Yesterday, at my place of employment, the refrigerated dairy case broke down. Things got really annoying and ugly as we had to unload every single item and try to find room for it elsewhere.
You're probably wondering what that has to do with the Steelers.
Glad you asked, the last time that case broke down, it was also on a Saturday. Just like yesterday, we had to unload everything and it was a huge pain in the butt. The very next day, the Steelers played the Patriots and beat the snot out of them, 33-10. What a glorious day that was. I'll cherish it always.
I think you all know what that means for tonight's game. I mean, it's almost the exact same sequence of events. Pretty spooky. I'm thinking the Steelers will roll.
So, Steeler fans, how much is this valuable information worth to you? Oh wait, I just told you everything I know. Damn it!
At any rate, I hope it's the same result as 2008.
Go Steelers!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Time and Time again, PITT football makes me want to retch
I haven't had much of an opportunity to watch PITT football this year since they almost always seem to play when I'm at work. And since I don't get ESPN any more, I haven't seen any of the prime time games either so it's been hard to really get a feel for their abilities.
But I do know that PITT was 3-0 in the Big East heading into last night's game and in the driver's seat for the conference championship and automatic BCS bowl berth.
Today, things are a bit different after their narrow, 30-28, loss at Connecticut. Much like the season-opening overtime loss at Utah, I suppose losing on the road to the Huskies isn't a huge sin. After all, the Huskies were one of the preseason favorites for the conference title and playing at Connecticut has been Hell away from home for the Panthers in recent years.
But a win sure would have been nice. The PITT Panthers just can't seem to stand prosperity. Anytime something is out there for the taking, they don't reach out and grab it. Defeating the Huskies would have been a nice signature win for the program and for Dave Wannstedt. It would have given them a 2-game lead over the rest of the Big East with only three games remaining and PITT could have coasted to the title. Sweet relief for long-suffering PITT fans, such as myself, who have been waiting for them to get over that hump.
But now things are a little more complicated. The Panthers still control their own destiny, but another slip up could mean the difference between the Fiesta Bowl, and once again playing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Seriously, how bad is Big East football this year? The conference desperataly needed someone to jump up and dominate, but nobody has done it, and nobody really will. What are the odds of a team with an overall record of 7-5 or 6-6 winning the Big
East and representing the conference in the BCS? After last night's loss by the Panthers, the odds have grown considerably. It certainly wouldn't put to rest the argument that the conference should lose its automatic BCS berth, that's for sure.
But I'm almost rooting for it to happen just to see if Kirk Herbstreit has a melt-down on the College Gameday set.
PITT fans, be prepared to sweat out another long November.
But I do know that PITT was 3-0 in the Big East heading into last night's game and in the driver's seat for the conference championship and automatic BCS bowl berth.
Today, things are a bit different after their narrow, 30-28, loss at Connecticut. Much like the season-opening overtime loss at Utah, I suppose losing on the road to the Huskies isn't a huge sin. After all, the Huskies were one of the preseason favorites for the conference title and playing at Connecticut has been Hell away from home for the Panthers in recent years.
But a win sure would have been nice. The PITT Panthers just can't seem to stand prosperity. Anytime something is out there for the taking, they don't reach out and grab it. Defeating the Huskies would have been a nice signature win for the program and for Dave Wannstedt. It would have given them a 2-game lead over the rest of the Big East with only three games remaining and PITT could have coasted to the title. Sweet relief for long-suffering PITT fans, such as myself, who have been waiting for them to get over that hump.
But now things are a little more complicated. The Panthers still control their own destiny, but another slip up could mean the difference between the Fiesta Bowl, and once again playing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.
Seriously, how bad is Big East football this year? The conference desperataly needed someone to jump up and dominate, but nobody has done it, and nobody really will. What are the odds of a team with an overall record of 7-5 or 6-6 winning the Big
East and representing the conference in the BCS? After last night's loss by the Panthers, the odds have grown considerably. It certainly wouldn't put to rest the argument that the conference should lose its automatic BCS berth, that's for sure.
But I'm almost rooting for it to happen just to see if Kirk Herbstreit has a melt-down on the College Gameday set.
PITT fans, be prepared to sweat out another long November.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
An open letter to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Well, Penguins, you haven't gotten off to the greatest of starts this season. Right now, you're 7-8-1. Pretty bad for a team with your talent.
