Bleacher Report - Articles by John Stepnick

NFL Season Preview: Dallas Cowboys

John Stepnick — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:43:18 -0400

In our preview last season, we said, "If this team starts struggling, the tempers may erupt and this team might go down in flames. They have a fairly easy schedule so this shouldn't be an issue. The only "difficult" portion of the schedule comes as the calendar turns to December with games against Seattle, Pittsburgh, and the Giants.However, only the Pittsburgh game is on the road, giving the Cowboys an advantage heading into 'choke in the playoffs again' season."

Well, the Cowboys didn't even get to the "choke in the playoffs again" season last year. They traded for Roy Williams from Detroit, who was supposed to be the answer across from T.O. and turned into a complete flop. Felix Jones and Marion Barber both had injury problems last season, but Tashard Choice showed he was a capable reserve, though he won't likely see playing time this season unless Jones or Barber goes down again.

The Cowboys had an unreal 12 draft picks in this past draft, all of which came on day 2. Of these, they used seven on defensive players, four of those on the secondary. It's no secret where the weakness in the Dallas defense is.

Outside of two guys in Pittsburgh, DeMarcus Ware might be the best pass-rushing outside linebacker in the league. He racked up 20 sacks last year and anchored a very solid front-seven for Dallas.

The Cowboys defense, as amazing as this is, ranked eighth in the league and was the lowest ranked defense from the NFC East. Mull that one over for a minute. All four NFC East teams had top eight defenses last year.

Dallas led the league with 59 sacks last season, but finished 30th in interceptions. If quarterbacks got passes off, chances are they were going to be complete. Dallas also picked up DE Igor Olshansky (formerly of San Diego) via Free Agency to replace former starter Chris Canty, who signed with the division-rival Giants.

But everyone knows that defense isn't where the Cowboys earn their stars. Jerry Jones loves his offense, and offense is what has defined the Cowboys. The cutting of T.O. was a step in the right direction for the team, but one has to wonder who is going to replace him.

T.O. was responsible for a third of the passing touchdowns Dallas scored last year, with 10. Behind him, the next closest receivers were Patrick Crayton, Jason Witten, and Marcellus Bennett with four each.

In his 10 games with Dallas last year, Roy Williams had 19 catches and only one touchdown. Now, they expect him to elevate his game back to his not-tipping-the-delivery-man days. This is possible, but you have to wonder where the points are going to come from.

Last season, Dallas was fourth in the league in passing TDs with 29 and 23rd in the league in rushing TDs with only 12. The offense averaged 1.36 passes for every rush last season. With Tony Romo still at the helm, one has to think that they're going to try to keep winning through the air. And with the receiving corps that they're sporting (Williams, Crayton, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten), you have to wonder how successful they can be.

Crayton and Austin have both proven to be capable No. 3 receivers, and we shall see if they can take the step up into the No. 2 role. Witten is one of the best tight ends in the game, but his stats fell off by about one reception per game and 12 yards per game. He also pulled in three fewer TDs last season than he did in 2007.

When healthy, Dallas' running game is wicked. Smasher Marion Barber, coupled with blazer Felix Jones, made a lethal combo early last season. However, when Jones went down with a toe injury, the team relied more heavily on Barber and, inevitably, found him on the bench with an injury as well.

Dallas has a very good offensive line, and if the coaching staff is smart, they'll shift to a New York Giants/Tennessee Titans-style offense this year, where running the ball takes priority. With Barber, Jones, and Choice in the backfield, this team should be able to be dynamic enough in the run game to use the run to set up the pass, rather than vice-versa as they have in the past.

If the Cowboys start relying on Romo to win games for them, they might be in trouble. Their defense is good enough to keep them in games, but their 1-3 limp to the finish last year has to be troubling. Dallas QB's (Romo and Brad Johnson) out-passed their opponents in 12 of 16 games last season, but the Cowboys were only 6-6 in those games, including a 34-14 loss to the lowly Rams.

Cowboys RBs (Barber, Jones, Choice) were the leading rushers in 11 games, and the Cowboys sported a 9-2 record in those contests. I think the solution is blatantly clear here. The Cowboys need to run to win, but they're too caught up in their passing game (though this may change now that "15 passes thrown my way in a game isn't enough" T.O. is gone).

Ian's Prediction: 6-10

Dallas gets the NFC South and AFC West on the schedule this year. Once again, the NFL schedule-makers didn't do the Cowboys any favors after Thanksgiving. The 'boys close with @NY Giants, San Diego, @New Orleans, @Washington, Philadelphia. Division games in December are always dangerous, no matter the quality of the opponent, particularly in the NFC East.

Dallas could legitimately lose all five games after they shellac the Raiders on Thanksgiving. The beginning of the schedule is relatively easy with Tampa, the new stadium opener against the Giants, Carolina, Denver, and Kansas City.

It's not unthinkable that the Cowboys could go into their Week Six bye with only one or two losses. However, the schedule gets tougher from there, and they will be hard-pressed to win many more games the rest of the season.

As I've said, they have the defense to keep them in games, but if they keep focusing on the passing game over the ground attack, they're going to be in trouble after Turkey Day and might be making a top-10 selection in next year's draft.

John's Prediction: 9-7

The Cowboys have a pro-bowl QB, one of the deepest running back corps in the league, a potential top-10 wide receiver, one of the best tight ends, and an extremely talented, albeit quickly declining, O-line.

However, most people no longer feel the offense is up to the task of making a Super Bowl run. Arguments abound as to whether getting rid of T.O. was a good move. From a production standpoint, only time will tell, but there is no doubt chemistry will vastly improve, and Tony Romo can finally assume full leadership and command of the offense.

As long as offensive coordinator Jason Garrett can find enough touches to properly utilize his three-headed running back monster, the offense should be more than potent enough.

I'm not as high on the Dallas defense as most people. The loss of Chris Canty puts even more pressure on Ware to make big plays. Olshansky is a solid replacement, but is by no means a pass-rusher, while Marcus Spears is rapidly becoming a first-round bust.

Fortunately, the Cowboys have great potential and production at linebacker with Ware, the ultra-consistent Bradie James, former Falcons' star Keith Brooking, and 2007 first-rounder Anthony Spencer.

Bobby Carpenter, another apparent first-round bust, can still provide solid depth. Gone from the secondary is yet another top pick failure in Roy Williams (sensing a trend yet?). Injuries will be the key to this group. If Terence Newman and Ken Hamlin can stay healthy, the secondary should be able to put up a respectable performance.

If not, the whole defense will suffer. Much like the Redskins, the Cowboys have the talent to win more games than they actually will. The brutal post-Thanksgiving schedule, along with some early hiccups, will result in another eight or nine win campaign.

Check out other articles about all things sports and more at thesteelersnat.blogspot.com

NFL Season Preview: Washington Redskins

John Stepnick — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:51:22 -0400

After starting 2008 on a blistering 6-2 pace, the Steelers came to town on the eve of election night and smacked the snot out of the Skins, including seven sacks and two picks of Jason Campbell. After the Monday Night shellacking, the Redskins finished the season a disappointing 2-5, to close out at .500.

The Redskins' offense, which looked unstoppable to start the season, had a marked decline over the latter half of the season. Most of this can be attributed to injuries along the offensive line.

Commentators thrust the blame on the shoulders of quarterback Jason Campbell, without even discussing the fact that Clinton Portis didn't break 80 yards in a game after Thanksgiving, following a stretch of over 120 yards in five consecutive games from September 28th through October 26th.

Last season, Clinton Portis was the leading rusher in 10 games, with the Redskins going 7-3 in those games. By contrast, the Redskins were 4-3 in games when Jason Campbell out-passed the opposing quarterback. Campbell had only six interceptions last season, which on paper looks good, but he lacked the receivers to improve his TD-to-INT ratio, only posting 13 touchdown passes last season.

In the right system, I believe Campbell can be a very, very good quarterback in this league, but the question remains to be seen if he will be given that opportunity, or if Jim Zorn will have him on the short leash this season after the 2-6 finish to last year.

The Redskins' offense is all about running the ball. Portis had almost 1,500 yards last season on 342 carries. One has to wonder how much longer Portis is going to be able to maintain that big of a workload. It showed last season, as his production slowed towards the end of the season.

For as much as the Skins' offense relies on the ground game, it is of paramount importance to keep the offensive line healthy. Chris Samuels, a perennial Pro-Bowler at left tackle, has had some injury problems the last few years and is at the tail end of his career.

Santana Moss is a dangerous deep threat, but he needs some help. Antwaan Randle El was brought in from Pittsburgh to be that help, but injuries have hampered his three seasons in DC.

Last year, the Skins drafted two wide receivers early in the draft, Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma) and Devin Thomas (Michigan State). Both of them were hampered by injuries in their first year, with Kelly having micro-fracture knee surgery, and Thomas having hamstring issues.

Thomas, known for his blazing speed in college, has been working on running cleaner routes rather than just relying on his speed. Thomas had only 15 catches while appearing in all 16 games last season.

Owner Dan Snyder's off-season spending spree rivaled Barack Obama's, but it remains to be seen whether Snyder's will actually net results. The biggest acquisition was defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth from Tennessee.

The Redskins' defense was very solid last season, and they look to be much the same unit, with the additions of Haynesworth and first round draft pick Brian Orakpo from Texas. Orakpo played a 4-3 end at Texas, but he has been running with the first team defense as an outside linebacker, so he may see the field on opening day.

Orakpo's speed and athleticism will make him a good fit as a run-stopper and pass-rusher, but pass coverage may be different story.

Ian's Prediction: 9-7

The NFC East remains one of the best divisions in football, and the Redskins will be hard-pressed competing for a title. However, with two of the biggest receiving threats (T.O. and No-Catch-ico) out of the division, it remains to be seen whether there is an elite team of the bunch.

Look for a lot of this group to beat up on each other in division play. All four teams play very good defense, so points will likely be at a premium in divisional games. On the upside, the NFC East faces the AFC West in inter-conference play, arguably the weakest division in the NFL, which should give the Redskins three easy wins, barring an upset.

They also face the NFC South, one of the best divisions in football last year. However, as the Steelers showed, having the hardest schedule doesn't really mean much. Washington's schedule starts easy with games against St. Louis and Detroit in September. Their hardest stretch comes at the end with a trap game in Oakland, followed by two home night games against division rivals Dallas and New York, before closing out back on the west coast in San Diego.

I think the Skins should hold their own this year, with the defense keeping them in a lot of games. Don't expect many blowouts from this team, but they are good enough to hang around with anyone.

John's Prediction: 10-6

Responsibility. Accountability. Leadership. Depth. The Redskins had issues with all these aspects in 2008, especially on offense. Who was to blame for the second-half collapse? Jason Campbell seemed to receive the majority of the criticism, but what about Clinton Portis' disappearing act, the continued absence of true receiving threats, and poor O-line play?

Additionally, where the QB is generally considered the offensive captain, the 'Skins have as many as four potential "stars" to fill the important role. Campbell is now experienced enough to handle being the leader, but Portis, Santana Moss, and Chris Samuels have all been the "face" of this team in recent years.

To make matters worse, the offense is only one or two injuries away from being degraded to the ability of a college attack due to absolutely no depth at any position. The defense will once again be the strength of this team, especially with the additions of Haynesworth, Orakpo, and DeAngelo Hall for an entire season.

If the Redskins can stay healthy and have a true leader emerge on offense, and if the new acquisitions on defense can gel quickly, this team has the potential to win up to 12 games. However, a tough second-half schedule will probably limit Washington to a nine or 10 win campaign.

Super Bowl XLIII: Is the excitement wearing off yet? Not around here

John Stepnick — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:04:00 -0500

The game recap for the Championship game is still forthcoming. The recaps usually take me around three hours to do, and with all the great pictures we found from this game, well...it's taking a little longer than usual.

In other good news, we got our first comment since Sept. 8! Additionally, we have had 28 people vote in the poll over there on the right! Exciting stuff is happening around here.

And now a little self-congratulation.

Things I'm good at:
Analyzing Steelers Opponents

Here are a few snippits from my scouting report of the Ravens last week:

It wouldn't be a total shock to seem them try to air it out (particulalry on first and second down when the Steelers are looking run)...One reason for the Ravens to air it out is their ailing backfield.
The Steelers have had the most success against Baltimore when they have thrown short crossing routes and enabled their recievers to run in space.
The Ravens, possibly more than any other team, exposed flaws in the Steelers kick return units...The Ravens are solid in the return department and could give the Steelers problems here.
Game Breakdown:
Baltimore's run game vs. Steelers Defense: Advantage Steelers
Baltimore's pass game vs. Steelers Defense: Advantage Steelers
Baltimore's return teams vs. Steelers coverage: Advantage Ravens
Steelers run game vs. Ravens Defense: Advantage Ravens
Steelers pass game vs. Ravens Defense: Advantage Steelers
Steelers return teams vs. Ravens coverage: Advantage Ravens
Look for both teams to have limited success running the ball. A few big plays through the air or on defense will likely be the difference in this game. It will be low-scoring and bloody. The team that wins the turnover battle will win this game.

Things I suck at:
Predicting Playoff games

Wild Card Games: Ian 2-2, John 3-1
Divisional Games: Ian 2-2, John 3-1
Championship: Ian 1-1, John: 2-0

Overall: Ian 5-5 (.500), John 8-2 (.800)

John just wiped the floor with me in the playoff prediction department, and I have to give credit where credit is due. I guess the moral here is that if you're a gambler (which I am obviously not), don't come to me for game predictions. You're much better off trusting John.

Finally, we added a Super Bowl countdown at the top of the page. We might tweak the layout a little bit so that there's not so much stuff at the top of the page, so bear with us. If anyone has any suggestions or anything, feel free to e-mail us!

LOST Season Five tomorrow. We'll be all over it.

GO STEELERS!!!!

AFC Championship: Postgame Edition

John Stepnick — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:49:00 -0500

So here's the deal. Because of the large numbers of pictures we have accumulated from this game, we're going to be making three posts. One post will have the game recap (it will appear further down the page, we'll link to it in a new post once it's up so people don't have to search for it).

