’09 STEELERS STOCKING: A BAKER’S DOZEN OF COAL & ASH

The season of such promise that’s descended into a never-ending spiral, has a baker’s dozen of plays that will have the Steelers cleaning out their lockers on January 4th, rather than preparing for the Pittsburgh annual ritual of January football.

While it’s popular to say, “One play should not decide the game,” all the “shoulds” in the world do nothing for the “W” column, and a handful of plays did decide this season. The drum roll:
1.Chicago: Jeff Reed miss #1 from 38 yards. In the rain, a usual gimme for Skippy would have extended the lead to 10 points. A few minutes later, the Bears had tied it.

2.Chicago: Jeff Reed miss #2 from 43 yards. In the rain, a gimme for Skippy would have put the Steelers ahead with 3:18 remaining. A few minutes later, the Bears had won it.

3.Cincinnati: The Limas Sweed Flu Drop. A sure touchdown, would have put the Steelers ahead by 11 points. Adding foolishness to clumsiness, Sweed sat on the ground signaling touchdown. One small problem, Linas (Linas fits better, yes?). The ball was lying on the ground. The Steelers later extended the lead to 11, but this score would have made the eventual lead insurmountable.

4.Cincinnati: 4th & 10. Brian Leonard, from Rutgers, beats James Farrior, breaks his tackle and tumbles to a first down on a play where a stop wins the game for the Steelers. A few seconds later, the Bengals win.

5.Kansas City: The clang. The Steelers, with a 10-point lead are driving for another score, when an easy catch, ricochets off the hands of Heath Miller, into the waiting clutches of Andy Studebaker, from Wheaton College. A few plays later, the Chefs had narrowed the margin to 3.

6.Kansas City: Ben’s red zone pick. Looking to extend the lead to two scores again, the Steelers are in the red zone, and here’s that guy Studebaker again, picking off Ben’s end zone pass and returning it 94 yards. A few plays later, the Chefs had kicked the tying field goal.

7.Kansas City. 3rd & 9. The Steelers had taken a 7-point lead, less than 8 minutes remained, and the Chefs had 3rd & 9 on their own 10-yard line. A stop of the Chef’s anemic offense, and chances are this would go into the “W” column for the Black & Gold. Matt Cassel hits one for 30 yards. A few plays later, the Chefs had scored the tying touchdown.

8.Kansas City: Mewelde on 3rd & 2. On the cusp of field goal range in overtime, the Steelers entrust the ball to their slowest running back, running wide. Predictably he’s dropped for a 3-yard loss. A few plays later, the Chefs had kicked the winning field goal.

9.Baltimore: 3rd & 22. The Steelers had gone ahead late, and now less than 4 minutes remained. Getting off the field in this spot, would put the Steelers in a position where a first down or two would win the game. The Ravens throw for 17, then go for it on 4th down, with Ray Rice breaking the tackles of the usual suspects (Carter, Farrior) to put the Ravens in position for the tying field goal.

10.Baltimore: The Dixon pick. With everyone in the free world, calling for the Steelers Brain Trust to put the sophomore quarterback on the edge, where the Steelers had scored both of their touchdowns, fearing injury, his coaches placed him in the worst possible position, dropping back and needing to make a read in overtime. Dixon’s only pick of the game followed, and a few plays later, the Ravens had won.

11.Oakland: Ben’s red zone pick. Leading 10-6, 1st down on the Oakland 16, less than 2 minutes to half, Ben throws into coverage and it’s intercepted by Hiram Eugene. Raidahs coulda quit in that spot, but they have renewed verve & vigor.

12.Oakland: Tomlin’s Bonehead Call. Still leading 10-6, as the 3rd quarter was expiring, the Head Coach trots Jeff Reed onto the field to attempt a 53-yarder, citing the kicker’s “history.” Any student though, of Skippy 101 would know that all four of Reed’s kicks beyond 50 yards had come away from Heinz Field. Further, Tomlin, wearing the dunce cap, allowed the 3rd quarter to expire before making up his mind, requiring Reed to kick into the unforgiving open south end of the stadium. No surprise, Reed misses, field is flipped, and Raiders drive for a 4th quarter lead.

13.Oakland: Joe Burnett’s Drop. The ball from Bruce Gradkowski was thrown softly into the numbers of Joe Burnett with less than30 seconds remaining. Simple. If Burnett makes the catch, Steelers win. He dropped it. A few plays later, Steelers had lost.

You’ll note that no plays are listed from the 2nd Bengals loss, nor from the Browns game. There were obviously key plays, but those were contests where the Steelers basically had their collective asses whipped throughout.