You're 19th out of 30 teams on the power play. That's just not going to cut it. You supposedly have two of the top three players in the world. I'm talking to you, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. With that kind of fire-power, your scoring should be up whether you're on a power play, a penalty kill, or 5 on 5. I'm no hockey expert, but even I know that.
And Mark Andre Fleury. What's your problem? I mean, one minute, you're stopping a sniper shot with your eyes closed and then the next minute, someone slowly bounces a puck towards you and you let it trickle between your legs like a seeing-eye basehit. Pick up your game. I stick up for you all the time.
I know what you guys are going to say. Yes, you've made the playoffs four straight years. Yes, you were in the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row and you even won it in '09. And, yes, NHL rosters are always changing because of the salary cap, so each year, the dynamic is different, and the chemistry could be off, even with an elite core of players. Heck, Jordan Staal hasn't played at all this year. Maybe you're just due for a bad season. Hell, maybe you're even entitled to it because you've done so much over the last few years.
Well, personally, I don't care that much. I'm not a huge hockey fan, but I have a girlfriend and she adores you guys, especially you, Sid. Most of you probably don't know what it's like to have a woman in your life, but just to clue you in, the number one rule is to keep your woman happy. When she's happy, that's good for business.
Let's face it, I screw up a lot, and when you guys are doing great, and Sid's scoring hat-tricks and beating the Flyers, it provides a nice little diversion for my screw ups. It's a great filter between my screw ups and her reaction. It's a long season, and I can't have you guys floundering at the bottom the standings for the entire year. That would be bad for business.
And my girlfriend isn't the only woman who loves you guys. A lot of women do. I hear them talking all the time. They sit around and chat about how hot you Penguins are. I haven't seen this kind of thing since the heydey of 'N Sync.
Sid, did you know you have luscious lips that are just made for kissing? That's what I hear. And, apparently, hockey players have the hottest bodies of all the professional athletes. Well, lately, those hot bodies have been skating around the Consol Energy Center like lifeless zombies.
I don't know what these women see in you guys, really. To me, you're just a bunch of weird looking Canadians who talk funny and spout absurd hockey cliches. What's that about?
Like for example, "it's hard to win the first home game after a long road trip." Oh yeah, that makes sense cause I know when I'm away for an extended period of time, I HATE being home. I mean, the familiar bed. It sucks! No, give me hotel sheets and crabs.
Oh, and another one that I think is funny and pretty fitting considering how last night went. "You know what they say, the hardest lead to protect is a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period." What? Oh yeah, it's the same way in the NFL. Teams really hate having two-touchdown leads in the 4th quarter. It's a real pain in the butt. Nope, they'd rather be trailing by three-scores and have to come all the way back.
Look, the bottomline is you guys are way too talented to be playing this way. If you're not going to do it for yourselves, do it for the women out there who love you and the men who love them!
You're 19th out of 30 teams on the power play. That's just not going to cut it. You supposedly have two of the top three players in the world. I'm talking to you, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. With that kind of fire-power, your scoring should be up whether you're on a power play, a penalty kill, or 5 on 5. I'm no hockey expert, but even I know that.
And Mark Andre Fleury. What's your problem? I mean, one minute, you're stopping a sniper shot with your eyes closed and then the next minute, someone slowly bounces a puck towards you and you let it trickle between your legs like a seeing-eye basehit. Pick up your game. I stick up for you all the time.
I know what you guys are going to say. Yes, you've made the playoffs four straight years. Yes, you were in the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row and you even won it in '09. And, yes, NHL rosters are always changing because of the salary cap, so each year, the dynamic is different, and the chemistry could be off, even with an elite core of players. Heck, Jordan Staal hasn't played at all this year. Maybe you're just due for a bad season. Hell, maybe you're even entitled to it because you've done so much over the last few years.
Well, personally, I don't care that much. I'm not a huge hockey fan, but I have a girlfriend and she adores you guys, especially you, Sid. Most of you probably don't know what it's like to have a woman in your life, but just to clue you in, the number one rule is to keep your woman happy. When she's happy, that's good for business.
Let's face it, I screw up a lot, and when you guys are doing great, and Sid's scoring hat-tricks and beating the Flyers, it provides a nice little diversion for my screw ups. It's a great filter between my screw ups and her reaction. It's a long season, and I can't have you guys floundering at the bottom the standings for the entire year. That would be bad for business.
