Ryan Succop and Referees Finish Tumultuous Season

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Hey, Steeler Nation.

Tough game to watch today in San Diego, am I right?

The fact that the Kansas City Chiefs lost in overtime to the San Diego Chargers is not what necessarily upsets me. The Chiefs’ backups blew a 10-point fourth quarter lead, and Ryan Succop missed a 41-yard field goal as time expired which would have given Kansas City the victory.

As maddening as Succop’s miss was, the fact that the refs clearly botched a call on an Eric Weddle fumble on a fake punt in overtime is what was truly incensed me.

How can the referees declare that he was ‘down’ when he a) had his legs still moving off of the ground, and b) was being pushed forward (illegally) by his offensive linemen? Moreover, if the play is considered ‘dead’ when Weddle’s helmet comes off and fell off before he crossed the sticks, then why did the Chiefs not receive the ball at the spot where he was stopped?

The fact that the referees gave zero explanation on the field and simply let the Chargers line up and continue their drive was nothing short of garbage. Of course, those negative situations would have mattered little if at all had the Steelers taken care of their own business earlier this season.

Pittsburgh’s 0-4 start to the regular season made them the butt of jokes throughout September and October. Their losses to Minnesota, Tennessee and Oakland proved how ridiculously under-prepared and inept they were in the early going, and they deserve to be sitting at home during the postseason.

Granted, the Weddle call itself was an utter joke. Yet it would be nice to see fans placing blame on Pittsburgh’s players and coaches for missing the postseason, not a kicker on another team. The Steelers could not control their own postseason destiny because of their own incompetence, not the incompetence of a kicker on another team.

Am I sad that the Steelers’ 2013 season is finished?

Of course, I am a fan of the team. Thus, why wouldn’t I be?

I just hope that the members of this franchise will be pointing the fingers at themselves for their long, cold winter. Moreover, I hope that this fanbase starts pointing fingers at the franchise and their recent decision-making for this team’s dive into mediocrity.

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