The second post is the one below this one, featuring the Ravens star players crying. If anyone has any pictures of Ravens crying or of post-game events, feel free to send them our way (we'll credit you if we post them).

Finally, this post will feature pictures from the postgame celebration and ceremonies. Enjoy!

Trophy Presentation

Coach says we still have some work to do.

Offensive Player of the Game: Santonio Holmes

Ben gives a shout-out to the fans and troops overseas.

Deshea living it up

Meanwhile...

Linebackers celebrate

Hines does laps around the field

Woodley is a beast. Look at the size of his arms. Wow.

Bring it home Coach

No words needed for the last few.

I've Got a Feeling: Pittsburgh Steelers WIN

John Stepnick — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:28:00 -0500

A record crowd at Heinz Field came out for this one, and they weren't disappointed. Hank Williams Jr got the show going by singing some song of his and flashing a Steelers shirt.

The Steelers have a thing for country singers apparently. Martina McBride sang the national anthem. There were a few shouts of "bring back Styx!"

Steelers fans weren't disappointed though, as we got another full serving of Renegade before the introductions.

The Ravens won the toss and deferred, giving us the opportunity to get on the board first.

The Steelers come out running, but get set back on a Colon false start, but Hines comes through in a big way, taking a short pass and turning it upfield for a big 45-yard gain to get the Steelers all the way into field goal territory.

The big catch by Hines sparked the offense, as Holmes pulled in a slant, then Willie ground out a few to get to third and three. Ben looks for Heath heading for the front corner of the end zone, but overthrows the ball. Super-Sayian Reed comes out to put us on the board.

3-0

The Ravens come out trying to throw, but three incompletions later the punt team is on the field. The Steelers did a great job keying on Mason and keeping the ball away from him.

The Ravens defense steps it up and shuts the Steelers down on two running plays, then sacks Ben on third down, bringing out the Lob Wedge. Leonhard muffs the catch, but is able to fall on it and the Ravens retain the ball.

The Ravens come out with the run, but get forced into a third and long again, and Deshea steps in front of a pass intended for Mason.

Big play by Deshea to get us up in the turnover battle early and give us solid field position.

After two incompletions (one of which was a short-arm by Parker on a flare down the sidelines which was a touchdown if he caught it), Ben hits Hines on an out-route for a big first down to get down to the 24. Hines was injured on the play, which was a setback to the offense.

On first down, Ben goes down the middle to Holmes on a post and he makes the grab, takes three steps and gets pulled down. On the replays, it looked like it should have been a touchdown, but he was called down at the one. Both coaches throw the challenge flag, but Harbaugh gets it out first, challenging the catch. Somehow the call is overturned, much to the chagrin of the fans. After two failed deep balls, the Super Sayian comes out again.

6-0

After a short run on first down, Keisel and Woodley get pressure, forcing incompletions and another three-and-out.

With Ward out, the Steelers go to the motif offense, but are able to convert on a third down completion to Heath. Nate Washington reels one in on first down to keep things rolling, but then disaster strikes on second down.

Parker goes left and loses the ball, which falls right into the hands of Leonhard.

McGahee picks up seven on first down then two more to get to third and short. Woodley and Farrior come up with a huge stop to keep McGahee short of the sticks and bring up a fourth and short from the 34. In no-man's land, the Ravens elect to go for it. They try to spread the Steelers out by emptying the backfield, but Polamalu reads the QB-sneak and flies over the line and decapitates Flacco.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS.

Parker carries once and the quarter runs out to end one of the longest first quarters in memory.

Second Quarter

Hines comes back after the break to test his banged up knee on a quick out, but he goes nowhere, setting up third and nine. Ben rolls out under pressure and heaves one up for Santonio down the right side of the field...this one was too pretty for words, let's go to the tape:

In something new, here's a breakdown of the play:

The Ravens are bringing seven on the blitz. You'll notice Ed Reed backs out of the play and is playing deep centerfield on the play, leaving the corners in man coverage on the outside.

Baltimore's two blitzing safeties are going to converge on the Steelers left guard (Kemoeatu). Heath Miller steps up and takes care of one of them, while Kemoeatu gets the other after throwing an initial block on Ray Lewis.

The Ravens right end (Pryce I think) blitzes wide around the outside, pulling Starks out of his stance and giving Ben a hole to step up in. Moore moves over to seal the block on Pryce and Ben steps up and to the left (shown in orange), buying himself some time.

The Ravens corner (I believe Fabian Washington) gets caught looking into the backfield. Ben throws it long so that Washington is stuck on his heels and Holmes is able to make the catch over his head.

The rest of the play was made by Santonio cutting it back up the field (you can see that on the video clip). But something that jumped out at me was Heath Miller, who was in the backfield picking up the blitz, was able to run downfield and throw a key block to lead Holmes down the sidelines. Watch the video again. Heck of an effort by Heath.

Holmes made a heck of a dive past Ed Reed to get inside the pylon, then does a little birdie dance.

Did anyone else notice the disappointment in Jim Nantz' voice after the play? It certainly comes through on the YouTube video.

13-0

Okay, that was probably the longest TD recap all year.

After the touchdown, the Ravens went back to the ground, and McGahee came through in a big way, running three times and picking up a first down. After a first down penalty, Woodley flies in and disrupts Flacco's pass.

Look at the elevation by Woodley. What an athlete.

The Ravens are able to convert on second and long on a little dump-off to Ray Rice that he turns upfield for big yards. The Ravens get themselves into another third and long on the next set, but Flacco hooks up with Clayton for 15 to keep the drive alive and move into Pittsburgh territory. The Ravens try to go run-run-pass, but Aaron Smith destroys the 3rd down play by pulling Flacco down for the sack. Punt team.

Playing from deep in their own territory, the Steelers came back with their motif offense, giving it to Parker twice before going to the air. Baltimore challenged the third down completion to Nasty Nate, but the completion was upheld, giving Pittsburgh teh first down and taking Baltimore's last challenge away. Parker got two more totes, but a personal foul on Kemoeatu pushed them into third and long, where we ran a safe draw play and punted.

Unfortunately for us, the Lob Wedge made a poor kick and Leonhard was able to split a seam in the coverage and get some open field. Berger makes a touchdown-saving tackle, but the Ravens get great field position.

The Steelers defense comes up big and forces a third and long, but McFadden gets called for a terrible pass interference penalty in the end zone, giving the Ravens new life at the one. McGahee cashes it in to make it a game.

13-7

We get the ball back with two-and-a-half minutes left and a timeout, plenty of time to put moer points on the board. A second down completion to Sweed sets up third and manageable, but Ben throws it behind Holmes on a slant route, bringing on the punt team.

The Ravens take over with just under two minutes to go, in a situation that would seem to necessitate running out the clock. They look as though they're going to on first down after a McGahee run, but they go no-huddle and throw on second down. Pressure by Timmons forces an incompletion, stopping the clock and setting up third down. Another incompletion on 3rd down stops the clock again and forces the Ravens to punt. Holmes breaks out a big return to get the ball to the 50, giving the Steelers a shot with a minute to play.

On first down, Ben goes deep for Sweed down the left side. Sweed is wiiiiide open and Ben throws a perfect pass...

...but Sweed forgets how to use his hands.

To make matters worse, Sweed was "injured" on the play, costing the Steelers their final timeout. After two more incompletions, the Steelers have to punt, but Baltimore gets flagged for roughing the kicker, giving the Steelers another gasp of life.

Ben hits Heath down the left side, and he turns it upfield. Sweed peels back and does his best Hines Ward impression, throwing a monster block on Corey Ivy to spring Heath.

Left side of the picture is Sweed's block. WOOOOOOOOO

Heath goes out of bounds to stop the clock with 23 seconds to go. Ben is forced to throw the ball away on the next play, leaving the Steelers with 16 seconds and no timeouts. With coverage downfield, Ben dumps one off to Moore, who charges upfield rather than just going down. The Steelers hustle to the line but can't get the spike off before halftime and they fail to put points on the board at a key juncture in the game.

Halftime

The stadium was more or less silent at halftime because of what had transpired right before the half. A field goal there would have made it a two-possession game, and six points was still too close for comfort.

Third Quarter

The Ravens come out strong and move the chains on a completion to Mason. On first down Flacco tries to run a zone read, but Polamalu blows it up in the backfield.

The Ravens can't recover and wind up punting.

The Steelers respond by getting into positive down and distance (third and three), but a sack forces them to punt.

Harrison gets pressure twice in three plays, leading to another three and out by the Ravens. Exciting stuff at the beginning of the third quarter.

The Steelers look poised to go three-and-out once more, but Ben hits Carey Davis in the middle of the field and Davis turns upfield and is able to gain 20 yards for the first down. The Steelers really seem to want to shoot themselves in the foot on this drive, as Ben gets sacked again, but a 30-yard catch and run to Heath down the sidelines picks up the first down and more.

With the ball in Ravens territory, Parker rips off 11 yards in two carries, getting another key first down. The Steelers do nothing on three plays and Jeff Reed comes out for a 46-yarder.

Nailed it.

16-7

McGahee busts off the biggest run of the game with a 14-yard dash to start off the next drive. Harrison stops McGahee in his tracks on first down, and Woodley buries Flacco on second down. Todd Heap of Sh*t pulls one in for a short gain, but Polamalu pulls him down for a short gain, and it's punt city for Baltimore again.

Parker gets a short gain on first down, then the Steelers roll the dice a bit on second down with an end-around to Nate to end the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Steelers were 15 minutes from glory, but a third and eight awaited after the break. In a shocking moment, Ben hits Sweed across the middle for the conversion.

Sweed drops the ball when he's wide open, but catches it when he's in coverage.

Two Parker runs get the Steelers to third and one, and Arians (in a move that should be at the top of the list for reasons he should be fired) puts Ben in the shotgun and goes five-wide on third and one. This might have been the singular dumbest play call of the year, and an incompletion brought out the punt team. Berger makes a terrible punt, and the Ravens get the ball at their own 42.

The Ravens come out and run a double-reverse to Clayton for 16 yards to get into Steelers territory. The Ravens get called for a hold against Harrison, setting them back, but two passes to Mason for 14 and 11 gets them down to the Steelers 24.

Two plays later, Flacco goes for the end zone and Ike gets flagged for another terrible pass interference call, giving the Ravens another shot from point blank. McGahee finds paydirt again, drawing the Ravens within two.

16-14

With nine-and-a-half to go, the Steelers run twice to take time off the clock, but the proctologist calls for a Colonoscopy, and a false start puts the Steelers into third and 14. Ben is sacked by Suggs, bringing out the punt team with seven minutes to play. The Ravens get flagged for blocking out of bounds during the punt, and the 15-yarder sets the Ravens back inside the 15 to start their drive.

After a failed run on first down, Flacco hits Heap-of-sh*t for 20 yards to drive some doubt into the hearts of Steelers nation. After a short run, LaMarr Woodley comes up with a HUUUGE sack, digging a grave and throwing Flacco in back at the 29 yard line.

And if you thought that play was big, the next one was even bigger. On third and 13, you knew Flacco was going to be looking for Mason. Harrison applies the heat and Polamalu reads the route perfectly and jumps in front for the interception. He charges to his left and takes a look back to the right...

...dodges Clayton moving back to his right...

...brings it all the way across the field and turns it up the sidelines...

...picks up a block from Aaron Smith and does a little bob and weave with the ball as he crosses the goal line...

...for the gamechanging TOUCHDOWN

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

23-14

The Ravens got the ball back and on the second play from scrimage, Flacco flung one out to McGahee in the flat who turned it upfield but didn't see the hangman coming down from the gallows...

Ryan Clark lays a vicious hit (ruled as a legal hit by the league) on McGahee.

The ball came out and the Steelers recovered, but both players went down after the play. Clark eventually walked off, but McGahee was carted off the field. In a scary moment, they brought the cart out right away for him, taking no chances. Word is he's going to be okay, which is good. We may not like the Ravens, but we don't wish harm upon their players (or any players for that matter).

The Steelers got the ball back and ran two plays to run the clock down to almost two minutes. They took a timeout rather than a delay of game with 2:01 to go. An incompletion on third down used up the two minute warning, and the Steelers punted it away with a safe lead.

With 1:48 to play, it was all about the clock. Ray Rice pulled in a pass, but Lawrence Timmons kept him in bounds to keep it ticking.

Tick tick tick tiiiick tick TICK

Flacco went for Clayton on the sidelines, but Clayton was out of bounds, and replay confirmed the call on the field. On second down with 1:20 left, Flacco looked over the middle again, but Tyrone Carter was there to pick off the pass, sealing the deal once and for all.

Victory formation.

Gatorade.

Game.

Players of the Game:
Offensive Game Ball: Santonio Holmes- He had the one big touchdown catch and more importantly, after Hines went out, the Raves shaded Reed to his side to take him out of the game, which effectively took Ed Reed out of the game as well.
Defensive Game Ball: Troy Polamalu- Does this one even need explained? He stuffed Flacco on the fourth and one, pulled Flacco down for a loss on the QB Wrap play, and had an interception return for a touchdown.

Honorable Mentions:
LaMarr Woodley
Ben Roethlisberger
Heath Miller
James Farrior
Deshea Townsend
Max Starks
Justin Hartwig
Darnell Stapleton

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game
The officiating.
Really, we're going to the Super Bowl, so there's not much to make a yucky face over, but the officials in this game were awful.

Final Thoughts

SUPER BOWL!!!
Ben was sacked four times, but on the whole the Offensive Line did a fantastic job in blitz recognition and blitz pickup
LaMarr Woodley is the real deal. Every tackle he faces he just bull-rushes out of their shoes.
Woodley should have made the Pro Bowl. The fact that he didn't is a crime.
Tampa baby!
I was spot-on with my scouting report of the Ravens
Hopefully McGahee is okay, that was probably the worst hit I've ever seen, they were both going full-speed and their heads just collided.
What a game. Everyone is talking about exorcising the demons of Heinz Field, so I think they're officially exorcised.
Hines will play in the Super Bowl.
IIIIIIIIIII've got a FEEEEEELING

NFL Gameday Predictions: Conference Championships Edition

John Stepnick — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:30:00 -0500

3:00 EST
FOX

In one of the dumbest scheduling moves by the NFL in recent history, the Eagles and Cardinals take the field in the first of two championship games at precisely 3:00 EST, or noon Arizona time.

