Some crow to go with the whine

Down three pro bowl starters, a nickel cornerback, and a #2 wide receiver, the Steelers defied the odds and took apart the Seattle Seahawks 21-0, the first shutout in almost seven years for Holmgren's Seahawks and the first on the season for the Pittsburgh defense.

A brilliant defensive strategy by Dick LeBeau, a masterful performance by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, and the power running of back up running back Najeh Davenport broke the back of the Seahawks.

1. Big Ben. Roethlisberger was absolutely perfect. This might have been his best game since the Indy win in the 05 playoffs. And top 5 all time. Ben had his Favre thing on in a good way. Scrambling around, the toughest qb in the league to bring down, Roethlisberger continued to find receivers breaking open on third down for big plays and firing absolute ropes to them. The difference between this week and last week. Simple. Third down conversions. They make all the difference.

2. LeBeau. The decision to forego the blitz and drop back into cover formations baffled Hassleback and Holmgren. A patchwork secondary featuring rookie William Gay and 2nd year player Anthony Smith did not miss a beat and suffocated the Seahawks. Ike Taylor could have had four picks.

3. Ike Taylor. See above. His interception in the end zone practically put the game on ice. It was eerily reminiscent of Big Ben's interception in the end zone with Hasselback holding on just a little too long and allowing Taylor the time to close.

4. Najeh Davenport. The Dump Truck was running strong yesterday. Almost a hundred yards in total offense (96) and that with a long reception called back on a phantom holding call. Two red zone touchdowns might be the beginning of a red zone solution.

5. Cedric Wilson. Ced worked a lot harder to get open after plays broke down. He remembered who the qb is back there and he kept his plays alive to help convert those third and longs.

6. Mike Tomlin. They didn't show much of the pre-game Noll introductions, but one shot they did have was Tomlin positively beaming at Noll. It's great to see that the generational respect for this franchise lives on with our current coach. And for rallying a team after a demoralizing loss, beset with injuries, to completely dismantle Bill Cowher's pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

7. Bill Cowher. The Steelers got some love from the Chin on CBS. When everyone and I mean everyone (including Marino) was throwing the Steelers under the Bus, Cowher held firm and said that he knew that team and the situation they were in. At home, they would come out fighting. He nailed it.