And my girlfriend isn't the only woman who loves you guys. A lot of women do. I hear them talking all the time. They sit around and chat about how hot you Penguins are. I haven't seen this kind of thing since the heydey of 'N Sync.
Sid, did you know you have luscious lips that are just made for kissing? That's what I hear. And, apparently, hockey players have the hottest bodies of all the professional athletes. Well, lately, those hot bodies have been skating around the Consol Energy Center like lifeless zombies.
I don't know what these women see in you guys, really. To me, you're just a bunch of weird looking Canadians who talk funny and spout absurd hockey cliches. What's that about?
Like for example, "it's hard to win the first home game after a long road trip." Oh yeah, that makes sense cause I know when I'm away for an extended period of time, I HATE being home. I mean, the familiar bed. It sucks! No, give me hotel sheets and crabs.
Oh, and another one that I think is funny and pretty fitting considering how last night went. "You know what they say, the hardest lead to protect is a 2-goal lead in the 3rd period." What? Oh yeah, it's the same way in the NFL. Teams really hate having two-touchdown leads in the 4th quarter. It's a real pain in the butt. Nope, they'd rather be trailing by three-scores and have to come all the way back.
Look, the bottomline is you guys are way too talented to be playing this way. If you're not going to do it for yourselves, do it for the women out there who love you and the men who love them!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
What is Steeler football? Well, lately, one aspect of it seems to be getting big leads and then torturing Steelers fans at the end of games
It used to be if the Steelers had a pretty significant second half lead (for the sake of this post, 10 points or more) they would usually close out the game pretty easily. That's not to say that there weren't some blown leads and pretty crazy finishes like the one the other night in Cincinnati, but they weren't as common as they have become over the past two seasons.
It all started in Super Bowl XLIII.
If you remember back to the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers had what appeared to be a pretty safe, 20-7, lead against the Arizona Cardinals. Even though Arizona had a dangerous offense with Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin, Pittsburgh's legendary 2008 defense had held Arizona in check for the first three quarters. Steeler Nation was dreaming of the six-pack. It was just a matter of 15 minutes before the celebration could begin. However, instead of the defense continuing their domination, they started to self-destruct. Warner found his groove and Ike Taylor suddenly was unable to cover Fitzgerald after shadowing him for most of the game. Midway through the 4th quarter, the Cardinals made a game of it when Warner hit Fitzgerald for a touchdown pass. And that's when the real fun began. Later in the 4th quarter, after making Arizona punt, James Harrison was called for a 15 yard personal foul penalty after committing assault and battery on an unnamed Cardinal player. The subsequent poor field-position helped lead to a safety when Justin Hartwig was called for holding in the endzone, and the Cardinals only trailed, 20-16. And just two plays after the free kick, Warner hit Fitzgerald for a 63 yard touchdown catch and run that left Steeler nation in stunned disbelief and made the Bettis fumble seem like child's play by comparison. The Cardinals led, 23-20with 2:37 left. But thanks to the heroics of Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, the Steelers came back and defeated the Cardinals in the final minute to earn that "One for the Other Index finger" and Pittsburgh did get to celebrate.
Nobody thought much of that 4th quarter collapse. After all, the Steelers defense was pretty dominant all-year long. I, personally, figured it was just a hiccup.
However, since Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers have had 14 leads of 10 or more points in the second half of games, and in ten of those games, they saw their leads melt-away and either had to hang on for dear-life or lost in dramatic fashion.
Week three of the 2009 season, the Steelers led the Bengals, 20-9, in the 4th quarter only to see the Bengals score two touchdowns, including the game winner in the final seconds. The Steelers lost, 23-20, and dropped to 1-2.
A week later on a Sunday night at Heinz Field, the Steelers led the Chargers, 28-7, heading into the 4th quarter, before San Diego scored 21 4th quarter points. But Pittsburgh avoided a total meltdown and won, 38-28.
One week after that, the Steelers were in Detroit and led the hapless Lions, 28-13, in the 4th quarter, but needed a last minute defensive stand to keep the Lions from tying the game, and held onto win, 28-20.