The NFL should leave the game times a flex options so that a team like Arizona wouldn't have to play a championship game at noon when there is another game in Pittsburgh that is starting three hours later.

Hobbled headliners Brian Westbrook of Philadelphia and Anquan Boldin of Arizona are both expected to play, though their effectiveness will be in question. The story of this game will be the ability of quarterbacks to overcome the opposing defense.

Philly's blitz-happy scheme will give Arizona's receivers single-coverage down the field, so if Warner has the time and composure to find them, it could be a big day for the Arizona passing attack.

Even though Philly's run defense is stout, it will be important for Arizona to attempt to establish the run early so they do not become one-dimensional. On the other side of the ball, Arizona's defense has been great at forcing turnovers.

Will Donovan McNabb revert to pre-benching form or will he continue his high level of play? The key will be Philadelphia's receivers being able to come up with big catches at big points in the game.

Arizona's run defense has been solid in the playoffs, but Westbrook, when healthy, has game breaking ability.

Ian's Prediction: Eagles 27-23

John's Prediction:

6:30
CBS

This game needs no introduction. The league's top two defenses face off in an all-out bloodbath. These teams know each other very well. Baltimore hasn't had a bye since Week 2. And Pittsburgh looked sharp last week.

Baltimore's key to the game will be their ability to establish run in order to set up the pass. Keeping the game out of Flacco's hands will be key.

Pittsburgh needs to exploit Baltimore's depleted secondary, but not take too many chances that will allow Ed Reed and the Baltimore defense to make game-changing plays.

This game will be all about big plays, turnovers, and converting in the red zone. Whoever can get touchdowns instead of field goals will come out on top.

Ian's Prediction: Steelers 17-9

John's Prediction:

Baltimore-Pittsburgh Preview: Exclusive Interview With LOST's Jack Shepherd

John Stepnick — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:49:00 -0500

In anticipation for the upcoming premier of LOST next week (you bet we'll be all over that), The Steelers n'at landed an exclusive interview with Dr. Jack Shepherd, resident AFC North medical expert on the relative health of the two teams for the upcoming game.

Thanks for taking time out of your busy day saving people to talk with us Jack. We'll start with the news everyone wants to know about. How is Polamalu doing?

Troy is fine. He's been practicing with the team and will play Sunday. If you've been living under a rock or lost on a desert island for the past 108 days, you wouldn't know how important he is to this team. But trust me, he'll play.

Justin Hartwig had a tough task last week against San Diego's big nose tackle. What's the word on him?

Justin's knee is bothering him, but we were able to make him a working brace out of bamboo and wire from the airplane. He'll be listed on the injury report but should play. He's one of us now.

Speaking of the offensive line, what do you think about them spending extra time outside of team-oriented activities to review film?

The offensive line is going to need to stick together against a tough assault from Baltimore's defense. I like the fact that they've been spending a lot of time over at Justin Hartwig's house. Live together, die alone.

Let's shift gears here and look at the other side. How is Baltimore looking on the injury front?

Terrell Suggs has torn ligaments in his shoulder and is listed on the injury report as a game-day decision. I doubt the Ravens will tell us much more before then. Don't listen to what they tell you.

Any other big injury news for us Jack? I understand you have to go back.

Yes, cornerback Samari Rolle is likely out with a thigh injury, which means Corey Ivy will probably get the start. Bentham told me everything happens for a reason. I didn't believe him at the time, but I realize it was a mistake now. We have to go back.

Thanks for your time Jack, we appreciate it. Any final thoughts?

Live together, die alone.

Thanks Jack.

There you have it. Samari Rolle's injury is the big news of the day. With him out of the lineup, Fabian Washington, Corey Ivy, and Frank Walker will have the responsibility of covering Holmes, Hines and Nasty Nate. Washington went out of the second game and the Steelers were able to burn Frank Walker on the final drive. If Rolle doesn't play, look for the Steelers to take some shots down the sidelines.

With Suggs marginalized, Heath Miller could have a big game in the middle of the field. Between the hashes, there has been no one better than Heath this year. The game is still going to be close, but things are looking good for the Steelers.

The Baltimore Ravens' Scouting Report for AFC Championship Game

John Stepnick — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:56:00 -0500

As we well know by this point, the Ravens aren't going to do anything that will be of a big surprise. Joe Flacco has a strong arm and the ability to stretch the field. Derrick Mason is his go-to receiver and always the No. 1 target.

Mason might be one of the best route-runners in the league, and over the course of the season, he has developed a great relationship with Flacco.

Mason racked up 137 yards in the first meeting but was held to 23 in the second go around. Look for Ike Taylor of the Steelers to be matched up against Mason the whole game. Mark Clayton is the No. 2 guy in the passing game.

He is the down-field target and he has solid speed. Clark will likely shade towards Clayton rather than Mason, leaving Ike on an island.

The Steelers will probably use Polamalu in run defense and have a linebacker tracking Todd Heap-of-s**t, rather than using Polamalu to cover him. The Ravens' sole passing touchdown against the Steelers this year was not to Mason, Clayton, or Heap-of-s**t, but rather Derrick Wilcox, a backup fullback they hit out of the backfield on play-action from the four.

The Ravens' playoff strategy has been relatively conservative, but it has also played to their strengths. They know the strength of their team is the defense, so their offensive strategy has been relatively simple. When they are in their own territory, they will run the ball, even on third and long.

They won't take chances on their side of the 50 and are not afraid to let Sam Koch, who averaged over 45 yards a punt this season, reverse the field. They are willing to punt because they know their defense isn't going to give up many points.

Once the Ravens cross the 50, they are a different story. Against Tennessee, they were taking shots down-field as soon as they crossed the 50, one of which resulted in the game-tying touchdown.

However, the Ravens coaches, who are probably smarter than me since they're paid to coach and I write on a blog, will likely know this so it wouldn't be a total shock to seem them try to air it out ( particularly on first and second down when the Steelers are looking run).

One reason for the Ravens to air it out is their ailing backfield. Le'Ron McClain has been a heck of a discovery for them at tailback after he made the Pro Bowl as a fullback. McClain is a bruiser of the Jerome Bettis mold, but he has been hampered by an ankle injury that may slow him down against the Steelers.

Willis McGahee has been reduced to a backup role, but he has given the Steelers problems before.

The Ravens had success in the second game running the ball with an unbalanced line (bringing in an extra tackle and putting him in the tight end place). This strategy was somewhat successful in negating Harrison in run defense, but their extra tackle was also flagged for multiple penalties against the Defensive Player of the Year.

Speaking of injuries, the big question mark this week is Pro Bowl linebacker Terrell Suggs, who remains questionable with a strained shoulder. However, the Death Eaters defense will still be formidable without him.

Is "Death Eaters" too bad-ass of a name to give the Ravens defense? Maybe, but it sticks with the Baltimore/Voldemort thing I've been doing—and their defense is just about as scary.

The holes in the Baltimore defense are in the secondary. Ed Reed is a ballhawk, but the corners have been exposed by the Steelers in the past. Reed is the playmaker in the secondary, and the Steelers have had the most success against Baltimore when they have thrown short crossing routes and enabled their receivers to run in space.

Hines Ward had two almost identical 33-yard catches against the Ravens in the second game where he reeled it in about seven yards from the line and turned upfield for a big gain.

The Ravens, possibly more than any other team, exposed flaws in the Steelers kick return units. In the second game, Jeff Reed and Mitch Berger both made touchdown-saving tackles against Yamon Figures and Jim Leonard. The Ravens are solid in the return department and could give the Steelers problems here.

Playing the advantage

Baltimore's run game vs. Steelers Defense: Steelers
Baltimore's pass game vs. Steelers Defense: Steelers
Baltimore's return teams vs. Steelers coverage: Ravens
Steelers run game vs. Ravens Defense: Ravens
Steelers pass game vs. Ravens Defense: Steelers
Steelers return teams vs. Ravens coverage: Ravens

All in all, this game is going to be close. The Steelers have the advantage of the home crowd, but that means nothing this time of year.

The one factor that could play into this game is fatigue. The Ravens have not had a bye week since Week Two, which makes this their 18th consecutive week with a game. The advantages for them lie in the fact that they have a short travel time and are playing a familiar team.

Look for both teams to have limited success running the ball. A few big plays through the air or on defense will likely be the difference in this game. It will be low-scoring and bloody. The team that wins the turnover battle will win this game.

V for Vendetta: Pittsburgh Steelers Win

John Stepnick — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:46:00 -0500

Be wary, Be wary
Of mid January
The Chargers can upset and shock
I see no reason
Why the '94 season
Should ever be forgot

We were very careful around here not to mention the 1994-'95 AFC Championship Game all week leading up to this game. San Diego came in huge underdogs and upset the Steelers in one of the most stunning upsets in Pittsburgh history.

Personally, I can't ever remember feeling so dejected after a sporting event. The only other one that could come close was the Pirates loss to the Braves in the '92 NLCS. But we won't go there now. This game was all about one thing: exorcising demons.

Starring Dick LeBeau

35
24

Pittsburgh was on upset alert coming into the game, as all three home teams had failed to protect their home turf. But none of them had Jack Bauer and Styx taking the field.

Styx rocked out the national anthem...

...then stayed on the field to sing the opening of Renegade before player introductions. The place was going nuts even before the coin was flipped. No YouTube videos of this yet. The best we can find is this video of the defensive introductions.

Woodley dominates with his water-spraying.

Best introduction picture of the year?

Speaking of awesome pictures from this game, here's another:

No point to posting this except for its photographic awesomeness.

The Steelers won the toss and deferred. Kickoff time. Everything all week was about stopping Darren Sproles. Keyaron Fox and Lawrence Timmons are all over it.

San Diego comes out firing with a play-action pass to Gates on the weak side for a big gain. Sproles gets stuffed on a running play, then reels one in for 12 yards to get close to the Steelers 40. Rivers goes play action and fires over the top for Jackson, who reels it in with Ike in single coverage for the touchdown.

Where was the safety over the top on this play? San Diego: four plays, 75 yards, touchdown. So much for a fired up defense.

0-7

We needed to not go three-and-out on our first possession to give the defense some time to regroup. Willie Parker dominates the show by picking up two first downs in three carries to get things rolling.

Holmes gets called for holding on a WR screen to Hines, setting the Steelers back to first and 19. After an incompletion, Heath reels in a big grab to get the Steelers to 3rd-and-9, but Ben overthrows Holmes, setting up decision time for the coaches with the ball at the 34. Ben pulls a Kordell Stewart and pooches the ball, sticking it at the nine-yard line.

Yeah, Ben's punt was better than Berger's would have been.

San Diego comes out thinking that our safeties have pulled back and that they might have a sliver of hope to run the ball. Yeah right. Sproles gains minimal yardage on two plays, then gets overthrown on third down. Huge stand by the defense after giving up a touchdown on the first drive. But no one had any idea what was about to come next.

Click

Click

BOOM.

First Punt Return TD for the Steelers since Holmes did it in '06 at Carolina

First Punt Return TD in the playoffs since Antwaan Randel El broke a 66-yarder against Cleveland in January 2003 in the game where Tommy Gun brought us back against the Browns.

7-7

The Defense had a quick turnaround, but got a quick break on an offensive facemask, sending the Chargers back to 1st-and-25. However, Rivers was able to pick the defense apart with three short passes to move the chains.

A false start and a blown up run put the Chargers in 2nd-and-long, where LaMarr Woodley bull-rushes his way to Rivers and buries him in the backfield. Bill Leavy proves to be a better ref than the clown in the Baltimore-Tennessee game and calls San Diego for a delay of game.

Farrior stuffs Sproles like a sardine on 3rd-and-long and Scifres comes in to punt...wisely, he kicks it out of bounds, away from Holmes.

The offense comes back on the field looking to get things rolling. After nothing on first down, Ben goes deep for Nate, but Nate can't reel it in, setting up a third and long where Ben gets sacked by a blitzing safety while Mewelde Moore stands around and blocks no one. Punt.

Sproles bounces a run for eight, his longest tote of the day, then picks up the first down with a four-yard plunge as the quarter expires.

Second Quarter

The Chargers dominated the first quarter with over 10 minutes in time of possession. Luckily, we were still in the game thanks to Holmes.

Farrior and Harrison stuff Sproles on the first play of the new frame, then Gates pulls one down across the middle to set up 3rd-and-short. Aaron Smith is all over the Sproles run and stops him short of the sticks. Turner wastes a timeout by challenging the call and he loses. Punt.

The next drive was all about one guy: Willie Parker. Parker got four straight touches running for seven, five, six, and five before Moore gave him a breather. Moore picked up four, then Parker came back for three more, setting up 3rd-and-short.

Stapleton sets us back with a false start, and Ben hits Carey Davis on a crossing pattern, but Davis is pulled down short of the sticks. Need more power in those legs, son. Sadly, that's not the first time this game we'll say that either. The Steelers move to 0-3 on third-down conversions.

Ben wants to go for it, but San Diego saves us by taking a time out. Tomlin makes the right call. Punt team.

After an incompletion on first down, Harrison gets pressure and forces an incompletion on second down. Ike blitzes off the corner and Rivers throws one up for Jackson, which is ruled a catch. Tomlin challenges the 43-yard completion and wins it, sending the Chargers packing with a three-and-out.

Holmes picks up three yards on a reverse, then Nate pulls one down for five to set up 3rd-and-2. Now, for most legitimate Steelers teams, 3rd-and-2 is a running down. It always has been, it always should be.

Not for Bruce Arians.

He calls a pass to Carey Davis who gets stopped short of the sticks...again. Get Davis in the weight room doing some squats, pronto. On 4th-and-2 from their own 45, the Steelers execute a fake worse than Jack's flash-forward beard.

The Chargers get the ball on our side of the 50, in prime position to score.

After two plays go nowhere, Rivers finds Gates for 15 down the seam for the first down to get them into field goal range. The Diesel blows up Sproles in the backfield and Woodley is all over a short pass to the little guy out of the backfield, setting up another 3rd and long. Rivers hits Gates for eight, getting them back into field goal range, but well short of the sticks. Kaeding drills it right after the two-minute warning.

