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Likes & Dislikes at 10-3

The Pittsburgh Steelers won in rather ugly, but distinctly '70s, fashion, in the unpleasant December conditions of Heinz Field. While they vanquished a Cincinnati Bengals team who left town having lost their 10th straight game, one cannot underscore heavily enough the vital importance of this game, a divisional tilt, that left the Steelers in very good position to secure a first-round by for the NFL's Annual Tournament four weeks hence.

There were certainly things not to like about this game, both from a coaching and playing standpoint. Here's a few:

*With first down at the Bengals 5-yard line, one timeout remaining, and 45 seconds remaining to half, the Steelers elected to clock the ball. We've been down this road before with this team, and sadly, this appears to be their preferred method of managing the situation, their not doing so in SB XLIII now a seeming aberration due to Santonio Holmes having walked off with the ball. By doing so though, one leaves oneself with but two shots at a touchdown instead of three, and the prospect of taking the timeout along to the locker room, to be dispensed of along with other useless material. That's what happened yesterday. The fear, of course, is having the clock expire without an opportunity for a field goal try, ala the '08 AFCCG. But there were 30-some ticks left, not 16. This team should be able to run three plays and still have enough time, if necessary, to trot out its kicker if unable to pierce the end zone.

*In position to kick a field goal and make it a 2-score game early in the 4th quarter, the Steelers elected to drop Ben Roethlisberger back to pass on 3rd & 15, and ceded a field goal attempt when he was sacked. In that situation, looking at a 41-yard attempt, and a low percentage of picking up the first down, given down & distance, run the ball, pick up a few more yards, kick the field goal and extend the margin to nine points. That was the absolute priority in that situation. All's well that ends well though, and following a Steelers punt, Lamarr Woodley extended the lead to 13 points with yet another pick-six.

*Again, why not opt for a two-point try, up 12 points with 12 minutes remaining, and extend the lead to 14 points rather than 13? I know. Don't chase points, so this is another matter of "how we do things."

*Offensive line still struggles mightily in affording Ben adequate protection. Seven-stop drops? Forget about it. The Max Starks injury yields the most significant personnel loss of the year. Jonathan Scott leads the league in holding calls, in only five games as a starter? What to do about it? Probably nothing. The populace is raising up Trai Essex, villified on these pages a few short weeks ago, as the heir apparent. Tony Hills? Who's he? Oh yeah, the guy in street clothes on the sideline every week. I don't know that it gets any better in this spot. Sure disliked four more holding calls.

Having disposed of that necessary evil, here's what's to like about win #10:

*Let's start with the offense. Yes, the offense, on a day where they managed to put but 9 points on the board, in the form of a trio of Shaun Suisham field goals.

-They did pound out 123 rushing yards on an afternoon of tough sledding

-They controlled the clock, especially in the 2nd half where they held the ball for 22 minutes. Their scoring drives were

^13 plays, 75 yards, 2:00 elapsed (prior to half)

^10 plays, 54 yards, 6:26 elapsed

^7 plays, 45 yards, 4:16 elapsed

And perhaps their most impressive drive was the one previously noted where they ceded field goal range. The Steelers possessed the ball for 15 plays in that drive that linked the 3rd & 4th quarters, gained 50 net yards and took 9:22 off the clock (was nearly 70 before they started working backward...was nearly 100 if one adds in the yardage used to overcome the three holding penalties on that drive).

*The opportunistic defense. Let's remember that early in the 2nd quarter, holding a 7-0 lead, the Bengals were poised to make it a 2-score game, set up with a first down at the Steelers 27. Woodley though, sacked Palmer on1st down, Timmons dropped Benson for a loss on 2nd down, and a 3rd down pass attempt to regain field goal range was defended by Ryan Clark. Then, of course, there's the heroics of both Troy and Woodley on pick-sixes in big spots.

*Ben: Simply put, he gets his ass kicked every week, stays in the game, and makes plays. Dude has a broken nose, eschews sliding with a broken field at his disposal, removes his protective shield at halftime. He finds a way to get it done in back of this ragtag o-line, never afforded the comfort of sitting in the pocked and surveying the field, as is his New England counterpart.

*The rookie wides: Emmanuel Sanders was held without a catch yesterday, but he's not afraid to stick his nose in blocking. It was good to see him return to action after limping from the field. Antonio Brown is a threat on the bubble screens, and makes the most of his appearances in four-wide sets.


*Other wides: Hines, every time we're ready to put him out to pasture....10 targets, 8 grabs, over a buck receiving yards. Randle El, every time we're ready to remove his hat on gameday....what a catch to put his team into FG range before half

*Suisham: Props for the kicker, who remains perfect in nine field goal attempts as a Steeler, and passed his first Heinz Field test with flying colors.

*Kapinos: Feeling charitable, we'll extend props to the punter as well, who put three of his five kicks inside the 20, including the one directly preceding the Woodley pick-six. His long on the day was 53 yards...not a bad first game in black & gold.




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