The Steelers have the AFC right where they want them. And, they have the rest of the North teams backed into a corner. At 2-3 (and playing .400 ball) they are just two-plus games out of first place with eleven games remaining. With a possible win against the Bengals combined with a possible Ravens loss to the Texans (and assuming the Browns continue to lose out) the Steelers would leapfrog the Bengals and close the gap on the Ravens.

This scenario would put the Steelers destiny squarely in their own hands with two games remaining against the Ravens. Backs against the wall, the Steelers are in their “sweet spot.” With the Steelers then breathing down the Ravens necks, the Ravens might possibly choke leaving the Steelers as the possible AFC North winner.

And, with all of the negative parity, to date, in the AFC’s other divisions, the Steelers might possibly get a first round bye in the playoffs. Who knows, with a Texans possible–not probable–free fall, the Steelers might possibly become the AFC number 1 seed! (Of course all of this would be facilitated if the Steelers head coach would spend more time on the sidelines consulting with his coaches than rubbing shoulders with his star players. Or if Mikey took a mean sideline hit which somehow knocked some common sense and consistency into him, or put him on injured reserve and out of harm’s way.

No, i really don’t wish harm to anyone including Mikey. I like him. He’s says funny, razzable things. I just wish he would get relegated to the postgame room, and the other coaches got chance to manage the games. And I just wish Big Ben would stop flailing his arms all about, and pointing this way and that, and just execute the critical plays. And, as far as the defense is concerned, i just wish the format of the game would be changed to three twenty-minute periods, instead of four fifteen-minute quarters; and that Roger Goodell would institute a rule limiting the number of pass completions allowed against a defensive secondary if their first string players are injured.

The Steelers still have a good-enough team, and with more luck, and less intervention, less inconsistency, and less hugging and hat tipping by their head coach, things could get better–possibly.

Either way, i’m still rooting for the Steelers–it’s in my boilermaker blood. But even if i was a bit tipsy and toppled off my barstool, i’d still be sober enough not to bet a buck on the boys in BLACK and GOLD, and PINK–just yet. But without any money on the line, and with a possible split or better against the Ravens, i pick ‘em to win the AFC North–possibly.

P.S. But i’ve got other less important things to do than trying to possibly figure out what Mikey is saying, and doing. Like wondering, why was Troy wearing an hearing device during last week's game? (Was this a staged “participation” in the game after the previous week being caught on camera yucking it up with his bench buddies. Or has Mikey just promoted him from injured player to assistant defensive coach!@#$%^? Or was Troy just cruising to Hawaiian reggae?) And what was Troy doing hanging around Tomlin, or vice versa. (Talking reggae??? Is that why Tomlin's took to wearing shades and is indecisive???) And why is it Tomlin seems to hang around more with his players during the game, than with his coaches, no where in sight? Shouldn’t this be vice versa? Oh, no, here it comes again: trying to figure out what Mikey is saying and doing. Are the Steelers players experiencing a similar confusion–quite possibly by the looks of things.