7-10

With the lead in San Diego's hands, Pittsburgh needed to respond. After a good return by Russell to the 34, Ben hit Holmes for 15, then out of the no-huddle hits Moore for nine more. Some Charger claimed to be injured, forcing San Diego to use their last time out, and giving our offense time to game plan with 2nd-and-1 at the San Diego 42.

Ben misses a wide open Heath Miller across the middle, then the Bulldozer comes in and plows for the first down. The Steelers wisely take a time out with just over a minute to go.

Ben overthrows an open Santonio Holmes on a deep corner route, bringing up second down. Hines pulls one in, but the proctologist report comes in and it says we need a Colonoscopy. Illegal Formation.

I swear, Colon takes a bad penalty at least once a game. Hines steps back up though and makes a great effort to come back for the ball and turn it upfield, going out of bounds at the three. Red Zone offense killed us last game against San Diego, but Willie Parker goes left end and bowls right over a San Diego corner to find paydirt.

14-10

The Chargers couldn't take the cold, so they decided to kill the clock and give the Steelers offense another shot after they warmed up a bit.

Halftime

Nothing too exciting here. The Steelers had eight-and-a-half minutes of possession in the second quarter, but had only converted 1 third down thus far in the game. What do you know, they did it on a running play.

Third Quarter

Opportunity was knocking for the Steelers to take a two-score lead out of the break. The Willie Parker show dominates for four plays before Holmes snags a big grab on 3rd-and-7 to keep the drive alive.

Ben went deep for Holmes again, but no dice, bringing up second and long. Parker went nowhere on second down, but Ben was able to convert again, this time finding Nasty Nate for a big gain. Willie goes for two, then Carey Davis comes into the game, and we joke that he'll get the ball again.

What do you know, Ben throws it to him. What do you know, no gain.

On 3rd-and-8, Ben goes to the bank and finds Heath Miller depositing checks. Money. First down at the 12. Parker reels off four more, then Ben goes play-action and we all know what time it is

Heath peels off a block to find himself wide open in the flat. He runs over a Charger in the end zone for good measure.

21-10

Sproles rips off a huge 63-yard return on the ensuing kickoff to seemingly give San Diego a shot at getting back in the game with the ball at the Steelers 23. Already in field goal range, Rivers looks for Jackson but the Diesel gets a paw up and swats the ball in the air.

Larry Foote makes a diving interception that San Diego challenges. It wasn't happening for Turner today, as the interception is upheld and the Steelers get the ball back.

Parker runs twice to set up 3rd-and-3 where Ben hands to Moore going left, but Holmes gets it on the reverse going the other way and scampers for the first down. Parker gets four on first down, but a Heath Miller holding penalty on the next play sets things back. The Steelers can't recover and have to punt.

When you have a sucky punter, sometimes it works out. For the second time this year, a Berger punt hits one of the coverage guys from the other team. This time it was Chargers safety Eric Weddle...in the head. Big Play Willie Gay recovers, giving the Steelers new life at the San Diego 23.

Stapleton sets us back with his second false start of the game. After a broken play on first down, Ben hits Hines for a big 19-yarder to get down to the nine. San Diego gets flagged for a late hit out of bounds, moving the ball down to the four.

Parker gets to the one on first down, then Ben shows some nimble feet on a naked bootleg where he has to avoid pressure and eventually throw the ball away.

On 3rd-and-goal from the one, Russell is stuffed and the quarter expires.

San Diego ran one offensive play in the third quarter. It was an interception.

Fourth Quarter

With 4th-and-goal from the one and an 11-point lead, the Steelers should have kicked the field goal to make it a 14-point game. However, they make the second poor coaching move of the night (fake punt was the first) and go for it.

Arians described the play thusly in a postgame interview: "Ideally, we could have called a goal-line play, which would have been a QB sneak. However, since our QB has a concussion, we had to call a short-yardage play." You mean to tell me you have no "Goalline" plays that involve handing off to a tailback? Get outta tahn.

Of all people, why hand off to Carey Davis? Davis, who obviously has the leg muscles of a newborn, can't push his way in.

On first down, Rivers hits Hester out of the backfield in the flat. Hester turns it upfield and streaks for 11 yards and a first down. LaMarr Woodley, who is making a serious run at being nicknamed "The Undertaker" buries Rivers back at the two.

Two incompletions later, Scifres is punting out of his own end zone to Holmes. No magic this time, but the Steelers still get the ball in San Diego territory.

Parker gets four yards on first down, then Ben goes deep again. This time, Nate draws a pass interference penalty in the end zone, giving us the ball on the one. Gary Russell is no nonsense this time and The Bulldozer blasts his way in from a yard out.

28-10

The Steelers come out with Renegade, but with a 28-10 lead, the need for a defensive stop is a little less pressing. The more important issue now is the clock. The Diesel comes up with a sack on second down...

...and busts out his row the boat celebration.

However, Polamalu misses a tackle in the flat against the tight end not named Gates, allowing the Chargers to keep the drive alive. Sproles pulls in a crossing route grab for 11 yards, moving them into Steelers territory.

After two incompletions, Rivers hits Chambers for another first down. Two plays later, he goes back to Chambers down the middle, who reels it in at the eight. Troy whacked Rivers in the head on a blitz, picking up a roughing the passer penalty to move them even closer. Some no-name receiver catches a touchdown on a slant to get the game back to 11.

28-17

We referenced it once already, but I'm sure everyone remembers the 2002-'03 playoff game against Cleveland when we came back from a big deficit to beat the Browns. Guess who was Cleveland's offensive coordinator that game? Yup, Bruce Arians.

And what was one of the reasons why Cleveland lost that game? Because he threw with the lead and didn't kill the clock with the running game.

So what do the Steelers do with their lead chopped to 11 and just over 9 minutes on the clock? Come out throwing. Deep. Nate almost comes down with it, but it slips out of his hands as he hits the ground. Clock stopped. Nate comes back with a big second down catch to get to 3rd-and-3.

Ben has one almost picked off by an undercutting defensive back, but he threads the needle to Hines for the first down. After 64,000 people at the stadium recover from their collective heart attacks, the Steelers decide to run the ball.

Parker goes for two, then gets to the outside and turns upfield for 27. Parker picks up seven more before getting a breather. Moore gets a solid four, then it's Parker time again. He is stopped for one, but does his Flash impression on the next play and turns on the afterburners for a 16-yard score.

35-17
Bring on the Ravens.

After the Steelers took five minutes off the clock and put seven more points on the board, the Chargers were more or less done. The rest was simply formality. Rivers throws two incompletions then...

Harrison, who was getting held all game, breaks through a hold and brings down Rivers.

In a strange call, rather than going for it on fourth down, the Chargers elect to punt. This was pretty much a collective giving up by their coaches.

Byron brings out the second string offense, complete with Limas Sweed and the second-string O-Line. Russell gets two carries and the Chargers strangely use their time outs. Why do you punt and then use time outs as if you're still trying to win? That makes no sense.

Moron, Incorporated Arians calls a pass on third down and Byron goes over the top for Sweed, who has the ball in his hands but can't make the catch. Rookie nerves. He's going to need to get over them. Punt.

With just under 3:00 to play, San Diego comes out firing against the prevent. Rivers hits Chambers for 20, then Hester out of the backfield for a short gain. Rivers goes down the sidelines for Jackson and Ike rips the ball away, coming out with it.

The pass is ruled incomplete, and Tomlin makes a poor (not terrible like the fake punt or going for it on 4th-and-1, just poor) decision to challenge. The challenge fails, but the Steelers catch a break on a delay of game.

On 3rd-and-long, Rivers dumps one off to Sproles who shows he is the only Charger who hasn't given up yet, turning on the jets in the open field and blowing past all the Steelers for a 62-yard score.

35-24

The Steelers were offsides on the first onside kick attempt, so San Diego gets another go. Gary Russell falls on it and Leftwich comes in for the victory formation.

Game. Vendetta accomplished. Demons of '94 be gone.

Players of the Game:
Offensive Game Ball: Santonio Holmes

Willie Parker is a very, very close second here, but Holmes was the catalyst for the offense. His punt return shifted momentum and he came up with three big third down conversions (two through the air and one on a reverse) to keep drives alive.

Defensive Game Ball: LaMarr Woodley
Five tackles (three for a loss), and two huge sacks where he just buried Rivers.

Honorable Mentions:
Willie Parker
Heath Miller
Larry Foote
James Farrior
Brett Keisel
Ben Roethlisberger
Hines Ward
Justin Hartwig

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game
Carey Davis with the ball in his hands

He had zero, absolutely zero power in his legs. Send the boy to the gym coach. He couldn't drive for any extra yards on his catches and couldn't convert the 4th-and-inches at the goal line. I don't know why the Steelers kept giving him the ball when they saw he wasn't doing anything with it.

Final Thoughts

Bring on the Ravens!
Mike Tomlin is 11-1 in his career against divisional opponents
Time of Possession: Steelers 36:30, Chargers 23:30
Huge game by Parker. He still looks fresh, which bodes well for the next game, even against Baltimore's tough defense.
I know we can get pressure on Flacco
Did the Chargers have a pass rush today? Great job by the offensive line, particularly Hartwig, Stapleton, and Kemoeatu against Williams in the middle.
Ben had a fantastic game. He wasn't flashy, didn't put up big numbers, but he was efficient and didn't turn the ball over, which is all we needed from him.
Great to see Holmes have a big game
Hines always has huge games against Baltimore
The road to the Super Bowl goes through Pittsburgh. What a great feeling.
Believe it. Yes. We. Can.
Even though none of them were complete, I don't mind trying to go over the top. I like the play calls. It kept the safeties back, allowing Parker some room to run between the tackles.
We should run the ball on 3rd-and-2.
San Diego had one play in the third quarter. What a performance by the Steelers.
I've got a feeling....

NFL Divisional Round, Day Two: Pennsylvania Power

John Stepnick — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:53:00 -0500

11
23

In a game that was at one point 11-10, the Eagles pulled away and knocked off the Giants to earn a trip to Arizona for the NFC Championship game. The last I saw of this game was David Akers kicking a field goal to put the Eagles ahead 13-11 and preserve the Steelers-Chargers game as the only 11-10 game in NFL history.

After that, I was headed down to Heinz Field for the game, so you'll have to forgive my succinct recap of this game.

McNabb and Manning both threw two interceptions in the swirling winds, but McNabb cashed in with a touchdown, whereas Manning couldn't find the end zone. In the Giants five trips to the Red Zone, they managed only three field goals.

Now that's pulling a Plaxico.

35
24

There will be a full game recap coming this week, so I'll keep this one short. This past week, John and I were talking about our "Impact Players" for the game. I chose Heath Miller and John chose LaMarr Woodley. Both players came up huge in key situations for the Steelers today.

However, the two biggest players of the game have to be Santonio Holmes and Willie Parker. Holmes, who not only got the Steelers on the board with a punt return for a touchdown, also converted three third downs to keep drives alive. The Flash ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns, carving up San Diego's defense.

The Steelers were the only home team to win this weekend, and earn a date with Baltimore for a chance to dance with Lombardi.

Divisional Round Stats

The first team to score in every game lost.
Home teams lost three of four.
This will be the fourth consecutive year a team will make it from Wild Card Weekend to the Super Bowl (both Philly and Arizona played Wild Card Weekend)
The teams that won the turnover battle won all four games.
Baltimore and Pittsburgh were the only teams not to throw interceptions.

Championship Weekend Schedule

Arizona hosts Philadelphia at 3:00 EST (which is noon Arizona time, which is completely stupid that this game is this early out there).
Pittsburgh hosts Baltimore at 6:30 EST. Be ready.

NFL Gameday: Divisional Round

John Stepnick — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:16:00 -0500

San Diego comes to town riding high on a winning streak, with the Steelers looking to defend their home turf. With Baltimore's win yesterday, the team that wins today's game gets to host the AFC Championship game.

The Steelers have their destiny in their own hands and need to come out strong in defense of the home turf. And who better for homeland security than the man with experience.

Jack has been solid for us all year, but this is the playoffs.

So the Steelers have someone in reserve to get his back.

The national anthem today will be sung by none other than...

All bets are off if they play Renegade while the defense runs out onto the field.

Or at halftime.

Or any point today.

Styx will sing Renegade.

Count on it.

GO STEELERS.

NFL Divisional Round: Day 1 -- Shock and Awe

John Stepnick — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 13:50:00 -0500

10
13

Baltimore gets another road win courtesy of their defense. Three turnovers in the red zone take points off the board from Tennessee. Baltimore gets the benefit of the refs blowing a huge delay of came call, allowing them to pick up a first down and get in position to kick the game winning field goal.

The delay of game isn't a reviewable penalty, but it should be. I wouldn't be surprised if delay of game becomes a penalty that can be reviewed by challenge.

Both teams got beat up during the game, the biggest injury being Chris Johnson of the Titans going down with an ankle injury. Tennessee simply couldn't run the ball after Johnson went down, giving Baltimore the opening to win the game.

13
33

The Cardinals shock the world by going into Charlotte and scoring 33 straight points against a solid Carolina defense. Larry Fitzgerald had the game of his life with 166 yards and a touchdown. Jake Delhomme had a forgettable game with five interceptions and a fumble.

Arizona could host the NFC Championship game if Philly knocks off the Giants today. In spite of everyone saying Arizona couldn't win on the East Coast, or that they couldn't win without Boldin, they pulled it off. Putting up 33 in front of a shocked Carolina crowd who hadn't seen a loss all year.

Breaking Down the 2008-09 NFL Playoffs: Divisional Round

John Stepnick — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:54:00 -0500

Saturday 4:30
CBS

In the first of four rematch games this week, Tennessee and Baltimore go Round 2 in Nashville. Both teams are looking to play smash-mouth football.

Tennessee boasts the best 1-2 punch at running back in the league with Chris Johnson and LenDale White. Baltimore counters with Le'Ron McClain and Willis MaGahee.

