WEEK 1 Revenge Cinema

After 5 quarters, nearly 3 game giveaways, and 1 poorly-timed missed FG, the Pittsburgh Steelers opened the season at 1-0… as in 1 game without Big Idiot done and a win. It was another Steelers vs. ATL Overtime game-their 3^rd straight since 2002.   

Certainly has started out as a nervous giggle beginning hasn’t it?

The media promoted build as to who would and wouldn’t have their hands under Rookie C Maurkice Pounceys butt has been advertised like a GOODYEAR BLIMP….with definitely more hot air than story.

Fortunately, ‘Ole Dixie and the Steelers Defense lived up to the billing.

Dennis Dixon kept us on the edge of our seat-- firing like a blind-folded rookie cop on caffeine throughout the game, particularly in the 1^st half. He threw to the spot and not to the player , missing multiple 3^rd down completions. He scared us to death throwin’ 3 “you’re a dope for dropping it” near interceptions and one more Falcons LB Mike Peterson actually hung on to…enjoy hitting the jug machines this week, ATL D. Yet Dixon re-captured us hitting Mike Wallace [unlike his predatorial predecessor]  in stride on a 52-yard strike. A few plays later Dixon showed some moxy by not allowing a  Flozell Adams Offside Rerun derail the drive. He slipped out of a tackle to find Hines Ward for a 17-yard completion which led to Reed’s 36-yard FG and a 6-6 tie.

It was the aforementioned Ward who came out in the 4^th quarter determined to will his team to victory over his hometown Falcons. He hauled in a 24-yard triple-tipped toss to spark the offense and lead to another Jeff Reed 3-bie. It was a catch reminiscent of the great John Stallworth who he actually surpassed as the Steelers all-time leading receiver with his 26^th  100+ yard game.  A pretty good story from a 3^rd round ex-QB from Georgia.

But it was Ward’s block, coupled alongside backup TE/FB David Johnson’s double body slam, that sealed the deal in an OT Grand Finale where Rashard Mendenhall for once did not go down after the first hit on a play copied from Fast Willie Parker’s Superbowl Winning Handbook. (I hope that boy gets a job soon…Green Bay???)

Scoreboard reads 15-9. And we are 1-0. We’ll take it home and sit waiting for the next showtime, hoping to see the 2-0 Headline Monday.

Erin T September 15, 2010