DOG: "Someday" Has Arrived

Ziggy Hood

Someday we all knew that Aaron Smith wasn't going to be the anchor to our front wall of defense anymore. I knew it and you knew it. The cows knew, the pigs knew, the horses knew. He was getting up in years and has played a lot of downs at a position where each snap is like a mini car crash. Mike Tomlin knew. He saw an aging line. Hampton, Keisel & Smith are all over 31 as are their backups Kirschke and Hoke. Nick Eason is 29+! So we drafted Evander "Ziggy" Hood #1.

As you may know by now, the Steelers placed DE Aaron Smith on Injured Reserve this morning. That means he is out for the remainder of the season. "Someday" has arrived early. Smith is only the best 3-4 DE vs. the run in the NFL. And he is a big reason that, in a season when our defense has taken a step backward, it's run stopping capability has remained at the top of the league. Well, those days are over. We saw how much he means to our defense when in 2007 he was out with a torn bicep. The team went into the crapper faster than a Cleveland Brown (if it's Brown, flush it down). He cannot be replaced. I would argue he is more important to this defense than even Troy Polamalu, and is more important to the overall success of the team than anyone except Ben Roethlisberger.

Yesterday Mike Tomlin said Smith's position would be filled "by committee" meaning a combination of Travis Kirschke, Nick Eason, and Ziggy Hood. He came right out and said that Hood was not ready to assume Smith's role full-time. But I disagree... or I read through the message Tomlin was sending. He is challenging Ziggy Hood to step up and fill the role now. And you can bet Hood will get the best first shot at it. The intent was to let Hood learn this season and part of next before stepping into the starters position. But not now. Emergency lights are flashing and duty calls.

Ziggy Hood, you are the next man up. We all want you to succeed. Many an NFL career has been spawned by an unfortunate injury to an aging veteran. Go out and knock the snot out of them muthas!