A Perfect Cap To My Perfect Weekend

Steelers this why they are Super Bowl champs. My prayers were answered Thank the Lord Jesus Christ! What a great play.

offense has always done well.

That onside kick worked even if ike taylor did touch it before ten yards it gave the steelers enough time to come back.

Neither one of them know how to coach.

Parker also ran pretty Good.

I want one of the authentic throw back ones. I’ve been split between Woodley, Mendy, and Wallace (17 is my lucky number). After that catch last night, and after the immense cursing and cheering I did, I turned to my fellow Steeler mate and said, “That’s it. I am getting a Mike Wallace Jersey!” What a tremendous catch that was. Nate Washington, who? It feels so good to get another quality win. Despite having a bad year and maybe not making the playoffs, it is good to know that we can still hang with the best teams in the NFL.

well we know who the problem is NOT: Big Ben…even though he took some needless sacks, 500 yards and 3 tds, and you only win by one..the defense especially the secondary needs to step up!

“That’s the kind of solid, convincing win you need to really build some confidence around”.

Not to rain too hard on anyone’s parade, but the Steelers were damn lucky to get out of that game without a loss featuring a blown 10-point lead in the 4th quarter. I was very impressed with how they were able to move the ball on Green Bay, though I’m going to attribute that to a great game by Ben and the receiving playmakers rather than halfway competent playcalling from Arians. And I thought the kick coverages were very strong throughout. The defense is a shell of its former self; I loved the pressure they put on Rodgers during GB’s first two series, but once again the secondary got eaten alive.

I really wonder how the defense will respond to the onsides kick call. IIRC, the Patriots defense didn’t exactly step up in the weeks following Belichick’s 4th-and-2 gamble.

All in all, there must be a half-eaten piece of meat on the grass at Heinz Field, because only a Heimlich maneuver could have prevented a choking collapse like we nearly saw yesterday.

the fire is still alive….

If they can get in, and get troy’s ass back on that field, the team COULD go on a run…..stranger things have happened!!!

The Towel Flies!!!!

The next time your in my neck of the woods, look me up! I will feed you on the house for all the good work you do with BTSC! www.bomberburger.net

Yes we were jumping around the living room like 13 year old girls who just won Hanna Montana tickets! Great game to watch but since the Wife is a GB fan……..no tail for Daddy on Sunday, but I will take that trade right now! Go Steelers!

I’m not sure who first equated onsides kicks, or going for it on fourth down as some disrespect for defense. It’s incredibly myopic. Does every run disrespect the passing game? Does every punt or field goal disrespect the offense? does a timeout disrespect the player’s ability to hussle?
Ike is a key part of the defense, and did you see how ecstatic he was to be going for the onside kick? If anything, he was too amped. And defenses love when the offense keeps them on the sidelines.
Announcers need to stop armchair coaching all 4th down attempts and onside kicks. It’s a chess match at times, screaming at someone because they just sacrificed their queen is a fool’s action.

As for the playoffs, that KC loss was the worst. A division rival, even a bad one, eventually breaks a long losing streak. And the Raiders, as dysfunctional as they are, they did also beat the Eagles, Bengals and Broncos. I just wish they had put all 3 teams away 30-7 and this latest victory would be another brick towards the playoff run.

Huge game coming up, regardless of what Denver does.

This blog is way better when you guys win games. There are meaningful posts to troll rather than “stick with comcast redzone” stories.

Great, great win yesterday. I fear for my life on Sunday.

I forgot how much better mondays are after a win. Feels Great and yes lets just win out and hope for the best. If we don’t make it to the dance atleast we’ll finish the season with our pride

I’ll be honest, I fully expected a loss this weekend, and I was basically watching this game like it was a pre-season game. But, I couldn’t help myself in the 4th quarter. Although I knew they’d blow the lead, I still hoped for a miracle, even while I tried not to expect it. But just from a pure fan of the game standpoint, this was the best game the NFL has had in a while. Five or six lead changes in the 4th, I think, and a game winning drive on a pass with no time on the clock! Are you kidding me?!

I agree with those who say that this team still has issues. The defense can’t stop anyone in the fourth quarter, and the offense (as great as Ben played) still left points on the field, settling for FGs when they knew the defense needed TDs. Right now, teams expect to come back against the Steelers in the fourth, so until the offense starts burying these teams, this will continue. With that said, I’ll take this win, enjoy it, and not really worry about the rest of the season.