Look for McCalin to see the lion's share of carries against the physical Titans defense. Baltimore's defense needs no introduction, we all know what they bring to the table. They're going to play a punishing game and force turnovers. In the end, this game will be close, and I will be shocked if more than 2 TDs are scored by either offense.

Ian's Prediction: Tennessee 13-9

John's Prediction:

Saturday 8:15
FOX

Arizona gets another shot at Carolina, where they lost 27-23 at the end of October. A lot has happened since October, but one thing remains the same: Arizona is 0-5 in the Eastern Time Zone this year, and 3-5 on the road overall. Their 3 wins came against their divisional opponents, making them 0-5 against all road opponents outside their division.

On the other side, Carolina has been dominant at home, posting an 8-0 mark in the friendly confines of Bank of America Stadium. Arizona was able to handle Michael Turner and the Atlanta offense by forcing turnovers, and they're going to have to have a similar defensive performance if they want to stay with Carolina.

On the whole, Carolina's offense has a huge advantage with one of the best running back combos in the league and a passing game anchored by Steve Smith and Mushin Muhammad. In their earlier matchup, Kurt Warner went off for 381 yards, but the Cardinals ground game was stifled.

On the other side, DeAngelo Williams ran for 108 yards while Delhomme threw for over 250. Look for a strong performance from Carolina's offense and Arizona to struggle on the road once again.

Ian's Prediction: Carolina 31-20

John's Prediction:

Sunday 1:00
FOX

The Giants and Eagles have played two fantastic games this year, which the teams split. In Round 3, to the victor go the spoils and the ticket to the NFC Championship game.

The Eagles know they can beat the Giants, and the Giants are still struggling to find a passing game without Plaxico. The Giants running game is good, but the Eagles boast a very good run defense. On the other side of the ball, the Giants have a solid defense all around, with defensive end Justin Tuck anchoring their pass rush.

This game will hinge on the Giants ability to protect Eli Manning against the Eagles blitzing defense and Brian Westbrook's ability to make plays in space out of the backfield.

Ian's prediction: Eagles 24-17

John's prediction:

Sunday 4:45
CBS

In the last rematch of the weekend, well...this game needs no introducing. We all know what's at stake here, and don't need any reminding about how cocky San Diego is. They are on top of the world now, riding their winning streak.

The Steelers need a big performance from the running game to keep the ball out of Ben's hands and need a solid defensive performance to keep Rivers and the Chargers off the field and off the scoreboard.

Ian's prediction: Steelers 24-17

John's prediction:

BCS National Championship Game Preview

John Stepnick — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:27:00 -0500

Everyone knows the big storylines in this game. Florida is coming out of the SEC with the vaunted "SEC Defense" and facing what some have called the best offense of all time in college football.

I'm not sure if I would go that far in describing Oklahoma's offense, which is first in the nation in scoring but they have put up some impressive numbers against relatively weak defenses this year.

Now, it could be argued that the defenses in the Big XII just look so bad because of the caliber of the offenses they face. This is a legitimate point. However, look what Ohio State's defense did to Texas' offense.

Ohio State's defense, which no one claimed to be one of the great defenses of the NCAA this year, held Texas (a team some thought should be in the national championship game) to a season-low 24 points.

Ole Miss, the only team in the nation to beat Florida, "held" Texas Tech's wide open offense to their second lowest point total of the season, 34. Additionally, Ole Miss built up such a lead by way of converting turnovers into scores, Tech was playing from at least two scores down the whole second half.

Finally, Oregon, a team with very little on the defensive side of the ball, also beat their Big XII opponent (Oklahoma St) by two scores.

So what does this mean? Well for one, it means that the Big XII offenses, when they come up against defenses from other conferences, face legitimate challenges and have been held in check. Florida's defense might be one of the best out there this year, and they will be able to match Oklahoma's offense in the speed department.

On the other side of the ball, not much has been made of Oklahoma's defense because there hasn't been much to make. Florida's offense is not far behind Oklahoma's in the production department, ranking third in the nation in scoring, despite facing a much more daunting schedule of defenses.

Ian's Prediction: In the end, I see Florida winning this game by a hair. I believe a second-quarter turnover will be the difference that allows Florida to go up by two scores. The teams will continue to trade scores the rest of the game with Oklahoma scoring with under a minute to play to bring the game close. Florida recovers the onsides kick and seals the deal.

Florida 45-42

San Diego Chargers: Scouting Report

John Stepnick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:31:00 -0500

We've seen San Diego once this year, in the only 11-10 finish in NFL history, thanks in large part to the refs taking a last-second touchdown away from Troy.

Game Recap

Team Stats

Player Stats

Hopefully Scott Green won't be anywhere near Pittsburgh on Sunday.

We know what to expect from San Diego's running game. LT will be out so it will be the Darren Sproles show out of the backfield. Jacob Hester could be the difference maker here. He caught a few short passes out of the backfield for San Diego in the first game this season and could see more action with LT out.

In the passing game, Rivers wants to go vertical to Vincent Jackson, who will likely draw a matchup with Ike Taylor for most of the game. On the other side, the Chargers have a perfectly capable receiver in Chris Chambers.

Down the seam, Antonio Gates is Rivers' go-to guy, running more like a wide receiver than a tight end. Jackson was arrested for DUI yesterday, but it's unlikely to affect his playing time.

The Steelers defense did an excellent job against Rivers last game, and they're going to need to step up big time on Sunday as well. James Harrison had the type of game one would expect from a Player of the Year, with a sack, INT, and forced fumble which resulted in a safety. Rivers was unable to burn our secondary for any big plays, but the Steelers pulled a Plaxico (shot themselves) multiple times with penalties.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers racked up a lot of yards, but were unable to find the end zone. They are going to need to hit paydirt on Sunday if they want to move on. Field goals won't be enough this time around.

This is no cupcake playoff game. Yes San Diego is 8-8, but they are a hot team right now. They have won five in a row and are on top of the world after beating Indy. The weather forecast is pretty much the usual for this time of year: cloudy, windy and cold with a chance of flurries.

T-minus four days. Be ready.

James Harrison Wins AP Defensive POY

John Stepnick — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:04:00 -0500

James Harrison has been voted the AP Defensive Player of the Year.

Steelers.com is all over it.

Harrison finished the season with a team record 16 sacks and also forced seven fumbles. Another factor which can't be overlooked is his overall game-changing ability. He come up with big plays in big situations.

Case in point: The first game against Baltimore.
Ben had just hit Holmes for a 33-yard touchdown and the defense needed to come up with a stop to give the offense a chance to put us in the lead. On the first play from scrimmage, Harrison sacks Flacco and forces a fumble that Woodley returns for a touchdown. Game changer.

The San Diego game.
Harrison sacked Rivers in the end zone, knocking the ball loose AND was almost able to jump on the ball. Harrison got credit for the safety for pushing tackle Marcus McNeil of the Chargers out of the back of the end zone after he scooped up the ball. Two points for Harrison. The Steelers won the game by one point. Harrison also intercepted Rivers as San Diego was driving and set up a field goal with the return. Game changer.

Congrats to Harrison, who joins Mean Joe Greene, Mel Bount, Jack Lambert, and Rod Woodson as the only Steelers to win the honor.

Wild Card Weekend Day 2: Defense Prevails

John Stepnick — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:25:00 -0500

Miami 9
Baltimore 27

I was all over this game with my preview. Baltimore's defense won this game, forcing Pennington into multiple interceptions, one of which was run back for a score. Miami's offense never got things going and Baltimore's defense was just too much for them to handle. Miami heads off to the golf course and Baltimore gets a rematch against Tennessee.

I hit the nail on the head with this one too.

Minnesota's defense kept them in it for a while, but ultimately it was the passing game of the Eagles, specifically a screen pass to Westbrook, that broke the Vikings back. Minnesota needs a reliable quarterback to take some of the pressure off the running game. Peterson had a decent game, but Philly stacked the box, forcing T-Jax to go to the air.

As the old adage goes, whatever problems you have in the regular season are magnified in the post-season. This was true for the Vikings' special teams, who gave up a big return to start the game that swung momentum to the Eagles.

Wild Card Weekend: Day 1—MVwho?

John Stepnick — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 00:56:00 -0500

The Cards came out running, which served them well. The Falcons battled back and took a lead, but a fumble by Michael Turner that Arizona returned for a touchdown completely changed the momentum of the game. Atlanta had some key errors (dropped passes and defensive breakdowns) that inevitably led to their demise.

At key times in the game, Arizona went to the run and was able to eat up large portions of clock, keeping the ball in Kurt Warner's hands and giving the Cards their first playoff victory since the '90s in their first home playoff game since the Truman administration.

23
17
Overtime

Ron Winter and his crew might be the story of this game. The Chargers final drive in overtime was made possible by three first downs gained by penalties. However, as much as the Colts might whine, they were all good calls. Outside of the officiating, Darren Sproles had a hell of a game.

The Chargers defense played an inspired game against Manning, using a solid strategy of not lining up until there were only a few seconds left on the play clock. Mike Scifres, San Diego's punter, showed anyone watching the game what an asset a good punter is. After what the Steelers have been through this season with their punting, we can only hope Sepulveda can have similar performances next year. MV-who??

John Eeks Out Edge in NFL Preseason Predictions

John Stepnick — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:57:00 -0500

As you may recall, in our team previews at the beginning of the year we took a shot at predicting each team's final record. Well, the tallies are in and John has taken the edge...barely.

John was a total of 105 games off for all teams in the league. I was a total of 106 games off for all teams in the league.

John hit the nail on the head with three teams, accurately calling Pittsburgh's 12-4 record, Tampa Bay's 9-7 record and Arizona's 9-7 record.

I only managed two correct predictions: Arizona at 9-7 and Denver at 8-8.

Counting the teams we got right, we both predicted 13 records within two games of their actual record.

The embarrassing part of this post comes in our playoff predictions.

John's Playoff Teams

AFC

Division Champs: New England, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis
Wild Cards: Jacksonville, NY Jets

NFC
Division Champs: Dallas, Seattle, New Orleans, Green Bay
Wild Cards: Washington, Detroit

Ian's Playoff Teams

AFC

Division Champs: San Diego, New England, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh
Wild Cards: Indianapolis, Buffalo

NFC

Division Champs: Dallas, Green Bay, Seattle, New Orleans
Wild Cards: Washington, Arizona

John landed three of 12 playoff teams, and I managed slightly better with four. Don't come to us for playoff predictions before the season happens. Ouch.

Bruce Gradkowski to Start for Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh

John Stepnick — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:36:00 -0500

The Cleveland Browns, who have lost their first three quarterbacks to injury, have called upon fourth-stringer Bruce Gradkowski to start Sunday at the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the name sounds familiar, Gradkowski was a WPIAL record-setter while playing AA-ball at Seton La Salle.

This will be Gradkowski's second career start in Pittsburgh. His last start in the Steel City? A 2006 game where he was at the helm for the 3-8 Buccaneers team that came in to face a 4-7 Steelers squad.

We all know the 2006 Steelers defense wasn't exactly the best thing since sliced bread. They gave up 41 points to the Atlanta Falcons, and Drew Brees came within an eyelash of 400 passing yards. The Steelers-Bucs game saw a Steelers team coming off a 27-0 shellacking by Baltimore and Tampa coming off an equally embarrassing 38-10 loss to Dallas.

Enough dramatic buildup. Onto how Gradkowski managed the game. He was 20-for-34 for 175 yards, and (most importantly) took three interceptions and five sacks.

Like I said before, the 2006 Steelers defense was a shell of what we're seeing on the field right now, which means the Browns will likely give us a heavy dose of Jamal Lewis and the running game, taking the ball out of the quarterbacks hands, trying to shorten the game.

Not only does the current Browns team rank 31st in the league in Total Offense, but also 30th in the league in Passing Offense, and 31st in the league in touchdowns.

If the Browns offense has one ray of hope, it's that they are have allowed the seventh fewest sacks in the league, which means much of their playbook is focused on short, quick passes. However, Cleveland has the fifth most interceptions in the league, only two behind Houston and the Jets.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers relatively stagnant offense against a Cleveland defense ranked 26th in total defense and 29th in rushing defense. If there was ever a game for Parker and Moore to breakout, it's tomorrow.

2009 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule: Sneak Peak

John Stepnick — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:52:00 -0500

With a week to go in the season, the Steelers schedule for 2009 is almost set. Here's a sneak peak at what we'll be looking at.

For those who don't know how the schedule is made, here's a quick breakdown:

- Home and away against all divisional opponents
- One game against all teams in one other division from your conference (two home, two away)
- One game against all teams in one division from the other conference (two home, two away)
- One game against teams from your conference from divisions you don't play that finish in the same position as your team (one home, one away).

Since the Steelers played the AFC South this year, and the AFC East the year before, it is our turn to play the AFC West. In 2006 (the last time we played the AFC West), we played Kansas City and Denver at home, which means we will play them away next year.

The cycle of NFC opponents brings the Steelers to the NFC North, a slate of teams they haven't seen since 2005. In '05, we saw Chicago and Detroit at Heinz Field, which means we'll get to see both Aaron Rodgers and Adrian Peterson at Heinz Field next season. This also gives us the potential for a Thanksgiving Day game against Detroit.

Finally, since we won the AFC North, we get the AFC South and AFC East division champions. The last time we played the AFC West, we played our East equivalent (then Miami) at home and our South equivalent (then Jacksonville) away. It will flip for 2009 and we will see the South Champion (Tennessee) at home and the face East Champion (currently undecided, could be anyone except Buffalo) away.

So, with that in mind, here is the Steelers 2009 list of opponents:

Home Games
Baltimore
Cleveland
Cincinnati
San Diego
Oakland
Green Bay
Minnesota
Tennessee

Away Games
Baltimore
Cleveland
Cincinnati
Kansas City
Denver
Chicago
Detroit
AFC East Champion (MIA/NE/NYJ)

The Detroit Lions Are On the Clock

John Stepnick — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:02:00 -0500

With their loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Lions have clinched the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Detroit fans have 123 days to figure out how to storm team headquarters if the Lions take Michael Crabtree.

Eight teams that entered this weekend at .500 or less won. Only two of those teams beat inferior opponents (San Francisco and New Orleans). Upset city for the other six teams.