Week seven of 2009, after a hard-fought game between the Steelers and Vikings, Pittsburgh appeared to seize control once and for all after Lamarr Woodley returned a Brett Favre fumble for a touchdown midway through the final period to put Pittsburgh ahead, 20-10. However, Percy Harvin returned the ensuing kickoff all the way for a touchdown to make it 20-17. And late in the 4th quarter, the Vikings were poised to take the lead, or at the very least tie the game with a field goal, but the Steelers were rescued by Keyaron Fox's pick six off of a botched screen pass and Pittsburgh won, 27-17.
Fast-forward to week ten of last season, the Steelers were in Kansas City to play the Chiefs. After giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff, Pittsburgh was in total control, 17-7. They were driving for more at the start of the 3rd quarter. That's when Heath Miller, of all people, let a perfectly thrown pass clang off his hands and sail straight up in the air like a volleyball set and was intercepted. The Chiefs not only got back in the game, but they eventually tied the score and won in overtime.
Week 14 of the 2009 season, the 6-7 Steelers were on a five game losing streak and badly needed a win over Green Bay at Heinz field to keep alive what little hope they had at the postseason. There they were in the 4th quarter with the season on the line and a 24-14 lead. That's when Aaron Rodgers and the potent Packers offense came to life and scored 22 points. If it wasn't for a last second Ben Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace touchdown pass, the Steelers would have been on a six-game losing streak.
One week later, the Steelers playoff chances were slightly better as they faced off against the hated Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh led, 20-10, at the start of the 3rd quarter, but couldn't hold the lead and the Ravens quickly tied the game. But with the help of a holding call that negated a Ravens touchdown pass, and a Jeff Reed field goal, the Steelers were able to pull out a 23-20 victory.
The final week of the 2009 season had Pittsburgh in Miami. The Steelers needed the win to stay alive for the playoffs. They were ahead, 27-10, in the 4th quarter, but gave up two quick touchdowns and had to hold on for dear life to win, 30-24.
But the late game struggles weren't unique to last season.
Week two of this season in Tennessee. The Steelers defense had totally dominated Vince Young, Chris Johnson and the rest of the Titans' offense. Pittsburgh was ahead, 19-3, in the 4th quarter. Tennessee went on a time-consuming drive and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to close the gap to 19-11. That in and of itself was okay. The Titans had used up so much time that all Pittsburgh needed to do was cover the onside kick and the game would be over. But they didn't recover the onside kick. Tennessee did, and came within a heartbeat of tying the game in the final seconds.
And that brings us back to this past Monday night in Cincinnati. If ever there was a microcosm of the team's recent struggles with big leads late in games, the Steelers 27-21, white knuckle victory over the Bengals was it.
Just like Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers led, 20-7, after three quarters and had totally dominated the Bengals in every phase of the game. Cincinnati's only touchdown was set up by a Hines Ward turnover, but otherwise, the Steeler defense had its way with Carson Palmer, TO, and Ochocinco. And unlike Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh actually extended their lead to 27-7 on an Antwaan Randle El touchdown pass to Mike Wallace at the beginning of the 4th quarter. I let out a sigh of relief at that point and had Pittsburgh's 6th victory penciled in.
Well I'll be damned if they didn't self-destruct again. Even with Ochocinco pouting on the sideline, the Bengals moved the ball with ease on their next possession and the score was 27-14.
I was kind of nervous at that point, but when Roethlisberger scrambled for a big first down, I felt a lot better. However, just two plays later, Big Ben threw a Favre-like interception and the Bengals had the ball back. And thanks to a personal foul on Flozell Adams after the pick, Cincinnati had possession inside the Steeler 40. Just a few plays after that, Ike Taylor was called for pass interference and the Bengals had it first and goal from the one. Cedric Benson scored, and just like that, Cincinnati was only six points down with a lot of time left.
At that point, I was in panic mode. But, the Steelers patch-work offensive line put on a run-blocking clinic, as Rashard Mendenhall carried six straight times. Pittsburgh's offense not only milked a lot of clock, but set Jeff Reed up for a 46 yard field goal. No gimme, but Reed made a 53 yarder at the end of the first half. If he could knock this one thru the uprights, I could breathe easy. But wouldn't you know it, he missed it to the left and the Bengals had life with 3:59 remaining. Cincinnati drove downfield almost at will and found themselves on Pittsburgh's doorstep with a chance to win in the final seconds, just like last year. I didn't think they were going to stop the Bengals, to be honest. But on 4th and 5 from the 12, Palmer hit Jordan Shipley with a pass over the middle and he looked to have a catch for a first down. Thankfully, the Steelers defenders dislodged the ball before he could secure the reception and Pittsburgh had escaped with another narrow victory after dominating for so much of the contest.
