PFT Steeler Hate Fest Continues, Schedule and Batch

Anyone who reads ProFootballTalk ("PFT") regularly, knows that PFT lead contributor, Mike Florio does not like the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the above video clip, he has gone to new lengths to stir up controversy among Pittsburgh Steeler fans. The clip is meant to discuss whether the Steelers have over spent recently mainly on James Harrison. Then the conversation turns to Big Ben's contract. Florio slips in near the end of the clip that there has been some discord between Ben and Tomlin because Tomlin believes Ben holds on to the ball too long. Then, he proclaims that at some point down the road as Tomlin wins more and more and garners more power due to those wins, a separation between the Steelers and Big Ben could occur.

Do you really buy that just because Tomlin believes Ben holds on to the ball too long will result in a feud so terrible that it will cause Ben to leave the team? Ben has already won one Superbowl for Tomlin. Would something as small as holding the ball too long cause Tomlin to run the franchise QB out of town? I hardly think so. Franchise QB's are not easily come by. Just look at our string of QB's from Bradshaw to Roethlisberger. We won many games this season including the playoffs and the Superbowl because he holds on to the ball and makes plays out of what should have been nothing. If defenders weren't on him so quicklydue to of our porous o-line, it would not be considered holding on to the ball too long. It would be considered time to throw, which is a rarity around here.

To more uplifting news:
-The Steelers have moved quickly after Leftwich signed with the Bucs locking up Charlie Batch for another season. I, along with most other Steeler fans have loved Batch. I think he is a great backup for this team. I am really glad to have him back for another season. Hopefully, the front office is high on Dennis Dixon and has liked what they have seen in his development. I would like him to be the heir apparent to Batch.

-The NFL Schedule was released yesterday to much fanfare. The start of the season could not come soon enough. Draft is less than two weeks away.

Here is the schedule:

WK	DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)
1	Thu, Sep 10	Tennessee	8:30 PM
2	Sun, Sep 20	at Chicago	4:15 PM
3	Sun, Sep 27	at Cincinnati	1:00 PM
4	Sun, Oct 4	San Diego	8:20 PM
5	Sun, Oct 11	at Detroit	1:00 PM
6	Sun, Oct 18	Cleveland	1:00 PM
7	Sun, Oct 25	Minnesota	1:00 PM
9	Mon, Nov 9	at Denver	8:30 PM
10	Sun, Nov 15	Cincinnati	1:00 PM
11	Sun, Nov 22	at Kansas City	1:00 PM
12	Sun, Nov 29	at Baltimore	8:20 PM
13	Sun, Dec 6	Oakland	1:00 PM
14	Thu, Dec 10	at Cleveland	8:20 PM
15	Sun, Dec 20	Green Bay	1:00 PM
16	Sun, Dec 27	Baltimore	1:00 PM
17	Sun, Jan 3	at Miami	1:00 PM

This shakes out to the 4th easiest schedule in the league this year. Coming of the toughest schedule ever, we should be expecting at the very least as many wins as last year. Again we have 5 prime time games but only one on Monday night. This year we have a lot more 1:00 games than last season. Also, we have a superbly situated week 8 bye. Baltimore's whining was rewarded with a prime time game against us in Baltimore. I guess they don't realize that we win all prime time games, regardless of location. My early prediction is 13-3. But you never know, Ben and Tomlin could have a huge in game fight because he is holding on to the ball too long.