Only One AFC Power Won In Week 15 - The No. 1 Seed New England Patriots

People here have already started the celebrations. I hope the Dolphins beat them.

Reality check about our beloved Steelers:

As John Gruden mentioned last night the Steelers have to find out what kind of a road team they are. They will most likely be #5 seed (I don’t see the Bengals winning against the Ravens) and all their playoff games will be on road. Based on their road performance this year the playoffs don’t look promising.

The Steelers need a kicker. A NFL kicker has to be at least 85-90% on his FGs between 45-50 yards. Suisham even trying for 35 yards scares me. He made that 51 yarder but how many times he is gonna make those? In the playoffs, on the road, he is absolutely not reliable.

I agree to rest Ben and others, but let’s plan on resting them for both remaining games. We are in as a playoff team and there is very little chance of us getting the 2nd seed also. So let’s plan for a 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th seed and get everyone healthy. Two weeks of rest should do most of our guys good at this point in the season. We can also get Batch/Dixon some playing time and really focus on the running game. Our O-line is thin and they don’t break down as much when we are running the ball as opposed to throwing it.

Play some backups for both Offense and Defense and get them some experience for the playoffs. Now is the time to heal. This is not the time to keep playing semi-injured guys just to win a game. The playoffs are another beast and we need to start preparing for them now.

Worst. Officiating. Ever!

It sure seemed that the flag flew when convenient for the 49ers and stayed tightly in the waistband of the refs when not. Chop block? Where? Leaping…really? So many missed calls, questionnable calls, that it seemed like Goodell made a phone call and told them to make it good for Harbaugh.

I’m not discounting the three very bad interceptions or the fumble. Ben had a bad game. But the refs were really the 49ers 12th man last night.

I actually believe that Ben’s injury, although not making him 100%, was still not bad for him to play the game. The way his injury affected the Steelers was his inability to practice. It is hard for any player to take the field on Sunday and make plays without sufficient practice. Ben being a QB, practice is more important for him.

His throws were off and I think that’s because of lack of practice. We saw this same thing in 2008 when Ben would make ridiculous passes because of his lack of practice. Tomlin at that time forced him to practice at least 2 days otherwise he wouldn’t play.

Just curious to see if the over rated, paper champion, getting fat on the NFC West, not as good as their gaudy record, can’t beat an elite team, can’t block the fericious Steelers…. San Francisco 49ers are going to move up from last weeks 10 slot?

was beyond stupid. You have a hurt QB playing behind that line and you have another game in 5 days. I’m a big Tomlin supporter but that was inexcusable.

ugggh…. I’m not all for violence on others…But when I hear Skip Bayless say “Tim Tebow”, I want to catch the next flight to wherever they shoot the show, break through security, and kick him in the balls. Is that wrong?

The first and foremost thing about this game is that the 49ers defense looks really good. They have a pass rush, they stop the run, they have good coverage skills, and their secondary can tackle. Nothing else was as important in this game as the 49ers defense. I usually think turnover differential will even out over time, but the turnovers are being forced by a great all-around defense, and that just might continue.

Ref calls were bad, but some also went against the 49ers. I don’t feel the refs had any effect on this game.

Ben exceeded my expectations, yet he still took the blame as a good leader will. I have a problem with Mike Wallace not reacting to balls in the air and fighting for position. Either he can’t judge a football trajectory, or he isn’t trying. I’ve seen it a little all season, but last night he left a lot of plays on the field. It also could be that Ben’s long throws just don’t have a consistant trajectory.

This game was lost on the O-line, and D-line. The 49ers won that battle on both sides of the ball.

I also completely disagree with sitting any players for any games, just because the game looks easy on paper. Next week, teams like Houston or New England, or Baltimore could lose. We need to take care of business, and still have the possibility of a bye week.

I will say, to start, the refs DID make some bad calls. Now, I’m not blaming the loss on them, because that’s for the H-d-bag brothers to do, but they did. Happens in every game, but on a night where so much matters, you still notice it that much more.

I also think its HILARIOUS that whenever the H-d-bag brothers get a call against them, they screw up their faces to cry like the little babies they are.

Now, getting onto last night. Yes, we did not play well. Obviously. I commend Ben for going out there (like ballparkfranks said) and taking ownership. With a healthy Ben, this doesn’t happen. I still pick him as my QB regardless of what happens. Ben’s ankle will heal, maybe he splits time with Batch next week to give it a bit of a rest. But let’s see what happens. Again, a healthy Ben, and we win.

