12/21/24
September 15, 2011
Sapp: Pittsburgh Steelers 'Old, Slow and Over': After the Pittsburgh Steelers lost 35-7 to the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener, former NFL player Warren Sapp called the Steelers "old, slow and over" on this week's Inside the NFL. "James Harrison told us that he was 70 to 75 percent. It looked more like 40 percent to me if you are looking at the ballgame I was looking at. And Hines Ward, Mercedes Sapp can cover Hines Ward right now. You have to be kidding me ... Mercedes is my 13-year-old daughter. She will cover Hines Ward in a heartbeat. And Troy Polamalu, Ed Dixon runs this crossing route. Troy Polamalu is trying to grab him to have a pass interference and he can't even get close enough to grab him. Looked like he was dragging a wagon behind him. Touchdown Baltimore. Pittsburgh Steelers done."
Ever since the 1995 Orange Bowl, Warren Sapp's been a certified expert on slow and over.
(seriously, a bar in the Nebraska town I grew up in had a giant mural of Sapp sitting on the bench with an oxygen mask on while Cornhuskers ran around on the field behind him)
posted by cobra! at 10:08 AM on September 15, 2011
And the downturn of Sapp's Buccaneers can be precisely timed to the day and hour.
Very early in the season after the Bucs won their SB, they were on the feature game of the day against the Colts.
The Bucs thus far in the season had been cruising, and were in the process of killing the Colts.
All of a sudden, the Colts seized the momentum, made a furious comeback, and won the game. And the Bucs were literally never the same after that.
posted by beaverboard at 10:58 AM on September 15, 2011
As a Bengals fan and avowed Steelers hater, I'd love to believe that Sapp is right. However, I just don't think that one loss, even a lopsided one, on the first game of the year, to a team among the NFL's elite quite proves that a franchise's glory years are behind it. As much as I'll be rooting for him to be correct, I'll hesitate to jump onto that bandwagon, lest I wind up with as much egg on my face as I predict Sapp will have come playoff time.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:26 AM on September 15, 2011
He may have a point, the Steelers were outclassed in every facet of the game and looked either old or unprepared (under Tomlin and against the Ravens? no freaking chance of that).
Then again, the Ravens key players are older than the Steelers ...
posted by cixelsyd at 11:27 AM on September 15, 2011
The Steelers will be fine. They got outplayed for sure but the stuff that made it so lopsided was rather fluky. Luckily, they get to lick their wounds at home with what should be the easiest game of the year.
posted by tron7 at 11:33 AM on September 15, 2011
First, those quotes are funny. Sapp's daughter can cover Hines Ward. Second, the Steelers looked old and slow this game. It wasn't just Sapp saying it, everyone is saying it. They have 8 players over 30, and they are the oldest defense in the league. People were talking about it before this game was even played (see and see). This is a young man's game, so it is a definite issue.
posted by bperk at 12:16 PM on September 15, 2011
They have 8 players over 30, and they are the oldest defense in the league.
While that is true, people were saying the same thing before the last 2 seasons and they finished #2 in total defense.
The "O" put the "D" in some bad spots early tuning the ball over twice inside their own 30. They didnt lose because the "D" is old. They lost because you cant turn the ball over 7 times
posted by Debo270 at 01:24 PM on September 15, 2011
This is a young man's game, so it is a definite issue.
This team is eight months older than the team that went to the Superbowl, and two years removed from being the fourth oldest team and beating the third oldest team (Arizona) in 2009 to win it all. The Colts lost the Saints (2nd oldest team in 2010) to win it all. Are you sure it's a young man's game?
posted by dfleming at 01:55 PM on September 15, 2011
This is a young man's game, so it is a definite issue.
Age and treachery will always beat youth and skill. Words of wisdom my dad reminds me of till this day.
posted by Debo270 at 02:03 PM on September 15, 2011
Sapp is nuts. You never win when you turn the ball over 7 times. Last Sunday was on of those games that happens. Yes they looked bad and out of sync. Rusty yes, to old and slow. NO. Green Bay put the blueprint out there of how to beat their defense. If you look at the start of the game, it snowballed quickly and just got out of hand. I think the total opposite of Sapp. I think this is a team that loves to play as the underdog and with a chip on their shoulder. I see the Steelers running off their next 6 games. After that, it is New England and Baltimore. We will see in week 9 where this team really is.