and traditions are the players themselves. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a fraternity of talented and outstanding players, most of whom played all or most of their careers wearing black and gold (the team's primary colors). 11 members of that fraternity who played for the Steelers since 1971 are literally the "best of the best" by virtue of being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Terry Bradshaw, quarterback, not only led the Steelers to four Super Bowl victories, but his insight into the game has resulted in him being a mainstay host on FOX's game day program. Assisting him in those Super Bowl victories were other Hall of Famers such as wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, center Mike Webster and running back Franco Harris. Franco Harris is most famous for the "Immaculate Reception", a play where he caught a deflected pass by his fingertips and ran it in for a touchdown. On the opposite side of the ball were even more Hall of Fame players that were key parts of the "Steel Curtain" defense, cornerback Mel Blount, defensive tackle "Mean" Joe Green and linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert. Jack Lambert earned a reputation not only for his ferocious hitting but also intimidating his opponents, partly the result of missing his front four teeth.

Current Steelers Stars

While the home of Steelers has changed from the iconic Three Rivers Stadium where they played for 30 seasons to the present Heinz Field, the fraternity of talented players continues. Notable Steelers today include quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, safety Troy Polamalu and defensive end James Harrison. Recently retired wide receiver Hines Ward spent all of his years in the NFL wearing a Steelers uniform while making a name for himself as not only a trustworthy pass catcher but also an elite pass blocker. After he was fined for a hard hit he dealt in a game, the joke quickly spread that only a Steelers wide receiver would get fined for a hard hit. This showcased the toughness and competitiveness of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise that is set apart from the rest in terms of success, tradition and fame.

Exactly four months ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans were downright giddy about landing David DeCastro, the top guard in the 2012 NFL draft.

Watching him play in the first two preseason games did nothing to temper that giddiness.

But my dearly departed mother used to tell me that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

The Steelers did draft DeCastro. That wasn't a dream. It seems unlikely, however, that they'll have his services this season.

DeCastro was carted off the field three minutes into the Steelers' preseason game in Buffalo Saturday night. Fellow offensive lineman Marcus Gilbert fell on DeCastro's right leg during a play, causing DeCastro's knee to bend awkwardly.

NFL.com is reporting that DeCastro injured the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his right knee. An MRI is scheduled, according to Pro Football Talk.

The Steelers' 38-7 win over the Bills was a hollow victory, if there ever was one. Not only did the Steelers lose their top draft pick, but they lost him in a game that doesn't count.

The preseason should be pared down to two games with the regular season remaining at 16 games.

It would reduce the risk of injury in meaningless games, and let's not forget about the NFL's concussion crisis. Two preseason games instead of four would cut down at least a little bit on blows to the head that players take.

This isn't the first time the Steelers have lost a rookie first-round pick who has generated a lot of excitement.

 

In 2008, Rashard Mendenhall broke his shoulder in Week 4 against the Ravens and was out for the season.

The Steelers also got very little that season from their second-round pick, Limas Sweed.

Considering Mike Adams' performance so far in the preseason, this could be a repeat of 2008 in terms of the Steelers' fortunes with their top-two rookies.

The Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII under those conditions, but history is small consolation here.

Mendenhall didn't need to make an immediate impact as a rookie because Willie Parker was still around.

This season, the Steelers needed help from DeCastro right away.

This was going to be a new day for the Steelers' offensive line. DeCastro and Adams were supposed to join Maurkice Pouncey and Gilbert to turn a longtime weakness into a strength for the next decade.

Now, it looks like the Steelers will have to win with that same, old offensive line.

In the wake of DeCastro's injury, the 2012 version of that rag-tag unit likely will include Ramon Foster replacing DeCastro at right guard and Max Starks starting at left tackle until Adams is ready to sit at the big table.

They'll be joined by Willie Colon at left guard, Pouncey at center and Gilbert at right tackle.

 

In June, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported that Foster, who went undrafted in 2009, wasn't going to just concede his starting job to DeCastro.

Colon has played just one game in the last two seasons because of injuries. If he can stay healthy this season, it would be like acquiring a new player, which would be the closest the Steelers could come to compensating for the loss of DeCastro.