So what is it about these Steelers and their inability to put teams away? I can see it happening once or twice, but 10 times over the course of a season and a half? To me, it's a reflection on the personality of the team. Do they lack a killer instinct? Whenever they have a team on the ropes, they seem to let them off the hook with a turnover, a poor special teams play, or a stupid penalty.
But the most alarming thing is how easily offenses seem to be able to move on the defense late in games. It was like someone flipped a switch the other night. The Bengals offense just sprang to life. Is it a matter of the defense just getting old? Has Lebeau become too predictable with his 4th quarter tendencies?
I don't know what it is, but I do know one thing: When the Steelers are up by two or three scores late in a game, I'm not as confident as I used to be.
It all started in Super Bowl XLIII.
If you remember back to the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers had what appeared to be a pretty safe, 20-7, lead against the Arizona Cardinals. Even though Arizona had a dangerous offense with Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin, Pittsburgh's legendary 2008 defense had held Arizona in check for the first three quarters. Steeler Nation was dreaming of the six-pack. It was just a matter of 15 minutes before the celebration could begin. However, instead of the defense continuing their domination, they started to self-destruct. Warner found his groove and Ike Taylor suddenly was unable to cover Fitzgerald after shadowing him for most of the game. Midway through the 4th quarter, the Cardinals made a game of it when Warner hit Fitzgerald for a touchdown pass. And that's when the real fun began. Later in the 4th quarter, after making Arizona punt, James Harrison was called for a 15 yard personal foul penalty after committing assault and battery on an unnamed Cardinal player. The subsequent poor field-position helped lead to a safety when Justin Hartwig was called for holding in the endzone, and the Cardinals only trailed, 20-16. And just two plays after the free kick, Warner hit Fitzgerald for a 63 yard touchdown catch and run that left Steeler nation in stunned disbelief and made the Bettis fumble seem like child's play by comparison. The Cardinals led, 23-20with 2:37 left. But thanks to the heroics of Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, the Steelers came back and defeated the Cardinals in the final minute to earn that "One for the Other Index finger" and Pittsburgh did get to celebrate.
Nobody thought much of that 4th quarter collapse. After all, the Steelers defense was pretty dominant all-year long. I, personally, figured it was just a hiccup.
However, since Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers have had 14 leads of 10 or more points in the second half of games, and in ten of those games, they saw their leads melt-away and either had to hang on for dear-life or lost in dramatic fashion.
Week three of the 2009 season, the Steelers led the Bengals, 20-9, in the 4th quarter only to see the Bengals score two touchdowns, including the game winner in the final seconds. The Steelers lost, 23-20, and dropped to 1-2.
A week later on a Sunday night at Heinz Field, the Steelers led the Chargers, 28-7, heading into the 4th quarter, before San Diego scored 21 4th quarter points. But Pittsburgh avoided a total meltdown and won, 38-28.
One week after that, the Steelers were in Detroit and led the hapless Lions, 28-13, in the 4th quarter, but needed a last minute defensive stand to keep the Lions from tying the game, and held onto win, 28-20.
Week seven of 2009, after a hard-fought game between the Steelers and Vikings, Pittsburgh appeared to seize control once and for all after Lamarr Woodley returned a Brett Favre fumble for a touchdown midway through the final period to put Pittsburgh ahead, 20-10. However, Percy Harvin returned the ensuing kickoff all the way for a touchdown to make it 20-17. And late in the 4th quarter, the Vikings were poised to take the lead, or at the very least tie the game with a field goal, but the Steelers were rescued by Keyaron Fox's pick six off of a botched screen pass and Pittsburgh won, 27-17.
Fast-forward to week ten of last season, the Steelers were in Kansas City to play the Chiefs. After giving up a touchdown on the opening kickoff, Pittsburgh was in total control, 17-7. They were driving for more at the start of the 3rd quarter. That's when Heath Miller, of all people, let a perfectly thrown pass clang off his hands and sail straight up in the air like a volleyball set and was intercepted. The Chiefs not only got back in the game, but they eventually tied the score and won in overtime.
