Sour Grapes

by rushthequarterback on Jan 6, 2008 12:06 AM EST Comment 7 comments

Yeah, I'm making some funky wine with some bad grapes here in Maryland.

There is no way in hell the Steelers should have had a shot at the game, that's my only consolation as I stew here. Garrard for all the laudatory statements by the media post-game did everything he could to allow the B&G back into the game and they obliged, thanks to Ben and Holmes and Ward and Miller. The biggest choke, however, was the QB draw by Ben - what the hell was that call? Talk about playing to lose. That play was symptomatic of the offensive play calling in big situations all year - just wacko knuckle-dragging stuff.

On the sour grapes theme, I feel pretty jobbed by the zebras. There is no way in hell that catch within the 2 min warning in the first half should have been reversed. Also, how often do you see a holding call on the center on a 2 pt conversion? That was a bullshit illusionary call besides the fact that it never gets called even if it exists.

Again, again, again - why not throw on 3rd down to stick the knife in them? Don't you trust Ben, dammit?

Oh yeah, nice last punt, too, Sepulveda - Ray Guy is spinning in his goddamn grave.

Final analysis - they should have won this game even though there is no way they should have been in it at the end. Ben was Hyde and Jekyll. The O-line was terrible. The refs were terrible. Gerrard was Jeykll and Hyde. Brain lock ultimately cost the game. A total team loss. They would have gotten killed in the next round anyway, though, so its really, in the end, not as disappointing as if they were healthy.

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It is enough to get one looking for alchohol

My thought exactly but give them some credit. They really played hard through adversity. Roethlisberger was a wash because he was as bad in the first half as he was good in the second (and he's done that all year). I think I'd rather have a QB that's just good but consistently so. Ben undermines the team with his terrible early play.

And how many times this year did the special teams give up big returns? Can't fix that coaches? Given an entire season?

But we have to recognize that their best defender and Parker were missing, that Polamalu was playing subpar because of his knee, and the offensive line has been hurt all season.

This was a great game! The Jags are a tough team and the Steelers almost beat them even with all the injuries and spotting them two touchdowns. Even with a coaching staff that became cowardly on the final Steeler possession. The players deserved better.

by travis on Jan 6, 2008 12:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm not coming down off the ledge

I agree that it was a great game. They did fight - just like in the comeback against the Browns. They do have heart, absolutely. They were injured and they did compete (at the end). Its a credit to the staff and a credit to the players.

I disagree with your assessment of Ben. I feel he was an incredible asset this year - just awesome. Granted, he had a tendency to throw an early pick, but just one. Today, of course, his early play was very detrimental - just not all season in my view. I'll take Ben for the next 7 years over mostly every other option.

As for special teams, there is almost nothing to say is there? Its all been said, over and over, all year. It was a farce.

You and I just disagree in tone, not substance. For me, the fact that the game was great theater in the end does not overcome the fact that it was an extremely low probability outcome that it was tight at the end at all. I feel that the first 3 quarters said more about the team than the last quarter, though I hate to say it.

by rushthequarterback on Jan 6, 2008 12:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

coaching was effective

i think tomlin did a real good job of making adjustments to correct mistakes from the last time they played. the blame rests SOLELY on the players for the loss of this game. the choked on the high hard one that last drive of the game and where was the blocking on the desperation drive??????? parker and/or aaron smith coming back wouldn't have made a difference. they didn't make the plays when they had to make them and thats the bottom line. bruce arians does make questionable calls but i would be willing to give him one more year to get things right. somebody said that if ben had a line then he would be a great qb. that is what needs to happen this off season. let the line get in there and block and then we'll judge big ben and B.A.

fan in korea

by steel town76 on Jan 6, 2008 12:57 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The QB draw was a coaching choke

I will give you that the coaches corrected the problems defending the run. I will give you that the players deserve most of the blame. I disagree that the players solely lost the game. If you let Ben throw to Miller/Ward for a conversion on that 3rd down play, then you are playing to win, using your best weapon in the crucible. Do the Pats have Brady run that QB draw? Ben is really not great at that play. That play represented playing to let the other guy lose, not playing to strike a stake into the heart of the enemy. The coaching staff choked and so they deserve some of the blame for the outcome of the game, in my view.

by rushthequarterback on Jan 6, 2008 1:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ben threw two first half picks

One was returned for a touchdown and the second cost a probable touchdown at the end of the first half. Right? I erased the entire game in disgust so I can't look back to confirm (couldn't stomach it anyway).

So he lost us 14 points in the first half. Between him and the special teams giving up a 90 something yard return the Steelers handed them a 21 point differential and but for the cowardly final series (three runs) might have won anyway.

by travis on Jan 6, 2008 1:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Foote is probably right here

"I don't want to get fined, but watch the long quarterback sneak," Foote said. "Watch the middle of the defensive line and you'll see. You'll see it. Watch what happens in the middle of the field. ... You see a big old hole open up and you'll see the reason why."

But this wasn't the only play that lost us the game. I think we were the better team, but we just couldn't get the job done.

Next year it will be fun watching Nate, Santonio, and Hines. We need OL help no doubt.

We need to get Andre Davis, he's a free agent, for kickoff returns!!!

"It's time to plant some seeds. What that means is, hit them in the mouth. Ya know, plant some seeds. Show 'em what time it is." --Levon Kirkland

by steelerinchicago on Jan 6, 2008 1:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Good points

Yeah man... Good points on this post. The officiating was pretty terrible all around. That phantom call had me jumping up and down and over turning that Holmes catch was ridiculous. That's a play that stays however it stays how it is called on the field.

Really disliked a lot of the play calling by Arians... I don't mind the schemes we have and I like how Arians works with Ben, but man, I hate how he calls the plays. It was obvious early on that our running was not working. Need to throw first to open up the run in games like that. Plus the fades? How many did we throw? And our tallest receiver is what? 6'2" for Washington?

Great season, good game. I'm hopeful for Tomlin's coaching to go better in the future in the playoffs, this year it looked like Marty-ball.

by Chicago Steeler on Jan 6, 2008 4:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs