Here's my observations about the 1998 Steelers (5-3) now that the season if halfway over:

• Team MVP: The Bus. This wasn't a hard choice. Without him we'd never score points.



• Offensive MVP (other than Bettis): Oh boy. Uhhhhhh... Everyone else on the offense has sucked, so I really can't pick an offensive MVP other than Bettis. Perhaps Dermontti Dawson? He's always been great, even in worse offenses and more revamped offensive lines than this one.



• Defensive MVP: LB Levon Kirkland. He is our best defensive player and has led the Steelers to the one of the top rushing defenses in the NFL. He also leads the team in tackles. Looks like that big contract extension we gave him this year is paying off.



• Biggest Surprise: Punter Josh Miller. After being the joke of the team last year, he has come back and played a big part in the special teams success. His 64 yard punt in week 1 helped seal a win. His pooch punt in week 8 led to a Steelers TD on a punt block. He also had a 73 yard punt in week 3.



• Biggest Disappointment: Anyone affiliated with the passing portion of the offense. That includes Stewart, the WR's, the offensive line, and Ray Sherman. The Steelers can't pass despite the fact that opposing defenses are stacking 8 guys on the line to stop Bettis.



• Best Game: The Monday night game in Kansas City. It was a tough road game that the Steelers had to win, and the team responded by beating the Chiefs at K.C. for the second time in the last three years.



• Worst Game: So many to choose from, but I'll go with week 6 at Cincinnati. The Steelers had this thing won until Pickens burnt Washington for 50 yards on 4th and 12.



• Best Play: In the only show of creativity by the offense all season, Hines Ward took a pitchout and threw a 17 yard pass to Kordell Stewart in week 8 vs. the Chiefs.



• Worst Play: Neil O'Donnell caught our defense sleeping and threw the game winning TD with just 14 seconds left in week 6.



• Player with the Most Commercials: Can you even count the number of national commercials that Kordell Stewart is in? Let's see: Sprint, NFL Blitz, Nike, those My Shield ads... He's in more commercials than Brett Favre, Jerry Rice, or Barry Sanders. That's pretty good considering the fact that he's at the bottom of the league in passing!



• 180 of the Year: 1996 first round disappointment Jamain Stephens had a chance to win the starting RT job in camp, blew it, was real close to being cut, didn't even dress for the first 4 games, and then became the starter at RT after Justin Strzelczyk went down in week 8. He has been playing well ever since, despite a few obvious mistakes.



• Carpet-Lover of the Year: RB Richard Huntley has put the ball on the carpet three times this year despite the fact that he rarely plays. One of those fumbles cost us a score against Cincinnati. Hey Huntley: the only reason you have this job is because the guy you replaced, George Jones, fumbled all the time! You might want to work on that problem.



• Dumb Move of the Year: Lee Flowers injured KR Jahine Arnold, who was having a great pre-season, by drilling him in a no-contact drill during practice. Arnold missed the first several weeks of the season because "I had to keep him from getting that 1 yard." Yeah, whatever - someone needs to teach Lee the difference between practice and live games.



• Favorite Opponent of the Year:
The Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers beat them twice in the first half of the season. In the first game, their special teams fumbled late in the game and the Steelers were able to take the lead for good. In the second game, their special teams fumbled late in the game and the Steelers were able to take the lead for good.!


• The Ugly Stat of the Year: The Steelers offense has thrown for more than 200 yards in only one of the first 8 games, and that was in the blowout last week against Tennessee.



• Something Different: Opening day win; first blocked punt in 16 years; the special teams was introduced at the last home game since the rest of the team stinks right now



• Same Old Crap: Injuries; all run, no pass; offensive coordinator bashing



• Only Team More Pathetic Than the Steelers: the Penguins, who became the first major sports franchise to declare bankruptcy since the mid 70's, the last time they declared bankruptcy!



• Grades:
• Rush Offense: A-
• Pass Offense: F-
• Rush Defense: A- (with the exception of the Oilers game)
• Pass Defense: B+
• Special Teams: A
• Coaching: B