Week 14 of the 2009 season, the 6-7 Steelers were on a five game losing streak and badly needed a win over Green Bay at Heinz field to keep alive what little hope they had at the postseason. There they were in the 4th quarter with the season on the line and a 24-14 lead. That's when Aaron Rodgers and the potent Packers offense came to life and scored 22 points. If it wasn't for a last second Ben Roethlisberger to Mike Wallace touchdown pass, the Steelers would have been on a six-game losing streak.
One week later, the Steelers playoff chances were slightly better as they faced off against the hated Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh led, 20-10, at the start of the 3rd quarter, but couldn't hold the lead and the Ravens quickly tied the game. But with the help of a holding call that negated a Ravens touchdown pass, and a Jeff Reed field goal, the Steelers were able to pull out a 23-20 victory.
The final week of the 2009 season had Pittsburgh in Miami. The Steelers needed the win to stay alive for the playoffs. They were ahead, 27-10, in the 4th quarter, but gave up two quick touchdowns and had to hold on for dear life to win, 30-24.
But the late game struggles weren't unique to last season.
Week two of this season in Tennessee. The Steelers defense had totally dominated Vince Young, Chris Johnson and the rest of the Titans' offense. Pittsburgh was ahead, 19-3, in the 4th quarter. Tennessee went on a time-consuming drive and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to close the gap to 19-11. That in and of itself was okay. The Titans had used up so much time that all Pittsburgh needed to do was cover the onside kick and the game would be over. But they didn't recover the onside kick. Tennessee did, and came within a heartbeat of tying the game in the final seconds.
And that brings us back to this past Monday night in Cincinnati. If ever there was a microcosm of the team's recent struggles with big leads late in games, the Steelers 27-21, white knuckle victory over the Bengals was it.
Just like Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers led, 20-7, after three quarters and had totally dominated the Bengals in every phase of the game. Cincinnati's only touchdown was set up by a Hines Ward turnover, but otherwise, the Steeler defense had its way with Carson Palmer, TO, and Ochocinco. And unlike Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh actually extended their lead to 27-7 on an Antwaan Randle El touchdown pass to Mike Wallace at the beginning of the 4th quarter. I let out a sigh of relief at that point and had Pittsburgh's 6th victory penciled in.
Well I'll be damned if they didn't self-destruct again. Even with Ochocinco pouting on the sideline, the Bengals moved the ball with ease on their next possession and the score was 27-14.
I was kind of nervous at that point, but when Roethlisberger scrambled for a big first down, I felt a lot better. However, just two plays later, Big Ben threw a Favre-like interception and the Bengals had the ball back. And thanks to a personal foul on Flozell Adams after the pick, Cincinnati had possession inside the Steeler 40. Just a few plays after that, Ike Taylor was called for pass interference and the Bengals had it first and goal from the one. Cedric Benson scored, and just like that, Cincinnati was only six points down with a lot of time left.
At that point, I was in panic mode. But, the Steelers patch-work offensive line put on a run-blocking clinic, as Rashard Mendenhall carried six straight times. Pittsburgh's offense not only milked a lot of clock, but set Jeff Reed up for a 46 yard field goal. No gimme, but Reed made a 53 yarder at the end of the first half. If he could knock this one thru the uprights, I could breathe easy. But wouldn't you know it, he missed it to the left and the Bengals had life with 3:59 remaining. Cincinnati drove downfield almost at will and found themselves on Pittsburgh's doorstep with a chance to win in the final seconds, just like last year. I didn't think they were going to stop the Bengals, to be honest. But on 4th and 5 from the 12, Palmer hit Jordan Shipley with a pass over the middle and he looked to have a catch for a first down. Thankfully, the Steelers defenders dislodged the ball before he could secure the reception and Pittsburgh had escaped with another narrow victory after dominating for so much of the contest.
So what is it about these Steelers and their inability to put teams away? I can see it happening once or twice, but 10 times over the course of a season and a half? To me, it's a reflection on the personality of the team. Do they lack a killer instinct? Whenever they have a team on the ropes, they seem to let them off the hook with a turnover, a poor special teams play, or a stupid penalty.
But the most alarming thing is how easily offenses seem to be able to move on the defense late in games. It was like someone flipped a switch the other night. The Bengals offense just sprang to life. Is it a matter of the defense just getting old? Has Lebeau become too predictable with his 4th quarter tendencies?