I also think one positive out of this (because you all know it’s true) is that the H-d-bag brothers will spend Christmas bragging about how they “own” the Steelers. Then when they both lose in their first game of the playoffs to awful teams they forgot to practice for, we’ll be the ones laughing. Or they lose to us, because we switch it up on them in a way the consultants didn’t expect. Also, while it’s true, both have beaten us this year, and it was depressing every time, it’s an abberation, and at the end of the day, it means nothing, because we’re still in the playoffs. We just have to want it more…and I think us losing now, will make us want it more then. No matter how many consultants they hire.

I think our D needed to get some interceptions last night, as the #1 issue with the game. I know, Ben’s interceptions are awful too, but our D-line was relatively healthy, and THEIR offense is NOT great. When your kicker is your leading scorer, it’s time to look at other options. A couple of turnovers in our favor would have made all the difference. I say this because their defense WAS so dominate, and Ben was hurt, and we needed our D to step up. 2nd biggest issue was also obviously our interceptions. PS how great was it that the names being called out on our o-line for the most positive things (minus one penalty) were Essex and Legursky? excellent:)

Have to say, I have a beef with the MNF announcers. TRUE, when our guys aren’t doing great, you don’t need to talk them up. But with all the blackouts (we get it, you want a new stadium…though did anyone else get visions of Buffalo Wild Wings commercials in their heads, of the little man in the room flipping a switch to change the game?) and extra time to talk, they really hated on the Steelers all night.

Again…a lot of it was deserved. But we would get a12 yard gain on the ground, and then a 1 yard loss on the ground…and it was “well you just can’t run against this team.” Really? Because I’m pretty sure our run game was the best thing we did last night, for the MOST part. Also pretty sure their run game wasn’t as great as the announcers were making it out to be. Again, small potatoes.

I’m also tired of guys hating on Farrior. Yes he’s “old,” stop scapegoating him. He’s typically a warrior out there, then he blows one assignment, as they ALL do out there, and it’s “he sucks.”

Lastly, remember guys: WE ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS. WE HAVE WON BEFORE AS A 6th SEED. No, we shouldn’t rest on our laurels, no we shouldn’t make excuses, and yes, it’s fine to gripe. But we WILL do this. Ben will get healthy, harrison will be back, and, oh yeah, the last 2 teams to lose to the 49ers in MNF football? Went on to win the Superbowl. We want it more!

We just know LeBeau is home right now, cooking up revenge for the 49ers, coming up with ways to dismantle them. In LeBeau we trust!

**one sidenote: Troy was on fire last night. He was EVERYWHERE. Looked great:) Clark also was a champ.

just sayin if they get a franchised I may be scared
they play to win not as BA or another stubborns

In one of the final drives in the fourth quarter, there was a blatant late hit on Ben that was not called. I know there were probably many more, but I really noticed this one. These non-calls may wind up shortening his career by a couple years. Very disappointed in disparity of officiating.

Second comment, listening to Jaworski nearly brought my dinner up. He might as well shout out that he is rooting for the 9ers. Not that I particularly care, it is just that I’d like to not be nauseated by leaving the volume on on my TV. “They need to make a statement on this drive.” Berman as well, “This time it’s personal” and “welcome back.” Again, not that I care what these clowns think but still really they should try to sound objective.

Not sure there were many bright spots last night so I am looking forward to Bean’s bright spots article.

I definitely say rest everybody now. Two weeks rest is better than fighting for two weeks, only to get one weeks rest.

Give the 49ers credit, they did very well in stopping our passing game through most of the game. They made it impossible to protect Ben for more than 3 seconds also. They knew we’d go quick passing and they took it away. We weren’t able to throw deep and lost because of it.

I believe with a healthy Ben that game is a win. But now we need to just get him healthy.

The Steelers run game was pretty effective for the first 2 1/2 quarters. They may have gotten 1 or 2 yards on several carries, but they also popped several 7+ yard gains.

He’s been stepping up his game as of late, and as I was watching I kept waiting for his name to be called. Don’t recall a single pass attempt to him, even on a checkdown.

I have not heard much of an injury status report yet. Woodley, Moore, Ben, Pouncey, Sanders.