San Diego is finally making their run everyone has been waiting for them to make. They get a gift from Buffalo, and now have a chance to win the division and make the playoffs next week against Denver. If only College Football had something this good: a playoff to get into the playoffs.

Teams not to trust in the playoffs: Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets (if they make it). Neither of these teams can travel. The Jets are 0-4 on the West Coast, Arizona is 0-4 in the east.

Reason the NFL is the best professional sport: Parity. The Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins were the laughing stock of the league last year. Both teams are now 10-5 and have the opportunity to win their respective divisions next week.

Big question of the week: Will any home team win on divisional weekend?
Potential matchups (Bold teams are currently hold position):

Indianapolis @ Denver/San Diego
Baltimore/New England/Miami/NY Jets @ Miami/New England/NY Jets
Atlanta/Carolina @ Arizona
Dallas/Tampa Bay/Philadelphia/Chicago @ Minnesota/Chicago

Assuming things stay as they are now, would you take an AFC West team over Indy? How about an AFC East team over Baltimore? Arizona over Atlanta or Carolina? I wouldn't predict any of these matchups in favor of the home teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers Offense Is No Cause for Alarm

John Stepnick — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:43:00 -0500

With the Steelers poised to make a claim to the No. 1 seed in the conference tomorrow, everyone is focusing on the same question: Is our offense consistent enough to take us the distance?

In short: yes, it is.

Here is a statistical rundown of why the Steelers offense is not as bad as people are making it out to be.

Steelers Stats:
Yards/Game: 303.4 (24th)
Points/Game: 21.6 (21st)

But here are the big stats:
Opponent's Yards Against/Game: 309.8 (Fourth)
Opponent's Points Against/Game: 20.6 (Sixth)

The gauntlet of defenses we have faced are allowing the fourth fewest average yards per game and sixth fewest average points per game.

In light of these numbers, our offense is averaging about a 98 percent success rate in Yards per Game (meaning, we usually get about 98 percent of the average yards per game that defense allows). On the points side, the news is a little better. We are averaging 104 percent (outscoring the average our opponent's defenses allow).

So what does all this mean? That our offense is, in a word, average. Essentially, we play to the level of our opponents defense. If their defense is bad, our offense flourishes. If their defense is good, our offense struggles.

For the record, Tennessee is averaging 281 yards against per game, and 14.1 points against per game. Don't expect an offensive explosion tomorrow.

Additionally, considering that after tomorrow, we will have faced every team in the Top seven in total defense, except ourselves. These are, Baltimore (twice), Philadelphia, Tennessee, Washington, New York (Giants), and Dallas.

We have also faced three other teams ranking in the top half of the league in total defense (Indy, New England, Jacksonville). This makes for 10 games out of 15 (counting tomorrow's game) that will be played against a defense in the top half of the league.

Is it cause for concern that our offense isn't dominating these defenses? Nope. And I've got 11 wins and no double-digit losses to back me up.

Pittsburgh Steelers Opponents Post-Steelers

John Stepnick — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 23:14:00 -0500

We all know what the Steelers defense does to teams during games. But how have teams fared in games after playing the Steelers?

Houston- Lost three in a row after losing to Pittsburgh

Cleveland- Lost the next week, then beat Cincinnati

Philadelphia- Lost next two after beating Pittsburgh

Baltimore- Lost next two after losing to Pittsburgh in overtime

Jacksonville- Beat Denver then lost next two

Cincinnati- Lost, then beat Jacksonville

NY Giants- Won five in a row after beating Pittsburgh

Washington- Lost to Dallas then beat Seattle. Have gone 1-4 since losing to Pittsburgh

Indianapolis- Won five in a row after beating Pittsburgh

San Diego- Lost two games after losing to Pittsburgh

Cincinnati- Lost twice after losing to Pittsburgh

New England- Beat Seattle and Oakland after losing to Pittsburgh

Dallas- Beat the Giants after losing to Pittsburgh last week.

In total, this brings opponents to 5-8 in games after playing the Steelers (regardless of bye weeks). Additionally, in the second game after playing the Steelers, these teams are 6-6 (regardless of bye, Dallas withstanding because they have only played once after losing to us).

So, with Baltimore and Dallas matching up next week, Dallas has a higher chance (50%) of winning than Baltimore does (38%), based solely on how teams fare after playing the Steelers.

What does this mean? Not only does the Steelers defense punish teams in games they play, but those teams are still hurting a week later.

Steelers-Ravens: Ben Roethlisberger and the Order of the North, Steelers Win

John Stepnick — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:26:00 -0500

Has anyone noticed that "Baltimore" sounds an awful lot like "Voldemort"?

I can see it.

The Steelers got an early victory winning the coin toss and deferring until the second half.

Yamon Figures negates a great kickoff by bringing it back to the 40. However, someone forgot to give Baltimore's offense the memo that the game started at 4:15. They go three and out, giving the Steelers the opportunity to strike first.

The Steelers look to set the tone early with a pass play, but no one is open and Ben is able to scramble for nine yards. However, the Steelers get set back by a delay of game, turning a 2nd-and-short into 2nd-and-6.

Parker gets the penalty yardage back, setting up 3rd-and-1. Ben hits Hines for a big completion to move the sticks, then goes back to Hines for four more yards. Nate drops a pass on second down, and the Steelers get a Colonoscopy, setting up 3rd-and-long.

Ben hits Heath on the sidelines, but Heath can't make it to the sticks, bringing in the Lob Wedge. The LW doesn't do anything to lose the nickname, barely squeezing out a 28-yard punt.

The Ravens won the field-position game on the exchange, setting up shop at their 43. The Ravens decided that Le'Ron McClain was going to be their horse this game, and he got a lion's share of the calls. McClain started the drive with a four-yard carry. After a false start, McClain got most of it back with a solid run.

On third down, Flacco ran an option and no one took the QB, giving up a first down. McClain got three yards on two carries and the Ravens strangely decided to run it again on 3rd-and-7. Aaron Smith and Ryan Clark stuff him, forcing a punt.

The Steelers get pinned at the seven, but a penalty on the kick puts them back to the 4. The Mewelde Moore show takes over, running for five and five to get away from the goal posts, then gets 0 and 4 to set up 3rd-and-6.

Holmes drops a pass that hits him right in the numbers on third down, bringing on the Lob Wedge. The Ravens return LW's 46-yard punt past midfield, giving them another good starting point.

After an incompletion, Flacco's pass gets tipped and Ryan Clark comes down with the pick, finally giving us some breathing room.

Parker manages two on first down, then Ben can't hook up with Nate on a deep pass, setting up a long third down.

Nasty Nate comes through in the clutch, reeling one in and turning it up the sidelines for a big gain. After an incompletion, Ben calls a timeout to set things up.

Second Quarter

With the ball on the Steelers side of the 50 again, Flacco takes a shot deep, but comes up empty. After a short run, Flacco completes his first pass of the game to Todd Heap-of-sh*t to get the ball into the red zone. However, the defense stands strong, giving up only six yards to the run, then getting pressure via Woodley on third down to force an incompletion. Field goal.

0-3

After a touchback, the Steelers come out in a power-I and go play-action to Sean McHugh for seven yards. Parker got two more, then Russell came in for the short-yardage play. On first look, it seemed like Russell got stuffed, but the refs gave him a generous spot.

Baltimore challenged the spot, but it was upheld, keeping the drive alive. After Parker got four, Ben scrambled for seven more and another first down. Ben hits Hines on a crossing route that he turns upfield for 21 yards to get inside the Baltimore 40. Parker gets two more carries, but a holding penalty on Stapleton sets us back.

On 2nd-and-long, Ben hits Nate for nine, then goes to the bank and finds the money man Heath Miller for 17 yards and a huge first down to get into field goal range.

Arians forgets that the Steelers are the worst screening team in the league and calls a screen pass on first down that hits Parker in the back. The drive fizzles out and Reed comes in for a field goal.

3-3

The Ravens come out determined to give the Steelers a heavy diet of Le'Ron McClain. McClain gets 20 yards on three carries, then Flacco hits Mason to pick up another first down. McClain picked up three more, then Flacco threw an incomplete pass, setting up 3rd-and-7.

Flacco finds Clayton for 17 yards to keep the drive alive. After an incomplete pass, Flacco finds his fullback who turns it upfield for 12 yards to get inside the 25 as the clock hits two minutes.

McClain gets two on first down, then Flacco finds Mason for another first down to get down to the 11. Once again, when the Steelers defense needed a stand, they came up with one. Three incompletions from Flacco brought on Matt Stover again.

3-6

The Steelers get the ball back with 45 seconds and two timeouts, but after an incompletion on first down, they decide to run out the clock.

Halftime

Jim Nantz really wanted the Ravens to win this game. That became more and more obvious throughout the game. Time of possession was pretty much even in the second quarter, when the Steelers and Ravens both put together nearly 70-yard drives to put field goals on the board.

The first half was really no surprise. We knew the defenses were good and that points would be scarce. The Ravens were playing conservative with their rookie quarterback, who wasn't having his best game of the season. Flacco was 6-for-15 and Ben was 9-for-16 at halftime.

Third Quarter

If the Steelers could have come out and tied the game up, it would have been huge. After an incompletion, Nate picks up 6 on an end-around. On 3rd-and-4, instead of going for the conversion, Ben goes deep for Nate. Shaking off some serious pass-interference, Nate still can't come up with the ball.

Lob Wedge busts out a 49-yard punt to flip the field.

McClain picks up 11 yards on two carries to get things started, but Aaron Smith comes up with a huge sack of Joe Flacco sets the Ravens back.

Big play by Aaron. Harrison had him around the ankles too.

McGahee picks up five on 2nd-and-long, then Flacco comes up empty, forcing a punt.

Parker busts a good run, but a Colonoscopy brings the play back. Parker gets stuffed on first down, but Ben goes back to him on a short pass. On third down, Ed Reed comes free and sacks Ben, forcing another punt. Gah. You knew their defense was good, but this was starting to get frustrating.

The defense was playing huge all game, and they came up with another big three-and-out, forcing another Ravens punt. The Ravens punter, who you may remember killed us in the first game, blasts a 56-yarder that gets downed at the one.

With their backs to the wall, the Steelers opt to pass. Ben hits Holmes on a quick slant, but the ball gets knocked out as Santonio turns upfield and Ed Reed jumps on the ball. Max Starks makes a game-saving tackle on Ed Reed in the open field to save a touchdown.

The defense comes back on the field with Baltimore chomping at the bit on the 16. There was no room for error here. And this was the stand that might define our defense for the season. Giving up a touchdown here was not an option.

Aaron Smith and Larry Foote stopped McClain on first down, then Foote and Farrior teamed up for a stop on second down to set up 3rd-and-4. Timmons applies the heat on Flacco, forcing a bad pass for McGahee...and the defense comes through yet again.

3-9

The game was still within a score, but we really needed to get one back after that turnover. Ben goes deep for Nate but comes up empty yet again. Parker gets a few, then Ben hits Holmes who holds on to the ball for the first down. P

arker picks up seven on first down to finally get us in good shape down-and-distance wise, but Parker gets stopped in the backfield, setting us back. Ben and Holmes can't connect on third down, killing the drive.

After a short run, the Ravens take a false start penalty, setting back their drive. McClain picks up six, but Farrior comes up HUGE on third down defending McGahee in space, forcing a punt.

Santonio, trying to make a play on the punt return, muffs the catch. As the ball bounces away from him and past a bunch of purple shirts, you can see the division slipping away. But out of nowhere, Keyaron Fox scoops up the ball...

...and rumbles down the sidelines for 18 yards, all the way to the Baltimore 33.

The Steelers catch a break, and you get that feeling that if we're going to score a touchdown, it has to come now. Ben starts things off by scrambling for six yards, then Moore picks up three as the quarter ends.

Fourth Quarter

Down by six with the division on the line and a 3rd-and-1, Bruce Arians makes one of the worst play calls in the history of football. 3rd-and-1. RUN THE BALL. Arians calls a play-action roll-out. Ben gets caught on the rollout and tries to get rid of the ball. It gets called a fumble, but either way, Baltimore came up with it. Gag.

Once again, there was a pervasive feeling that the defense was going to have to win the game for us. After McClain and McGahee combined for three yards a piece, Flacco threw another incompletion, forcing a punt.

Parker comes out and carves his best run of the game for 10 yards to get things rolling. Ben hits Hines on a similar crossing pattern to the one in the first half, which Hines turns upfield for 30 yards.

Huge gain to swing field position in our favor and get the ball into field goal range. Parker goes for three and then gets stuffed, setting up a big third down. Ben takes an ill-advised time out, and your gut sinks a little.

As always, Hines is the go-to guy. And he comes through again in the clutch with another big catch on third down. With first down on the 15, this seems like the time to take a shot for the end zone. But the offense does nothing on three plays, bringing in Reed again.

6-9

Patrick Bailey lays a huge lick on Figures on the kick return, giving the Ravens one of their worst starting points of the game. The Ravens came out looking to take it to the Steelers, with Flacco hitting Clayton over the middle for 20, then McClain busting a 10-yard run to get them into Steelers territory. Everyone knew at the very, very worst we had to hold them to a field goal.

After McGahee gets held to three, Flacco goes for the nail in the coffin, but overthrows Mason who was blanketed by Polamalu. Flacco goes back to Mason on 3rd down to move the chains, getting the Ravens inside the 30.

CBS flashed a graphic that McClain was nearing 90 yards rushing, and you got that sinking feeling that he might get to 100. But it was as if someone had turned a switch on the defense. Hampton and Taylor stop McClain on first down, then the Unblockable One Aaron Smith pounds him on second down, setting up 3rd-and-long.

Lawrence Timmons comes flying around the outside and hits Flacco from behind, knocking the ball free. Kirschke tries to pick it up but kicks it away from himself, back towards midfield. The Ravens eventually pick it up, but not before they are out of field-goal range.

After another good punt, the Steelers take over at their own eight. With 92 yards and 3:36 to go, the feat seemed almost impossible against the Ravens defense. However, if there's one thing we know, it's that Hines Ward will always make big plays in big games. Ben and Hines hook up twice for 13 yards each on quick in-routes, getting the Steelers out to the 34.