I don't know what it is, but I do know one thing: When the Steelers are up by two or three scores late in a game, I'm not as confident as I used to be.
Monday, November 8, 2010
I had a dream, Steeler fans!
Yesterday morning, right before I woke up, I was dreaming about the Steelers beating the crap out of a team. The score was like 31-10 and then that team scored a late touchdown. In my dream, I thought, "Damn it, there they go giving up another garbage touchdown." Anyway, you know how dreams are, the score changed several times. First it was 31-17, and then it was like 51-35, and finally, it was 64-28. The team the Steelers seemed to be playing in my dream was the Cleveland Browns, but in my mind, I knew it was the Bengals.
What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, many years ago, when the Steelers were set to play a prime-time game with the then Houston Oilers, I had a dream the night before that they beat the Washington Redskins by about two touchdowns. Much like the Browns' dream from yesterday, I knew in my mind that the team in the dream was really the Oilers, and not the Redskins. Heck, they didn't even play the NFC East that year. Why would I be dreaming of the Redskins? Duh!
But I digress.
What was the final score of that prime-time match-up? Steelers 30 Oilers 16. You don't believe me? Wikipedia the Steelers 1996 season. It's right there in black and white.
You're probably thinking, "this guy dreams about the Steelers? He's such a loser!" You're right, no doubt, but I feel that this is valuable information, so it is my duty as a Steeler fan to pass this along to all of you.
I doubt they'll win 64-28 or 51-35, but if they're winning the game 31-10 with about 3 minutes left and Palmer throws a garbage touchdown to make it 31-17.....well, no thanks needed. I do what I can.
Enjoy the game.
Go Steelers!
What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, many years ago, when the Steelers were set to play a prime-time game with the then Houston Oilers, I had a dream the night before that they beat the Washington Redskins by about two touchdowns. Much like the Browns' dream from yesterday, I knew in my mind that the team in the dream was really the Oilers, and not the Redskins. Heck, they didn't even play the NFC East that year. Why would I be dreaming of the Redskins? Duh!
But I digress.
What was the final score of that prime-time match-up? Steelers 30 Oilers 16. You don't believe me? Wikipedia the Steelers 1996 season. It's right there in black and white.
You're probably thinking, "this guy dreams about the Steelers? He's such a loser!" You're right, no doubt, but I feel that this is valuable information, so it is my duty as a Steeler fan to pass this along to all of you.
I doubt they'll win 64-28 or 51-35, but if they're winning the game 31-10 with about 3 minutes left and Palmer throws a garbage touchdown to make it 31-17.....well, no thanks needed. I do what I can.
Enjoy the game.
Go Steelers!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Mixing sports and pollitics. Just this once
I normally don't get into political discussions because, really, they're pointless. You're not going to change my mind and I'm not going to change yours.
But since politics are a pretty hot topic this week, join me as I attempt to draw an analogy between fantasy football and this week's mid-term elections:
I've been playing fantasy football for the last seven years and I've had very little to cheer about. Even this year, I signed up in a "fun" league, just for kicks, and I've had the same amount of success that I've had in previous years in my more "serious" league. In other words, I'm in last place with no real hope of making a run at the postseason.
In order to change my fortunes, I often search the waiver-wire for a diamond in the rough. Some player that may swing things my way. But that rarely works, cause, let's face it, there's a reason a player is on the waiver-wire.
America, too, has had a pretty rough go of it as of late. The last decade has seen the country suffer through the largest terrorist attack in history, two wars in the Middle East, and a declining economy.
Starting in 2002, the republican party was in total control of the country. George W. Bush was in the White house and the GOP held a majority of seats in both the Senate and House of representatives.
That all changed in November of 2006 during the mid-term elections. America placed the GOP on waivers and the democrats seized control of the House and the Senate.
And two years ago, the republican party was sent straight to the injured reserve list when democrat Barack Obama easily defeated republican John McCain in the presidential election.
The democrats now controlled everything and Team America was excited about the new vision the party had for the country and how well it could perform. But sadly, the democrats haven't performed at as high a level as America would like. We're still fighting terror, wars in the Middle East, and a declining economy.
And with that in mind, Team America re-claimed the republican party on the waiver-wire in this week's mid-term elections. The GOP gained control of the House and narrowed the gap in the Senate.
