I didn't think the Steelers played a great game in New Orleans Halloween night. I wasn't impressed with some of the decisions Tomlin made like challenging the non-fumble early in the game which, in my opinion, led to his decision to not challenge whether or not Mendenhall crossed the plain of the goal line during the crucial goal line stand by the Saints. Ben Roethlisberger really struggled. I believe he had 93 yards passing through three quarters. The offensive line had trouble picking up the New Orleans blitz and it has come to light that they were having problems communicating because of the noise in the Super Dome. Also, the running game wasn't great. There weren't many holes for the backs and, of course, there was the inability to score from the six inch line. The defense was OK. The Saints offense is pretty potent but I believe the D did its job for the most part. I barely noticed the absence of Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel, and that's a testament to the fine work that both Ziggy and Nick Eason did in filling in for those guys. Not an easy assignment. Troy Polamalu didn't have his greatest game--the pass interference penalty, getting fooled on that 50 yard pass play in the 4th quarter-- but it happens. Even Superman had his kryptonite. Nope, the Steelers didn't really perform all that well on any level from the coaching staff to the players, yet, there was Heath Miller, midway through the 4th quarter, running down the middle of the field with the ball and, perhaps, the game in his hands........well, we all know what happened. Miller fumbled, and that was that. The Steelers left New Orleans 20-10 losers.
The loss in and of itself isn't that big a deal. I said last week that of the three road games, the one in New Orleans was the least crucial. I wanted them to win the two AFC games.
Besides, all the elements were there for New Orleans: The Saints haven't had the greatest start. They just lost at home to the Cleveland Browns of all teams, and it was the Sunday Night Game of the week. I think even the most die hard Steeler fan had to be at least somewhat prepared for a loss.
There is no shame in losing a game like that on the road to the defending World Champs. Heck, go back and check out the season-by-season recaps of some of those Super 70's Steelers squads. Even they lost games like that in their day, to lesser teams, no less.
But what worries me is how the Steelers are trending. Yes, they are 5-2, but they're only 2-2 in their last four games. You might say, so what, over the course of a 16 game schedule, even good teams have stretches like that, and you'd be right. However, I think we can all agree that the Steelers were damn lucky to leave Miami with a win. They were a rules interpretation away from fumbling that game away. If the ref had seen things differently in that critical moment in Miami, Pittsburgh would be losers of 3 of 4, and that wouldn't be good.
And the last month has seen the team do the kind of things that got them in trouble last year: Losing 4th quarter leads, committing dumb penalties at the worst times, and of course, turning the ball over at critical moments.
This is the kind of stuff that cannot continue or the team may find itself in the same position it was last year: Out of the playoffs.
I believe this game in Cincinnati will go a long way in shaping the rest of the season. It reminds me a lot of the '05 trip to Cincinnati after they had just lost that heartbreaking overtime game to Jacksonville that, of course, led to "Garbage-gate."
The Steelers won that day in Cincinnati, and I think they can win this week, too. But if the team were to lose, it would be a cause for concern. For one thing, they would drop to 5-3 and 1-2 in the division. Not too many teams win their division with 3-3 or 2-4 records, so they'd probably have to sweep the remaining three division games just to have a shot at the AFC North crown. And they would be on a two-game losing streak heading into the Sunday night showdown with the New England Patriots. And lastly, a loss in Cincy would drop them back to the pack with a number of teams in the AFC. I think we all know how the AFC tiebreakers have treated the Steelers in recent years. They need this game for a variety of reasons.
The problem is, these aren't your big brother's Cincinnati Bengals any longer. They're not the defending World Champs, but they are the defending AFC North Champs and, despite their 2-5 record, they're more than capable of defeating the Steelers Monday night.
Their offensive attack isn't as potent as it was a few seasons ago, but the Bengals' defense has come a long way over the last few years and is better than people think. Don't let those silly striped helmets fool you. These aren't the bumbling, stumbling Bungals of years gone by. They're a team that can stand toe-to-toe and slug it out with the rest of the AFC North teams. In-fact, one of their two wins was against the Baltimore Ravens. Plus, the Bengals swept the Steelers last year, not going to be a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination.
But, if the Steelers are the team we think they are, this is a game they should win. It's the kind of game a "developing World Champion" MUST win.
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