68% of the time, it works every time

Has there ever been a team that benefited more from a loss than the Steelers did with their 22-17 defeat at the hands of the Jets on Sunday?

Despite losing, they clinched a playoff berth, they rested Troy Polamalu, they didn't suffer any other major injuries, and they actually looked pretty decent on offense. And the loss did little-to-no damage to their prospects of earning a bye in the first round. Going into the game against New York, and with a one-game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North with three games remaining, the Steelers needed to defeat either the Jets or the Panthers, and then knock off the Browns in the last week of the regular season in-order to clinch that number 2 seed and a bye. With the loss to the Jets, they simply must now win their remaining two games to accomplish what they want.

Nothing is ever certain in professional football and the team still could stumble and wind up as a wildcard going into the playoffs, but if someone would have told you before the start of the season that the Steelers would be 10-4 and already playoff bound and would only need to defeat a 2-12 team and a 5-9 team in-order to win the division and get a week off, would you be okay with it? I know I would.

I think now that the pressure is off with regards to making the postseason, perhaps maybe they'll play looser these last two games and win going away. I know there will still be pressure because that bye is so epic, but there is no pressure like having to fight your way into the playoffs, and they've already accomplished that.

Another concern for Steeler fans is the team's record against playoff-bound teams. Sunday's loss to New York dropped them to 2-4 for the season against teams that are more than likely heading to the postseason.

However, if you go back to the last two Super Bowl years, the Steelers were a combined 5-8 against playoff teams. The key to winning in the NFL is defeating the teams you're supposed to beat, and so far this year, they're 8-0 against teams that they were "supposed" to beat. They missed out on the postseason last year because they lost to the likes of the Raiders, Chiefs and Browns. Those pesky "supposed to" teams.

As I said yesterday, Sunday night's loss was a strange one. I was super-excited and felt like celebrating after I found out they clinched a spot in the "dance."

I had to keep reminding myself all day Monday that the team actually lost a tough game to the Jets.

But the team making the playoffs is just exciting for me because there is nothing like an NFL playoff game. Game-7's have their supporters, but a series isn't always going to make it to a 7th game. However, you know that an NFL playoff game is always going to be sudden-death.

For as crazy as I am watching an important regular season game, you can turn that up 19 notches for a postseason contest.

I love the week-long speculation and breakdowns. I love how the anticipation builds in the city with each passing day. I love the new songs that Steelers fans always seem to come up with. I love the Black and Gold rye bread that I see in the bakeries and supermarkets. I love trying to figure out where I'm going to place my Terrible Towel for the game, and once I decide where to display it, I don't touch it because, of course, I could jinx everything.

The NFL playoffs are simply fantastic. I've been on this planet for 38 years and this will be the 26th time they've made the postseason in my lifetime. That's 68% of the time. More than 2 out of every 3 seasons. You'd think I would almost be jaded by now. But it never gets old.

I can't wait!