The republicans don't quite have the power they had before the 2006 mid-term elections, but they have enough to make a difference and they believe they can map the course to get us back to where we once were. However, I'm having a hard time believing they have what it takes.
After all, just two short years ago, the party seemed completely out of touch with what the country needed. People were fed up with everything they represented. The GOP appeared to be on the brink of extinction. You mean to tell me in just a matter of two years, they've gotten their act together to the point that they can now be trusted to lead us back to the promised land?
Were Tuesday's election results a mandate for the republicans? Not even close. More like a reaction to the continued struggles of our great Team America.
Much like with fantasy football, where owners are constantly adding and dropping players, elections are a series of adds/drops where America adds officials to public office and drops others in the hopes that someone will have a breakout year and score a lot of points.
A lot of fantasy football owners, desperate for an edge, will read the wrong scouting reports and drop a player only to see him go on and have a really great year. If the owner had just held onto the player for another week or two, their patience would have paid off.
When it comes to Team America, the people have no patience right now. They want jobs, they want the economy to recover, and they want this in a hurry. But it took a long time to get into this mess, and it's going to take a long time to dig our way out. I fear that we may have given up on Obama and the dems too soon, before they could hit their stride and really make things right.
Let's hope the republicans really do have the answers this time around and we're not left regretting the decision to reacquire them from the waiver-wire. I mean, let's face it, there's a reason they were there in the first place.
But since politics are a pretty hot topic this week, join me as I attempt to draw an analogy between fantasy football and this week's mid-term elections:
I've been playing fantasy football for the last seven years and I've had very little to cheer about. Even this year, I signed up in a "fun" league, just for kicks, and I've had the same amount of success that I've had in previous years in my more "serious" league. In other words, I'm in last place with no real hope of making a run at the postseason.
In order to change my fortunes, I often search the waiver-wire for a diamond in the rough. Some player that may swing things my way. But that rarely works, cause, let's face it, there's a reason a player is on the waiver-wire.
America, too, has had a pretty rough go of it as of late. The last decade has seen the country suffer through the largest terrorist attack in history, two wars in the Middle East, and a declining economy.
Starting in 2002, the republican party was in total control of the country. George W. Bush was in the White house and the GOP held a majority of seats in both the Senate and House of representatives.
That all changed in November of 2006 during the mid-term elections. America placed the GOP on waivers and the democrats seized control of the House and the Senate.
And two years ago, the republican party was sent straight to the injured reserve list when democrat Barack Obama easily defeated republican John McCain in the presidential election.
The democrats now controlled everything and Team America was excited about the new vision the party had for the country and how well it could perform. But sadly, the democrats haven't performed at as high a level as America would like. We're still fighting terror, wars in the Middle East, and a declining economy.
And with that in mind, Team America re-claimed the republican party on the waiver-wire in this week's mid-term elections. The GOP gained control of the House and narrowed the gap in the Senate.
The republicans don't quite have the power they had before the 2006 mid-term elections, but they have enough to make a difference and they believe they can map the course to get us back to where we once were. However, I'm having a hard time believing they have what it takes.
After all, just two short years ago, the party seemed completely out of touch with what the country needed. People were fed up with everything they represented. The GOP appeared to be on the brink of extinction. You mean to tell me in just a matter of two years, they've gotten their act together to the point that they can now be trusted to lead us back to the promised land?
Were Tuesday's election results a mandate for the republicans? Not even close. More like a reaction to the continued struggles of our great Team America.
Much like with fantasy football, where owners are constantly adding and dropping players, elections are a series of adds/drops where America adds officials to public office and drops others in the hopes that someone will have a breakout year and score a lot of points.
A lot of fantasy football owners, desperate for an edge, will read the wrong scouting reports and drop a player only to see him go on and have a really great year. If the owner had just held onto the player for another week or two, their patience would have paid off.
When it comes to Team America, the people have no patience right now. They want jobs, they want the economy to recover, and they want this in a hurry. But it took a long time to get into this mess, and it's going to take a long time to dig our way out. I fear that we may have given up on Obama and the dems too soon, before they could hit their stride and really make things right.
Let's hope the republicans really do have the answers this time around and we're not left regretting the decision to reacquire them from the waiver-wire. I mean, let's face it, there's a reason they were there in the first place.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The Bengals game is HUGE!
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)