After two incompletions, the Steelers were looking at 3rd and 10 against the No. 2 defense in the league. Everyone holds their breath as Ben fires one for Nate on a come-back route. Ed Reed falls down and Nate reels it in and turns upfield, getting to the 50 before Reed brings him down.

Ben goes right back to Nate on the right sideline for nine yards as the clock hits two minutes.

After what might have been the longest two-minute warning ever, Ben hands off to Mewelde for a few yards and, more importantly, a new set of downs. Ben and Nate hook up on a deep pattern to get the ball down to the 14. Ben calls a timeout to settle things down. On first down, Ben hits Hines on a quick-in...

...which Hines turns upfield, spinning between defenders to get all the way down to the four.

Ben hurries to the line, and for some unknown reason, spikes the ball. Why do that when it takes away a down? I don't know. On second down, Ben tries to hit Spaeth with a quick pass, but the throw is too fast for Spaeth to get his hands up on and it falls to the turf.

On third down, Ben makes a play that makes Poe jealous. Ben rolls to his left, looking for Hines or Mewelde, both are blanketed and the Ravens are bearing down on him. Ben rolls back to the right and fires one for Holmes streaking across the goal line...

Was he in?
The initial signal from the officials said he was down short of the goal line.
Booth review.....
..............
Overturned.
TOUCHDOWN.
13-9

The Steelers take their first lead of the game with 43 seconds to play.

But the game wasn't over. Baltimore still had timeouts to spare and time to move the ball. Reed takes a stupid penalty after the extra point, forcing the kickoff back 15 yards. Patrick Bailey runs the Ravens returner out of bounds at the 47.

With the Ravens in striking distance, it was cause to be worried. We have seen our defense come up short in years past. But this year is different. Time and again this defense has proven why they are the best in the league. This game was no different.

After an incompletion, Flacco hits McGahee out of the backfield for a big gain. The Ravens stop the clock with 25 seconds to play. With the ball on the 40, you know they're well within Flacco's range.

Ike puts the brakes on a short pass to McGahee. With 17 seconds to play, Flacco gives it a heave for Mason in the end zone, but Big Play Willie Gay is in the way, pulling down the interception and sealing the game and the division title.

Players of the Game:
Offensive Game Ball: Ben Roethlisberger
Defensive Game Ball: Aaron Smith

Honorable Mentions:
Hines Ward
James Farrior
Lawrence Timmons
William Gay
Max Starks
Nate Washington
Keyaron Fox

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game
Passing on 3rd-and-1.

Final Thoughts

Nate Washington drops passes in the first half all the time, but he comes up big at the end of games.
Max Starks saved the game with that tackle of Ed Reed.
Somehow, the offense blows for 55 minutes, and then is awesome in the last 5. This is the second week in a row.
4th comeback victory in the 4th quarter this season.
Trust the defense.
Hell of a drive by Ben. Epic.
We're the first team to win back-to-back AFC North titles.
Tomlin as two division titles in his first two seasons. First Steelers coach ever to do that. Wow.
Lob Wedge did okay today.
Parker is right. Using a fullback would help the running game.
Darnell Stapleton > Kendall Simmons
Can't blame the sacks on the O-line. When they bring more guys than you can block, it's a lose-lose situation. Good job by the line to hold Baltimore to 3 sacks.
Gotta love Ben ripping on the media by saying "You know I hold on to the ball too long."
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2008 AFC North Division Champions:

The Steelers dominated time of possession in the first quarter with nine-and-a-half minutes, but no points to show.

The Ravens' defense is jumpy and goes offsides, giving us some free yards. Parker only gets a yard on 2nd-and-5, then Ben gets sacked by the guy who shot Joey Porter. Punt. Lob Wedge comes up with a touchdown-saving tackle along the sidelines as the quarter expires.

Steelers-Cowboys: There Will Be Defense, Steelers WIN

John Stepnick — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:04:00 -0500

This game was built up all week. FOX was broadcasting the game on their Latin American affiliate station. Two Mexican Senators were at the game. The game was dubbed "The Super Bowl for Latin American football fans" because of the high fanbase both teams have amongst Latin American viewers.

The defense gets the nod on the intro. The field was in good shape and the fans were electric.

The Steelers won the toss and deferred. The Artist Formerly Known as Pacman makes a few moves on the kick return before Ike brings him down.

After an incompletion and a short run, Romo is faced with a third and long. By the way, did I mention Romo came into the game leading the league in quarterback rating? On 3rd-and-7, he overthrows TO, right into the waiting arms of Troy Polamalu, league leader in interceptions.

After a delay of game penalty, the Steelers offense looks as though they're going to stall out, but Ben hits Holmes down the sidelines for 23 yards. After that sign of life, the Steelers crap on themselves by doing nothing on three plays then missing a 45-yard field goal.

Choice managed four yards on first down, then Romo hooks up with Witten on third down to keep the drive alive. Choice runs twice to get the ball across midfield, then Witten snags another to keep things rolling for Dallas. Choice got two, then Romo hit Williams on a short out to set up a 3rd-and-2.

The Steelers were confused on defense and called a much-needed timeout before the next play. Romo empties the backfield and pitches to Owens, going in motion, but Farrior and Woodley team up for the stop. With 4th-and-1 at the Steelers 33, the Cowboys go for it, but Defensive Player of the Year candidates Harrison and Polamalu are there to stop the fullback in his tracks for the turnover on downs.

The Steelers pick up five free yards on a defensive offsides, then Ben hits Moore on a quick hitter, and he turns it upfield for 12 yards. Moore catches another short one and turns it into an 11-yard gain and another first down, getting the ball inside the 40. Arians busts out the motif offense, which fails miserably, and the Lob Wedge punts.

With the ball 95-yards from the end zone, the Steelers defense is up to the field position game, and holds the Cowboys to a three-and-out. Punt.

The Steelers get the ball within breathing distance of midfield. After an incompletion, Ben hits Heath over the middle, but Heath, who has one of the best set of hands on the team, gets hit from behind and fumbles. Dallas recovers on the 45, winning the field position turnaround and killing any momentum the Steelers might have had.

To make matters worse, Romo hit Choice on a short pass that he turned into a 12-yard gain to move into Steelers territory. Farrior stuffed Choice to end the longest first quarter of the year. It was brutal, especially in the cold.

Second Quarter

Romo found Choice with Big Snack in man coverage, and took advantage. But the Snack was hungry, and brought Choice down before the sticks. Romo looked for Owens on 3rd-and-short, but pressure from Foote broke up the play. The Cowboys elect to go for it on 4th-and-2, but Romo can't hook up with TO and the Steelers take over.

Parker manages two yards to the outside, which was a stupid play call because the Cowboys' defense is fast. We should have been running up the middle. After two incompletions for Nate, it's Lob Wedge time again. 30 yards. Vomit.

Choice shows a flash of speed and gets through a seam as the safeties are sitting back. Polamalu brings him down after 11 yards. Farrior and Snack show up on the next play to stop Choice in his tracks. Harrison gets pressure on second down, forcing a bad pass. You knew what was coming next.

Like a shark, Harrison smells blood in the water and swats the ball out of Romo's hand for his 15th sack of the season, tying the team record set by Mike Merriweather. Kirschke fell on the loose ball, giving us a huge swing of momentum. Dallas challenged the fumble, but it wasn't happening. Steelers ball.

Moore gets seven on first down, then Ben hits Hines on a Flanker screen that he gets close to the sticks. Ben tries a QB-sneak on 3rd-and-short but fumbles the ball. Dallas recovers to steal momentum back.

The Cowboys get themselves into a 3rd-and-4 and try a draw play against the nickel defense, which was a good idea, but Aaron Smith and Farrior were able to pull Choice down before the marker. Punt. Dallas' real punter booms a 51-yarder, killing it inside the 10. We miss you Danny Boy.

Backed up inside the 10 with a punter that sucks, you knew we needed a first down or two if we were going to give our defense any chance of stopping them. Arians tries to get it through the motif offense, but it wasn't happening.

The Lob Wedge gets some serious backspin on his punt (not what you want when kicking out of your own end zone, but in this case it worked out) and the ball hits one of the Cowboys covering the kick. Timmons falls on the ball to give the Steelers' offense new life.

You were hoping this was the spark they needed to get things going, but after two incompletions, we were looking at 3rd-and-long. Ben hit Moore out of the backfield for a seven-yard gain, but that was well short of the first down, bringing out the Lob Wedge again.

Owens tries to sneak behind Ike down the sidelines like Moss did last week, but Ike is all over it and pulls down a HUGE interception to give the Steelers the ball deep in Dallas territory.

Parker comes in to run the motif offense and picks up eight yards to set up 3rd-and-2. Remind me again why we don't run the ball anymore on 3rd-and-2 and insist on going empty-backfield?

Ben can't hit Sweed, but the Cowboys were cheating, so we got five yards and a first down. Parker gets stuffed on first down at the 10, and two incompletions later, it was field goal time.

3-0

The Cowboys took over with 2:40 and no time outs, looking to get something going. Choice had his way against our nickel package in this game, taking the first carry of the drive for 10 yards. Romo hit Witten for nine more to get the ball across the 40 as the clock stopped at 2:00.

Out of the break, Choice picked up the first down, then Romo went back to Witten for a big 22-yard gain. Choice picked up four to get inside the 30, then Romo missed Witten due to pressure by Woodley.

Romo was confused by the defense and with no timeouts left, had to take a delay of game penalty. On 3rd-and-11 with 30 seconds to go, Romo hit Witten for seven yards to get the Cowboys into field goal range. Nick Folk hits a 44-yarder as time expires in the half.

3-3

Halftime

The lines at the men's bathrooms were longer than the lines at the women's bathrooms. Some dude peed in a cup in the corner rather than waiting in line. At Three Rivers people used to pee in the sinks at halftime. Someone crapped in a sink once during a playoff game there. Haven't seen any of that yet at Heinz Field.

By the way, that's halftime analysis you're not going to get on any other blog.

Third Quarter

Russell manages a good kickoff return and Parker starts the drive with a solid run. But then things start to fall apart.

Pressure forces a bad throw on a screen pass, then Ben is sacked to end the drive. The Lob Wedge manages a 34-yard punt to give Dallas the ball on their 30.

Choice gets stuffed on first down, but Romo scrambles away from a sack and picks up a few to set up 3rd-and-short. With the safeties playing deep, Choice bounces one to the outside and takes it for 22 yards.

Romo completes another pass to get down to the 25. Choice goes outside again and picks up 12 yards to get inside the 15. Ryan Clark comes up to stop Choice in the hole on first down. On 2nd-and-9 the Steelers only rush three. Big mistake.

Romo has all day to throw and scrambles out to his right and heaves a ball for the end zone with Kirschke in his face. TO goes up and snags it at the back of the end zone for the score.

3-10

Things were looking down, but a touchdown on the next drive would have made up for everything. Mewelde Moore starts things off by reeling in a short pass then busting a carry for a first down. No surprise, Ben goes five-wide, the Cowboys bring pressure and Ben is sacked. When will we learn that this five-wide shit doesn't work?

Ben comes back and connects with Heath then scrambles for seven yards, but still comes up four yards short of the sticks. The Lob Wedge boots another 30-yarder to the Dallas 28. I never thought punting could make me this angry.

Romo hits Owens on a crossing route for 11, then finds Choice across the middle in space, which winds up being a huge 50-yard gain down to the 10 after he makes some guys miss in the open field. Kirschke gets some heat on Romo, forcing a bad pass for Williams on first and goal. Choice gets three yards on second down, setting up a big 3rd-and-goal.

Enter James Farrior.

HUUUUGE sack to keep the Cowboys out of the end zone and hold them to a field goal.

3-13

We need points. So what happens on first down? Ben gets sacked. After an incompletion on second down, things were looking grim. However, Ben goes deep over the top and finds Holmes in man coverage against Terence Newman. Holmes reels it in for a huge 47-yard gain to get the ball into Dallas territory.

Nasty Nate reels one in to get inside the 30 then Moore busts a run to get inside the 20. Ben holds on to the ball for far too long on the next play and gets pulled down, barely getting the pass away. The Cowboys challenge and win, as video showed Ben's knee was down before he got the pass off.

Official ruling: Sack. Ben has to scramble away from pressure and gets forced to the sidelines where he manages to find Holmes coming back for the ball. Solid hookup to end the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The best thing that happened to us in the third quarter? The Cowboys using their last challenge.

The Steelers came down to our end of the field, needing a score. They caught a break when Dallas was offsides on third down, negating an incomplete pass. Gary Russell pounds for five yards to get the first down and get the ball down to the five. In a series that defines why Arians should be fired, Parker runs twice to get the ball down to the one.

Instead of running at the one, Arians decides it would be a good idea to go play-action...to the fullback. Carey Davis is brought down short of the goal line for no gain. The Steelers elect to go for it, and decide to actually run this time, when they get stuffed. Gah.

The Cowboys taking over deep in our zone, you know what time it is? RENEGADE.

Romo quiets the crowd by hooking up with Owens for a first down, but then the defense comes alive. Choice gets stuffed on first down, then manages five on second down and brought down for a loss by Polamalu on third down. Punt.

In something we haven't seen all year, Santonio Holmes busts a great punt return down to the 25 to set us up in great position.

Ben starts strong by hitting Spaeth. Parker gets two to set up 3rd-and-2. Remind me again why we don't run on 3rd-and-2? Ben gets sacked, bringing out the field goal team. Reed is money and the lead is cut to one score.

6-13

Reed craps on his foot and kicks the ball out of bounds, giving the Cowboys excellent field position. But the defense is up to the challenge. Woodley rocks Choice on first down, then Kirschke comes up with a big sack on second down.

Romo hits Witten on third down, but Ike and Deshea team up for a big tackle to keep him well short of the sticks, forcing a punt.

Off a bad punt, the Steelers get the ball at the 33 with just over five minutes to play. The offense had been a load of crap since the game started, and the goal-line stop left everyone with some severe doubt. But guess what? They decided to start earning their multi-million dollar contracts.