• Congratulations to Ben Roethlisberger with a Steeler record 503 yards passing. Even better was the 3 TDs and 0 INT. He definitely holds the ball way too long at times but that’s how he plays QB…until a real OC takes him to the next level next year.
• Mike Tomlin did a great job coaching throughout the game. I saw him on the sidelining cajoling Mike Wallace after a TD and teaching Joe Burnett after a mistake. One time after Ben held the ball too long and was sacked out of FG range I saw him turn around and tap BA on the belly as if to absolve him of the play in the face of all the criticism. I don’t agree with the onside kick in that situation just as I disagreed with Belicheat* earlier this year. But I see Tomlin’s point and think the move smells of a DB in Round 1 in April’s draft.
• We saw BA’s offensive personality on stage yesterday. Throw, throw and throw. When Ben looks like Superman like yesterday it’s a still a shaky strategy.
• I will go to war with Hines Ward 7 Sunday’s out of 7. Hobbled or healthy the guy is a football player. He is one of the few guys on the Y2K Steelers decade that could have played with the Super Steelers in the 70’s…and contributed.
• Casey Hampton is on the wrong side of 30. He is overweight. He has had cardio issues with Tomlin. He has not been extended and the conventional wisdom in preseason was he is gone. After watching the Steelers in 2009 he has been a bright spot. I don’t see how the Steelers can play 3/4 next year without Snack. Got to draft a NT high and keep 98 for another couple years if he will sign a competitive contract. And Jeff Reed blew the Chicago game but not many others I can think of since Cowher gave him a tryout against 10 other college kickers in the Pittsburgh winter at Heinz to replace ineffective Todd Peterson. He is clutch. He’s an alcoholic but we must get him under contract and to an AA meeting.
• Max Starks had the worst game I have ever seen him play against Green Bay’s rookie Clay Matthews. I will say this, on the last flag he picked up Matthews attempted to go around and under Max (again) and Max simply fell on top of the rookie and pinned him on the ground. To me, it looked legal and was the only thing I can say in Stark’s defense. Ramon Foster at G on the other hand looked good. He should supplant Essex next year.
• Currently, Tyrone Carter lacks the speed to play safety in the NFL. He contributed while here but is now a liability. Ryan Clark is a warrior and I am amazed he recovered from the 2007 Denver incident to play at such a high level in 2008. That injury has caught up to him and he no longer is the same player. I don’t blame him for the TD to Finley who has 6 inches in height but 25 has lost a step. Same for Townsend who made a clutch play in the EZ yesterday but is not an NFL CB anymore. To those who say William Gay will get better I believe you. But he is a nickel back and not a quality NFL CB. Joe Burnett had issues and K Lewis hasn’t seen the field. more reasons I see the Steelers taking a DB early in April.
• On the brightside Mike Wallace will be All Pro once Hines steps aside. Rashard Mendenhall will replace FWP nicely next year and he is better in the passing game. Also I see Mewelde Moore is still on the team. Thought he retired after the electric 2008. Jury is still out on Ziggy who was sighted chasing Aaron Rodgers out of bounds on one play yesterday.
• I hope Packer Coach Mike McCarthy and his team enjoyed the Aiello’s pizza and hoagies on the plane ride back to Green Bay.

I’m thinking that Tomlin brought Ben back too early against the Browns, and that there were concussion effects at work. There was no confusion and precious little indecision on Ben’s part yesterday – when he was sacked, he was still checking down, not just wandering.

Chalk this season up (or down) to unfortunate personnel losses for which the Steelers have no good answers. Now we know for sure how much Troy and Aaron are worth in this system.

And thanks for the win against the Packers, guys – my son can wear his Steeler jersey proudly today to his very-much-Packer-fan high school.

Yes go on. I am ready for the rotten eggs. But hear me out.

In this game and in this game alone, I think Bruce Arians coached a good game. A couple points.

1. Screens, swings, slants and dumps. For the first time in recent memory the offense featured a boat load of smart short passing plays. On many of these our backs stayed in to block and released late on others they were featured receivers playing off the line. All together the backs caught 9 for 98 with a 14 yard TD to Rashard Mendenhall brought back, due to a mistimed block. The TD to Mewelde Moore was a thing of beauty.

2. We picked up 537 yards and 36 points against one of the best defenses in the league. We may well have had more if not for costly drops on 3rd down by our receivers.

3. It was our defense that collapsed, giving up 22 fourth quarter points and getting only one sack against one of the few offenses that gives up more sacks than the Steelers. Why are we not hearing for LeBeau’s head instead of BA’s?

4. Yes, I know LeBeau has personnel issues. So what does BA have? We have an O-line cobbled together with UFA and low round picks. These guys were flat out beat up and outsmarted yesterday. They seem to me no less of a weak spot than the DB’s at times, giving up 5 sacks and allowing the QB to get hit on countless other occasions. The main difference is that BA had his play-makers show up yesterday, while LeBeau’s were largely MIA.