Starks was out of work until the Steelers called him in Week 5 last season, and his career appeared over after offseason ACL surgery. But he recovered and the Steelers came calling again.

Foster's resiliency and Colon and Starks' journey back from injuries are all inspirational stories. The problem is there are too many stories on the Steelers' offensive line and not enough young studs.

Sure, the Steelers have won a Super Bowl and gone to another one with similarly shoddy offensive lines.

Once upon a time, however, Roethlisberger was sacked just 23 times in 2005, and the Steelers won the Super Bowl that year, too. Roethlisberger has been sacked at least 32 times every year since then. It makes you wonder how many more Super Bowls the Steelers would have frequented if he had better protection.

Now, Roethlisberger might actually have to listen to his new boss Todd Haley, and get rid of the ball quicker if he wants to spend less time on the ground.

As long as Roethlisberger remains upright, the Steelers have a chance to win another Super Bowl.

They'll probably have to wait until next year, however, for the start of DeCastro's NFL career.

This week marks the most important week of the NFL preseason. Every team will play their starters for at least the first half of their respective games, and will get a clear indication of where their team is heading into the regular season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have numerous things to evaluate in this upcoming preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. Here are the five things that I think that are the most important for the Steelers to focus on tomorrow atBuffalo:

Left tackle

Pittsburgh Steelers has decided to start Max Starks in Saturday night’s game. Starks was recently activated from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, and practiced with the first-team offense all week. The nine-year veteran will take the place of rookie Mike Adams, who has struggled since the start of training camp, and was hampered by a knee sprain in preseason opener. Starks will definitely get a true test in this game. He will be lined up across one of the best pass rushers in the league, defensive end Mario Williams. Along with focusing on Starks’ production, how his reconstructed knee holds up will also be looked upon.

Running back

This has probably been the most talked about position since the start of Steelers camp. Rashard Mendenhall is off the PUP list, but isn’t expected to play until sometime in the first few weeks of the regular season. Mendenhall’s replacement, Isaac Redman, will get the start this game, despite missing approximately the last two weeks with a hip injury sustained in the first preseason game versus the Philadelphia Eagles. The third-year back did practice all week, and said that his hip has vastly improved. Along with Redman’s play and status of his hip, reserve backs Baron Batch, Jonathan Dwyer, and rookie Chris Rainey will be closely observed as well.

Linebacker

James Harrison and Jason Worilds are still on the PUP list with a knee injury and a wrist injury respectively. This leaves second-year linebacker Chris Carter to start at outside linebacker. Carter, who played defensive end in college, has gotten all of the first-team reps with the defense since training camp. Along with Harrison and Worilds, Stevenson Sylvester is out with a sprained medial collateral ligament. Eleven-year veteran Larry Foote will more than likely fill the void left by Sylvester.

Cornerback

There is no question that Ike Taylor will hold down the right cornerback spot. The question is who will claim the spot opposite Taylor. Cortez Allen, Curtis Brown, and Keenan Lewis are all vying for the starting spot, and as of right now, it looks like Allen is a step above the other two. However, Lewis is more likely to get the start against Buffalo.

Quarterback

No, there isn’t anyone on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ team who is going to bump Ben Roethlisberger from the starting position. This focus will be on Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich. Second-year quarterback Jerrod Johnson will not play, and is more than likely to be the third-string quarterback going into the regular season. This leaves the 15-year veteran Batch, and the 10-year veteran Leftwich. One will be the backup to Roethlisberger, and mentor to Johnson, while the other will more than likely be released when Pittsburgh trims their roster down to 53 players.

Each of the aforementioned focal points will be vital to the Steelers at the start of the regular season. The production on the left side of the offensive line needs to ensure that Big Ben is comfortable in the pocket. The running game has to be healthy and productive since there is limited depth. The same goes for the linebackers and their pass rushing, which will also help the cornerbacks in passing situations. As for the backup quarterback, well, having an experienced QB waiting in the wings is never a bad thing.

Two more weeks, then the real football begins folks!