Ben and Nasty Nate hook up for 14 and 21-yard completions, moving the ball to the Dallas 32 as the clock wound under four minutes. Hines drops a ball that was a little behind him, but still one he had to catch on first down. Ben can't hook up with Moore on second down, bringing up 3rd-and-10.

Under pressure, Ben remembers he has legs and takes off. He winds up being inches short of the sticks. They have no choice but to go for it, and Ben dives forward on a QB sneak. The refs call for the chains....

Santonio was all over that one.

On the next play, Ben finds Nasty Nate in single coverage to get down to the five. Nate got his leg twisted in an ugly way, but he was able to walk off the field. It looked really ugly, but I think he'll be okay. With 1st-and-goal at the five, when we couldn't get it in running, what do we do?

Damn straight.
Ben finds Heath on a short route. Heath runs for the pylon and dives...

Bench, any thoughts?

TOUCHDOWN. GAME TIED.

13-13

Reed pounds a booming kickoff driving the Artist Formerly Known As Pacman back to the goal line. Jones brings it out, but is met by Keyaron Fox and Andre Frazier at the 15.

Two-minute warning

The Cowboys had two options. Try and mount a two-minute drive to get in field goal range and win it, or play for overtime. The Steelers have their nickel defense on the field and the Cowboys call a draw, which is stopped for a short gain by Farrior and Kirschke. The Steelers, hoping to get the ball back, call a time out.

In a story that has been all over the news, an indignant Tony Romo mouthed off to Farrior and Woodley about how he couldn't believe we had called a time out. Personally, I was against the time out. In the situation, it saved Dallas time. However, I was about to be proven wrong.

Romo drops back, looks for Witten but the ball sails on him right into the waiting arms of Deshea Townsend. Deshea, with a lot of open field in front of him, makes a beeline for the pylon with Witten in hot pursuit. Witten, Deshea and the pylon all come together.

Big players make big plays in big games.

Offense wins games. DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Wow.
Just...wow.

Everyone was going nuts. It was totally crazy. Some lady from two rows behind me ended up a row in front of me. I don't know how it happened. It was insane. Just totally and utterly insane.

Reed came on and knocked in the extra point. 20-13.

With 1:40 to go, the game still wasn't over. Dallas now needed a long drive to tie the game. Romo hit Williams on first down to move the sticks and start things off and you started to get worried. But this defense isn't like any defense we've seen in a long, long time. Woodley gets pressure two plays in a row, causing bad passes intended for Choice.

On third down, Romo goes deep but vastly overthrows TO with Ike in tight coverage. On fourth down, Harrison gets pressure and forces a bad pass, getting us our third stop on fourth down in the game.

Dallas had two timeouts left, meaning we had to run a few plays with 51 seconds on the clock to close it out. Gary Russell gets two carries to force them to burn their time outs, then Ben goes to the victory formation.

GAME.

Players of the Game

Offensive Game Ball: Nate Washington

I know Heath had the touchdown catch, but Nate had three huge grabs on that drive that got the offense moving. I've been a critic of Nate all year, but it's good to see him finally come through and pull in some big catches when it's needed.

Defensive Game Ball: Deshea Townsend

After all Deshea's been through this year with injury, it's great to see him come through with a huge play to win the game. The Steelers depth at cornerback was an asset in this game, allowing them to rotate Townsend, McFadden and Gay into the lineup without losing a beat.

Honorable Mentions
Troy Polamalu
James Harrison
Heath Miller
Ike Taylor
Travis Kirschke

Mr. Yuck Sticker of the Game
Passing on 3rd-and-2

Every once in a while, just to mix it up, it would be okay. But this has become a norm for the team and more often than not it fails. Parker, Moore and Russell are all capable backs and our offensive line has been playing great. Here's a novel idea: put a fullback in.

Final Thoughts

Great win. This was a classic.
Romo came into the game leading the league in passer rating. He had three interceptions and a fumble.
Harrison is a monster. He gets held all game and still makes plays.
Great interception by Ike. Good to see him come down with one.
DESHEA!!!!!!!!!!
Big players make big plays in big games
Holmes stepped up when we needed it. He's starting to come into his own.
What's up with Hines? He hasn't looked the same the past few weeks.
Did we forget about Spaeth now that Heath is back? If we're going to use two tight ends, we might as well use them.
We miss Dan Krieder. Probably more than Jerome Bettis. Yes, I just said that.
We need to use a fullback more.
Huge game against Baltimore next week: win the game, win the division.

NFL Week 14 Preview

John Stepnick — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:59:00 -0500

There are some big games out there this week, and as we well know, December football is a completely different animal. Last year the Steelers went into December 9-3 and came out 10-6 as the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. Last year Cleveland was bearing down on us in the division, this year it's Baltimore.

One thing is certain, Pittsburgh needs to play better this December than they did last December if they want to make the playoffs.

Game of the Week: Cowboys at Steelers
The Steelers need to win to give themselves a chance to close out the division next week in Baltimore. The Cowboys need a win to keep pace in the tight wild card race in the NFC.

Tony Romo has been hot the last three weeks, throwing for over 300 yards each week. Pittsburgh's defense has allowed 10 points in each of the last three games and hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher or 300-yard passer all season.

Other Meaningful Games:
Atlanta at New Orleans
Philadelphia at NY Giants
Miami at Buffalo
Washington at Baltimore
Tampa Bay at Carolina

Playoff Scenarios:

Tennessee

clinches a PLAYOFF BIRTH with a tie, OR a NE loss or tie and NYJ loss or tie, OR a NE loss or tie and MIA loss or tie
clinches the AFC SOUTH with a win, OR a tie and IND loss or tie, OR an IND loss
clinches a FIRST ROUND BYE with a win and a NYJ loss, OR a tie and an IND loss or tie and a NYJ loss

Pittsburgh

clinches a PLAYOFF BIRTH with a win and a NE loss and EITHER: MIA loss OR MIA tie and NYJ loss

New York Giants

clinches a PLAYOFF BIRTH with a tie and EITHER: ATL loss OR ATL tie and TB loss
clinches NFC EAST with a win, OR tie and DAL loss, OR DAL loss
clinches a FIRST ROUND BYE with a win, OR tie and DAL loss or tie, OR DAL loss and MIN loss or tie and ARI loss or tie

Arizona

clinches NFC WEST with a win, OR a tie and SF loss or tie, OR SF loss

Teams up for elimination:
Houston
Cleveland
Jacksonville
New Orleans
San Francisco

NFL Week 13 Preview

John Stepnick — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0500

We're not kidding anyone. This week is all about two big matchups. Steelers-Patriots and Giants-Redskins. While there are other important matchups out there (Bears-Vikings for the outright lead in the NFC North)...all eyes in the nation will be on the big two.

Thanksgiving games were a joke. As expected, Tennessee and Dallas won easily. Arizona couldn't close out the division title, but can clinch if San Francisco loses to Buffalo.

Matchup of the Week: Pittsburgh at New England

This game is huge for both teams involved. Matt Cassell is starting to look like Tom Brady and the Steelers defense is leading the league in most major categories.

Most Intriguging Game of the Week: NY Giants at Washington

The Giants are running away with the East and Washington is struggling to stay afloat in the NFC playoff race. The Redskins boast a good run defense, which should matchup well against the Giants rushing attack. No-Catch-ico is out...again.

Worst Matchup of the Week: Jacksonville at Houston

Two 4-7 teams playing on Monday night? This game might be worse than the Apple Cup last week. Houston can't stop the run and Jacksonville can't stop the pass. This game has the look of a shootout waiting to happen, which probably means it will end up 13-9 or something like that.

Other interesting games

Chicago vs. Minnesota - Battle for the outright NFC North lead

San Diego vs. Atlanta - LT vs. Michael Turner, enough said

Carolina vs. Green Bay - Two teams in the midst of tough divisional battles in the NFC

New Orleans vs. Tampa Bay - Tampa just took the division lead and New Orleans is struggling to get back in the race

Denver vs. NY Jets - Two division leaders face off. Will the Jets have a letdown after their win in Tennessee?

Look out for: Joe Flacco

Did I just say that? Yes, I did. Baltimore is playing Cincinnati, who can't stop anyone.

Stay away from: Matt Forte

Minnesota's pass defense is weak, but their run D is fantastic. If this game turns into another shootout, the Bears will take to the air which will limit Forte's carries.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' "Renegade": a Brief History

John Stepnick — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:29:00 -0500

I realized that when I mention "Renegade" in my game recaps, some people might not know exactly what I'm talking about. Here, in relatively brief form, is the lore surrounding the Styx song "Renegade" and the Steelers.

The magic began January 5, 2002 during a playoff game against Cleveland. The Browns held a 17-7 halftime lead. By the beginning of the second half they stretched it out to 24-7.

The Steelers were lagging. Their offense was stagnant, as their only points came on an Antwaan Randle El punt return for a touchdown. Their offense stalled again and was forced to punt. During the commercial break, the crew at JumboTron control made a choice that forever changed Pittsburgh history.

As the slow, melodic intro echoed out across the depressed fans, everyone felt the sense of failure. Even the music controller gave up. 45 seconds later, the atmosphere changed. The screams of the song gave fans a needed wake up call, and the stadium became alive with excitement.

The crowd was back in the game, and the team responded. Their defense stopped the Browns. Tommy Maddox followed by leading a 66-yard drive to pay dirt to cut the lead to 24-14.

Pittsburgh ousted Cleveland 22-9 in the fourth quarter. The final quarter was capped off by Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala’s touchdown run and Randle El’s pass to Jerame Tuman for the two-point conversion.

The Steelers would go on to get screwed out of a win in Tennessee the next week. However, the lore of "Renegade" was stuck.

Now, during the third quarter of every Steelers home game, a video compilation of defensive plays are shown with the utter rocking of "Renegade" in the background.

In a recent addition to the tradition, in a game against Baltimore earlier this season, with “Renegade” being played in the background James Harrison sacked Joe Flacco on the first play of scrimmage. Harrison stripped the ball from Flacco resulting in a forced fumble. LaMarr Woodley gave the Steelers possession and returned the fumble for a touchdown.

The song works. Teams have yet to score this year on a drive after "Renegade" is played.

In the latest evolution, the version from the Chargers game, which I must say is the best "Renegade" compilation to date:

Ian's Week 10 Power Rankings

John Stepnick — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:33:00 -0500

With the new Bond movie coming out this week, my power rankings take on a James Bond flare.

Diamonds Are Forever
Teams eyeing that diamond-studded ring

Die Another Day

Tennessee escaped their first defeat once again, dodging a bullet in Chicago. The Bears completely shut down their running game, but Kerry Collins did it through the air to bring home the win. Another big day for the defense. They're definitely the best team in the AFC and if they can get through Jacksonville and the Jets, they'll be 14-0 going into their games against Pittsburgh and Indy to close out the season.

The World Is Not Enough

After winning it all, the Giants are determined to prove it wasn't a fluke and that they really are the best team in the NFC. They've been playing some great football and they are the best team in the league right now. Their defense does a great job creating turnovers and getting pressure and their offense is balanced and dangerous. They can play with anyone and they'll be playing in late January once again this year.

Thunderball

Jake Delhomme throws 4 interceptions in a game. You would think this would spell certain doom for this team. There were two reasons it didn't. #1- they were playing Oakland. #2- they have a solid running game. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have combined to form one of the best two-back tandems in the league. Stewart leads the team with 5 touchdowns, but Williams has been seeing the load of carries as of late, and he has excelled. They are playing well on defense, and get another freebie against Detroit this week before a division showdown against Atlanta that could be for the division title.

Man With the Golden Gun

Kurt Warner is gunslinging all over the place for the Whizard of Az. Anquan Boldin has scored in every game he's played. This is an explosive offense that got even better when Tim Hightower replaced the Edge. They're running away with their division and should gain even more breathing room after they beat Seattle this week. Their luster will be tested against Philly and the Giants the next two weeks and we'll find out how good this team really is.

Goldfinger

"He's the man, the man with the Midas touch." As much as I don't like Belicheck, he's done a heck of a job gameplanning without his top 2 running backs and MVP quarterback. New England's win over Buffalo last week put them back in the driver seat in the AFC East. A big matchup against the Jets this week decides who gets the inside track to the division title. Having the easiest schedule in the league is helping them out. They get a rematch against a streaking Miami team next week before Pittsburgh comes to town in a game that might determine the bye in the AFC.

Just Missed: Washington Redskins

Quantum of Solace
Teams that just can't get a break

Tomorrow Never Dies

Or so should be their motto. They need to believe in something right now as they're sitting at 0-9 with no teams left that have a losing record. If they're going to win, they're going to pull a big upset. Playing Daunte Culpepper might give them the best chance to win right now, but Drew Stanton is their future. They need to give Stanton a shot to see if he can cut it, or they should start watching Matthew Stafford film.

Dr. No

They're probably playing the worst football of anyone in the league right now. But their two wins keep them out of the bottom spot. If you want to know what's wrong with this team, it's the cryptkeeper that runs the front office. Like Bond's first adversary, he goes through henchmen faster than people can step forward.

Live and Let Die

Herm Edwards knew this was going to be a rebuilding year. You have to give this team some credit though. They're fighting their hearts out. They've played some very close games lately and you have to think that if the ball hand bounced a few different ways, this team could be battling for a division title. Do I mean that this team is good enough to win the division? No. But the AFC West is so bad that the 5-4 Broncos are in first place.

A View To A Kill

Their stagnant offense comes off their bye week to face three of the top defenses in the league in Philly, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Their games against Cleveland and Kansas City to end the season will have huge draft pick implications. If Cincy and KC both end up 1-14 going into their end-of-the-season matchup, we could see an essential "playoff" for the #1 overall pick. That might be all these fans have going for them.

The Living Daylights

As in what they're getting beat out of them. The gloss of a new coach is wearing off and their insufficiency on the O-line is really showing up. They need to draft new linemen, because these guys just aren't getting it done. We all know Bulger and Steven Jackson (when healthy) can make plays. But when there's nowhere to run and Bulger is under constant pressure. With the offense going nowhere, it exposes their below-average defense to opposing offense who have just been tearing them apart.

Just Missed: Seattle Seahawks