5. There was more creativity in this game. Flea-flicker’s, reverses, delay draws, etc. They didn’t all work, but that’s not the point. They kept the packers guessing and that counts for a whole lot.

6. Yes BA was pass happy yesterday, but he also took what he got from the packer’s D. I wouldn’t always say that – but yesterday our running backs were not getting great push and our (much smarter than usual) passing game was.

To sum up, I hate BA as much as the next guy. I think his inability to coach Ben and his atrocious play calling to date, demand that we replace him. However, in his defense, he called a good game yesterday, and it’s a big part of why we were able to eke out a victory.

We better have the ball last.

The real question isn’t why Tomlin did it. Anyone that has watched this team’s D play in the 4th Q this year knows why he did it. The real question is why Ike Taylor was on the hands unit? That makes no sense at all. I guess we should just be glad that Ike finally caught a damn ball, even if it was the worst time to do it.

The D is definitely been a HUGE problem this season. But everyone wants to get rid of my boy Bruce and are ST guy.

I say Lebeau is a problem. If Carter and “No Play” Gay are the best we have, then its his fault for keeping such no talents on the team.

Of course Smith and Try being gone hav hurt, but if the other QB has more than 3 seconds to throw, our DB’s are done.

I say LEBEAU NEEDS TO GO!

I, like many of you didn’t make a Herculean effort to watch the game yesterday. With the game not being broadcast here in the SF Bay Area, I was content to do some work around the house. Maybe catch the end of the game up at my dad’s house since I was going there late in the afternoon (he has the Sunday Ticket) or watch the highlights later.

Well, what the hell do you know. I get there and the game is in the last 3 minutes of the 3rd quarter. Couldn’t believe how long the game went but thought “Oh well, gotta watch it now that I’m sittin’ here…” The last quarter was a microcosm of the whole season, perhaps a miniaturized version of my entire history of watching the Steelers since the early 70s. These guys are just un-freaking-believable…. in every way. They make you cry out in disgust one minute, then have you crying with joy, relief and pride the next…. then they start the 4th Quarter!!

In Summary:
Ben Roethlisbungle was barely seen compared to the amount of time Big Ben Two Time SuperBowl Champion spent playing yesterday. As others stated – seems like last week was too early for him to come back from the concussion. He played as maddeningly and brilliantly as ever – 500 yards speaks for itself.

BA is still BA but he called a better game. Probably though, BB was calling and improvising much of the time. Unfortunately, he may have also saved his job, at least give Tomlin more to think about.

Tomlin is still an enigma. Not sure how good he really is. Reasons can be given for the onsides kick which justify the decision. “The Book” says you kick away, too much at risk while still in the lead. I am not up on all his interviews but I like that he owned the decision and lucky for him it’s easier to explain after winning. I am more amazed that he was placed in that position than I am at the call – how could you be relying on him to come up with the loose ball?? Amazing…. see below…

The Defense – what can you say. I heard Deion Sanders on NFL Network sum up what all of us have been thinking – “Boy, that is the worst Pittsburgh Steelers defense I have seen in a long time…”.

Ike Taylor – apparently his brain power is short-circuited along with his hand-eye coordination. The guy looks awesome once in a great while then makes bone-headed plays like that one. You absolutely can not touch the ball early – NEVER!! We teach this to grade schoolers playing football. He blew the play in the most critical situation of the game. His failure to execute should have cost them the game.

Love Wallace. He looks like the real deal. Sometimes you can just see it coming with a young player – compare him to Sweed. The guy is ready to explode.

The Ravens game is infinitely more interestng now, especially with the Jets and Dolphins losing. Not sure if Denver losing helps us when combined with the above… we need Cincy to win vs the Chiefs so as not to lose the division to Baltimore in week 17 yes??

I was glad to see the end of the game, especially sitting next to my son and my dad. Would be incredible to sneak into the playoffs and get Troy back as well. The latter may not be possible from what I have heard. Still, good win in and of itself. How insane is it that they have beaten so many good teams and lost to some of the worst. It does bring into relief how good or bad Oakland and Cleveland are at this point in the season. Not too many teams would want to play them now as compared to a month ago….

My two cents, taking that risk.
Personally I think that Our Team is quite dangerous (even for us) because they tend to mirroring the team they are confronting, are better in most of the ways of the teams they are facing, if they play a worst team, they can be “worster” than them, if they play quality team they normally better than them. They even can “Unleash Hell” over our fanbase (thats quite funny those were the first thing I that had come into my mind after Tomlin’s comments).